Chapter 32
Olivia felt at a loss for words. She wondered what she had done to deserve such hostility. Sarah's contempt dated back to their days at the orphanage. Back then, Olivia endured every mistreatment without complaint. But not anymore. She was no longer willing to suffer in silence.
Olivia fixed Sarah with a cold, cutting glare, and the words she would normally swallow out of courtesy finally spilled forth without restraint.
"I work in this hospital. And in case you're not aware, your grandmother is my patient."
She paused, crossed her arms over her chest, and thrust her chin forward.
"I could give you a plethora of reasons, but unfortunately, that would take all day. And unlike you, I don't have the luxury of dilly-dallying when I have patients waiting for me."
Sarah clenched her teeth in fury. Frankly, Olivia was surprised she hadn't lunged at her like a feral cat.
Not that she was worried. Years of medical training had taught her exactly how to bring someone down in seconds without causing lasting harm.
Still, the last thing she wanted was to turn a hospital corridor into a wrestling ring.
"Don't even think about getting close to my grandmother. That is, if you want to keep your job in this hospital," Sarah warned with a smug smile.
Olivia met her gaze without flinching. "Save your threats, Sarah. This is a hospital, not your home. I don't answer to you. I answer to my patients. Your grandmother's treatment will be based on what's best for her, not on your demands."
She interrupted before Sarah could speak. "If you try to interfere with her care or attempt to intimidate me again, I will document it. And I will report it. I don't bend the rules just because someone decides to threaten my job."
Olivia turned on her heel, deciding the conversation had already consumed more of her time than it deserved.
But Sarah wasn't finished. She grabbed Olivia by the elbow.
"I'm not letting you be my grandmother's doctor," she snapped.
"You don't deserve it, and I don't think you're qualified. I want the best doctor."
It was Olivia's turn to smile. With practiced gentleness, she removed Sarah's hand from her arm.
If there was one thing she could take pride in, it was her work.
The hospital's Hall of Fame was lined with accolades bearing her name.
"I am the best doctor," she said simply.
It wasn't arrogance; it was an incontestable fact that everyone in the hospital knew.
Sarah's jaw dropped. It took her a while to recover, but when she did, she let out a peal of laughter, clutching her stomach as though Olivia had told the funniest joke she'd ever heard.
"You're kidding me, right?" she scoffed between laughs, dabbing at the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.
"I'm sure all those glowing articles about you are pure exaggeration. The hospital must've spent a fortune building your reputation."
She shook her head, another mocking laugh escaping her lips. "Know your place, Olivia. Don't let all that fake praise fool you. You're nothing. You wouldn't even be a neurosurgeon without the Hiltons. You're just trash they picked up from the gutter."
The words should have hurt, Olivia thought, but to her surprise, they didn't. Perhaps it was because she had long accepted one painful truth: despite her adoptive parents' flaws, she still owed them a little for the life and education they had given her.
"I've always wondered..." The question she had buried for years finally surfaced. "What have I ever done to make you hate me, Sarah? Why do you hate me so much?"
Sarah stopped laughing. The amusement vanished from her face as though it had never existed.
She blinked once, then twice. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly, as if the question had robbed her of speech.
And then it finally dawned on Olivia: there was no answer because there had never been one.
Even if she had been perfect, patient, and kind, it wouldn't have made a difference.
Sarah's battles had always been her own.
"I see..." Olivia murmured under her breath.
As much as it hurt to realize Sarah simply hated her, she would have to live with that truth.
She couldn't force someone to like her. Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat.
Despite Sarah's hurtful words, she felt no resentment.
Instead, she looked at her with quiet understanding.
"I don't hate you for hating me," she told her softly.
"Back at the orphanage, I was mocked, bullied, and blamed for things I didn't do. It hurt, but it taught me that people who lash out are often hurting themselves. That's why I don't resent you. I forgave you a long time ago."
She started to leave but paused to give Sarah one last lingering glance. "Please excuse me. My patients are waiting... If you have any complaints, feel free to speak with the department heads. I won't hold it against you."
Sarah said nothing. She simply watched Olivia walk away, her gaze following her until she disappeared down the corridor.
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Olivia let out a weary breath as she finished writing the last notes on her patient's chart.
It had been a long, exhausting shift. She had only performed one surgery the entire day, but it had been a complicated procedure that stretched close to six grueling hours.
Standing under the glaring operating room lights for that long, maintaining absolute concentration while carrying another person's life in her hands, had drained every ounce of energy she possessed.
Her shoulders ached, and her legs felt as heavy as lead as she stepped out of Dr. Wilson's office.
"Are you heading home already?" Dr. Wilson asked, looking up from the stack of files on his desk.
Olivia managed a tired smile. "Finally. Good night, Dr. Wilson."
He nodded gently. "Goodnight, Dr. Hilton. You've worked hard today. Go home and reward yourself with a good night's sleep. You've earned it."
"I'll certainly try," she replied, though she doubted she could. Sleep had been elusive these past few days. Perhaps she was still adjusting to the sudden change in her life. She had grown accustomed to sleeping beside her husband's warmth. Now, only the cold, empty side of the bed remained.
Olivia slung her purse over her shoulder, giving one last wave in Dr. Wilson's direction.
After saying goodbye, she walked through the now quieter corridors of the hospital.
Most of the outpatient clinics had already closed, leaving only the emergency department bustling with its usual urgency.
Nurses hurried past with charts in hand while the occasional gurney rolled by.
"Finally, I can go home and rest," she said with a relieved smile. But perhaps she had jinxed herself by saying it aloud. She had barely taken a few steps when one of the administrative assistants hurried toward her. "Dr. Hilton! The Hospital Director would like to see you in his office."
Olivia stopped, her temples scrunched into a frown. Again? she thought with a silent groan. Twice in one day-a new record. She should have expected it. Knowing Sarah, she wouldn't have wasted a second reporting the incident to someone in authority. "Thank you. I'll head there now."
The assistant nodded and walked away. Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose. The day had already been exhausting, and it seemed it wasn't over yet. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the director's office.
When she arrived, she paused outside the door, took one steadying breath, and knocked twice.
"Come in," the familiar voice said. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside.
The Director sat in his usual spot behind his desk.
But he wasn't alone. Sarah sat comfortably in one of the chairs, her arms folded triumphantly across her chest.
The smug curve of her lips widened the instant Olivia entered, as though she'd already won.
"Dr. Hilton, this won't take long. Please, have a seat."
Olivia did as instructed without sparing Sarah another glance.
The room fell into a tense silence. Sarah was the first to break it.
"I'll make this simple." She leaned forward confidently.
"I want Dr. Olivia Hilton removed from my grandmother's case."
The Director remained expressionless, but Olivia could tell that he was annoyed, even slightly irritated at the situation. "And your reason?" he asked, his eyes focused on his pen, playing with it by twirling it in his fingers.
"Olivia and I had a history. I just really don't like her. Besides, I don't believe she's the most qualified neurosurgeon for my grandmother. I'd prefer someone with more experience."
The Director finally stopped playing with his pen. He slowly folded his hands on the desk. His gaze shifted from Sarah to Olivia, then back again. "I'm curious," he said. "Who, exactly, would you consider more qualified than Dr. Hilton?"
Sarah opened her mouth confidently but couldn't say a word.
She had no knowledge or awareness of whom she might want to be assigned in her grandmother's care.
The director continued before she took too long to respond.
"Dr. Hilton here is the youngest neurosurgeon this hospital has ever appointed. She leads our most complex cranial procedures, has one of the highest surgical success rates in the country, and is the physician other neurosurgeons consult when faced with cases they cannot handle."
The director sighed, then added, "If your concern is qualifications, then I can assure you there is no better doctor in this hospital to oversee your grandmother's treatment. Dr. Hilton, by far, is the best."
The smugness slowly drained from Sarah's face. Olivia said nothing. She hadn't come here to defend herself; her work had already done that for her. Sarah had clearly expected the director to indulge her whims. Instead, reality had slapped her in the face.
"I believe we're done here. You may go now, Dr. Hilton," the director said. A faint smile tugged at Olivia's lips. Holding Sarah's furious gaze, she silently mouthed, "See? I told you." Without another word, she turned and walked out. Watching Sarah's confidence crumble had been oddly satisfying.
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