Chapter: 723

She now knew to be wary of those who might try to take advantage of her.

Jolie hurried to catch up with Baylor as he finished lunch, urgently asking, “Baylor, do you have a minute?"

He shot a glance of annoyance at her, signaling his desire to avoid any form of engagement with her. His distaste for the impending conversation was apparent.

If Baylor and Jolie had been aware that they had both betrayed each other in front of Norah, their fragile relationship would have undoubtedly been shattered.

"I'm really busy. Can you just go straight to the point?"

Jolie began her gossip-laden tale with a syrupy tone. "Dr. Padilla, congratulations on your accomplishments. The whole department is buzzing about your success." Her voice took a more sinister turn as she added, “However, Dr. Wilson was quick to mention that you were being pretentious as soon as you were out of earshot.”

Baylor's cheeks burned with humiliation as she struck at the very heart of his false bravado.

He was well aware of his own duplicity, and to be confronted with it in such a manner was intensely discomfiting.

His composure wavered as he struggled to maintain his facade of cool indifference. "She really said that?"

Jolie fanned the flames of Baylor's discontent, feeding him gossip and sowing seeds of suspicion. "Oh, yes! I heard it myself. No one else will tell you, though-they're too busy kissing up to her, Jamison's favorite."

Baylor's eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze upon Jolie. “And why are you telling me this?" he asked, suspicion etched across his face.

With her voice laced with bitterness, she answered, "It's because I hate Norah. We all toil here, but she's the chosen one, the apple of Jamison's eye. She treats us all like dirt, acting superior to everyone else in the department."

Her distorted view of Norah overlooked her humble nature, gracefully displayed despite her superior skills. Norah had never condescended to her colleagues, a mark of integrity that eluded Jolie's spiteful narrative.

Baylor clenched his fists as his cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

He was a man who took his reputation seriously, and Norah's public slight cut deep. Did she think him a coward if he chose not to respond?

“Thank you, Dr. Austin. I understand," Baylor said, managing a polite nod despite the anger boiling inside him.

Jolie watched him leave with a smug grin on her face.

Norah had just made another enemy. Jolie was intrigued by the tension and wondered what Baylor might do to get back at Norah.

Despite his wounded pride, Baylor couldn't help but respect Norah's skills in the operating room. He secretly hoped to learn from her.

Norah, for her part, was deeply committed to her work. She spent long hours in surgery, gaining a reputation in the Cardiac Surgery Department for handling their toughest cases.

It was no wonder that Jamison was so eager to have her on board Concord Hospital's exchange program. Every doctor who attended seemed to come back better skilled, something Silver Boulder Private Hospital valued highly.

After giving it some thought, Baylor came up with a subtle approach.

After he learned about Norah's romantic life, for several days, he watched from afar as she was driven around in a luxury car far beyond his means, his feelings of envy flaring up. Could it be that Norah had captured the heart of a wealthy admirer?

Baylor shuddered when he thought about Aikin's recent expulsion from the hospital, but his desire for revenge didn't fade. Over the next few days, he noticed Norah entering different luxury cars.