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Chapter 23
Chloe hadn’t expected the competition to be held in Crestwood.
After the incident at the school lab, almost everyone in her college, including Julian, knew she was
the ex–wife of the heir to a prominent medical industry family in the US.
People’s attitudes towards her changed. Some distanced themselves, afraid of getting involved in trouble. Others drew closer, hoping to gain some advantage.
But Julian remained the same. They never discussed the topic and continued their interactions as
before.
Chloe knew Julian had feelings for her, but since he never confessed, she pretended not to notice, maintaining their friendship.
For this return to Crestwood, Julian had offered to accompany her, but she refused.
Chloe wanted to reclaim what she had lost in the past, on her own.
Her parents, family, and friends were still in Crestwood. She couldn’t stop returning home just
because she was divorced from Liam.
The competition spanned two days: theoretical exams on the first day, practical lab work on the
second.
The day before the competition, the director of Crestwood First Hospital contacted her privately, exchanged pleasantries, and invited her to dinner.
After some thought, Chloe agreed. To her surprise, almost every notable figure in the city’s medical field was there, not just the hospital director.
During the dinner, no one gave her a hard time or paid her excessive attention. All the experts were engaged in a discussion around a specific medical topic, from theory to practice, with each
professor sharing their insights.
It wasn’t until the day of the competition, when Chloe saw the exam topic, that she understood why.
The theme of this competition was the exact topic the professors had discussed the night before- laryngeal tumors.
They had deliberately leaked the topic to her.
Chloe fell silent for a moment, naturally guessing the reason–Liam Walker.
Chapter 23
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He was that kind of person. If he wanted something, he would inevitably find a way to get it. She turned in a blank exam paper.
The following day, during the practical segment, her performance was a masterclass in willful incompetence. She fumbled with the instruments, ignored standard protocols, and turned a deaf ear to the pointed hints from the observing medics. She wasn’t just failing; she was staging a
protest.
After leaving the hospital, Chloe bought a ticket back to the UK. Everything here felt utterly meaningless to her. Just before boarding the plane, she received a call from the event organizers.
“Ms. Thompson, congratulations on winning the gold medal in this competition.”
“We regret that you left early and could not attend the award ceremony. We will mail the medal, certificate, and corresponding prize money to your address in the UK.”
Chloe could only laugh wryly in disbelief.
So this was what it felt like to be placed on a pedestal.
She calmly replied, “That won’t be necessary,” and hurriedly boarded her flight.
For those dozen or so hours, the whole thing felt like a bizarre farce to Chloe.
It wasn’t until she landed back at her school and got a call from Julian that things shifted.
“Chloe, remember Isabella Rossi?”
“The one who took your thesis results? She also participated in this forum competition.”
“I just got news that she filed a complaint with the forum organizers, accusing you of using improper means to win the award. She even posted your exam paper and practical video online.”
“Chloe, be honest with me, what really happened? I know your capabilities. There’s no way you’d perform so poorly on a simple laryngeal tumor procedure.”
Chapter 23
