A Price on My Hands

Threat

I picked up the cardboard box and went to the first-floor lobby. Jebediah drifted out from behind a pillar like a wraith. "Aw, are you in a rush, Dr. Birch?"

He deliberately stood before me, his eyes glinting with another scheme. "There's one final process to go through."

I looked at him coldly. 'Out of my way."

Jebediah froze before chortling. "Temper, temper, Dr. Birch." He didn't seem to have heard me as he continued, "Just to answer the Internet's curiosity, we've decided to make a broadcast about your punishment."

"What?" That must be a joke. A broadcast? On the Internet?

Jebediah took his phone out and showed me the screen. It was the hospital's official account, and they posted something titled 'A public announcement about Jessica Birch's unlawful charging.'

There were thousands of comments already. I scrolled through them with shaky hands.

'I can't believe you'd steal something that cheap, trash doctor!'

'How'd she even become a doctor? Look into her case!'

'Thanks for punishing her! She deserves it!'

No one even asked for the whole story. No one talked about how I had conducted three surgeries before the final one. No one knew that the IV drip saved an arm and a whole family. All they cared about was the unlawful charging.

A chill went straight up my spine. So, this was the patient I risked my life saving. "I won't do it," I said icily.

Jebediah knew I would say that, and his smarmy smile remained. "I'm afraid that's not up to you, Dr. Birch."

Then, he had the gall to pat my arm and say in a faux-sweet tone, "It's the director's idea. The public needs an answer if we are to calm this storm."

The director? The same man who encouraged me and said I was the hospital's future? My stomach was churning again.

Jebediah was pleased with the look on my face.

He called someone and put his phone beside my ear.

"Jessica," said the director.

I said nothing.

A while later, the director continued drily, "I'm sure Mr. Constantine has told you everything. We're under a lot of pressure. You know how hard it is to keep the Internet in check. Just… deal with it. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

That nearly made me laugh. He was sorry that I had to go through this? He made it sound like it was just another day and not him ruining my career.

"When this blows over, I'll try to give you your bonus back next month. Get some rest. Come back to work when you feel better."

He was serving me another empty promise. They took away what I deserved and tried to make it sound like they were doing me a favor.

I sneered. "Save it, Mr. West. I quit."

The director froze. "Calm down, Jessica! It's just a small mat—"

"A small matter?" I interrupted. "So my reputation, my work, and my dignity are nothing but a small matter you could just do with as you please? A pawn you can discard on a whim? Yeah, no. I'm not staying here, not any longer."

I hung up and tossed the phone back to Jebediah. He was shocked by my sudden resignation. That threw a wrench in his plans.

If I were to leave, his useless nephew would lose his excuse to shut the department up if they were to talk about him.

So, Jebediah sneered and threatened, "You'd better think long and hard, Jessica. I don't care if you're quitting, but you're not leaving until the broadcast is over! That's the rule! If you ignore that, I'll make sure you have no place in the medical world!

"No hospital will ever hire a blacklisted doctor the Internet hates!"

He might as well be shooting daggers at me with his furious glare. "The skills you're so proud of will rot with you!"

My hands clenched down on my box.

The lobby was filled with people.

I hated Jebediah's smug look, but I had bills to pay. So, I had no other choice but to clench my teeth as I spat, "Fine."