Vice President Finn's reprimand only cemented Leo's belief that there was something incredibly shady about Claire's presence here.
But he also knew that spewing baseless accusations without evidence was a quick way to land himself in deep trouble.
Leo could only mutter a quiet defense. "I'm not defaming anyone, I'm just exercising reasonable doubt. I'm worried for the experts here. If we truly get exploited by an opportunist..."
"Leo Cross!" Professor Yates snapped, cutting him off. "Without proof, you need to shut your mouth."
"I highly doubt this young lady is the kind of person you're describing."
"Furthermore, didn't Vice President Finn just make it clear? Having Claire join the consultation was his call."
"Are you openly questioning Vice President Finn's judgment?"
Vice President Finn was certainly not the type of man to make irresponsible decisions.
"Professor, that's not what I meant." Thoroughly scolded by his mentor, Leo didn't dare utter another word of protest.
Claire watched the exchange with icy detachment, as if Leo wasn't even talking about her.
"You may not have meant it, but you let your prejudices blind you!" Professor Yates was visibly furious now. "Leo, you need to apologize to Claire immediately!"
"I..." Leo was utterly stunned. He never imagined his own mentor would force him to apologize to her!
On what grounds?
Professor Yates's expression was carved from stone, leaving absolutely zero room for negotiation.
Leo had a sinking feeling that if he refused to apologize, his mentor would kick him out on the spot.
Or worse, he would never be allowed to shadow him again, which would be a catastrophic blow to his career.
"I'm sorry, Claire," Leo finally said, lowering his head.
Deep down, he didn't believe he was wrong for a second; he was simply bowing to the undeniable pressure of authority.
Claire shook her head. "I don't need your empty apology. You've been hostile toward me from the very start, Leo, and it's simply because I stole your thunder."
Leo froze, his face stiffening. He hadn't expected Claire to be so ruthlessly direct.
"I am not!"
"The facts speak for themselves. You're just jealous of me, aren't you?"
"The fact that I could save a life with a mere fork proves that I genuinely possess the medical skills."
"But that was originally a patient
*you* discovered. You desperately
wanted to call your professor over to
hap, hoping to build a herole
,
reputation and bask in everyone's admiration."
"You never expected me to beat you to the punch."
"In your eyes, I stole your spotlight."
"Accusing me of exploiting a medical emergency for clout is pure projection—that was likely your exact game plan."
"It's just a shame you lost such a
golden opportunity to make a name for yourself among your peers. Your meticulously planned path to internet fame was severed right then and there.
"You must have been incredibly bitter about it, and now you see today as another perfect opportunity."
"A student getting his testicle crushed during military training is sensational news, no matter where you are."
"If you could successfully infiltrate
this expert consultation using your professor's influence you could
easily use the situation to
nufacture your own hype."
"Regardless of whether that student lives or dies, your resume would look phenomenal..."
"Tell me, Leo, did I hit the mark?"
"No!" Leo roared. "You're maliciously projecting! It's complete nonsense!"
He screamed until his face and neck were flushed crimson, reacting exactly like a man who had just had his darkest secrets dragged into the light.
Claire's words were a mixture of truth and deduction, which was precisely why Leo was losing his mind.
Originally, he truly *had* wanted to use a medical emergency to pull his professor in and farm a wave of adoring fans.
From there, he could have built a lucrative presence on social media.
It wasn't that he didn't want to be a doctor, but he didn't want to *just* be a doctor.
If he could moonlight as an influencer and rake in massive profits, why wouldn't he?
He had been secretly in love with a wealthy girl for a long time, but she wouldn't look twice at an ordinary student like him.
Leo's only option was to find a way to get rich quick.
In his mind, the salary of a standard doctor would never be enough to impress a girl
of her status.
But what if he possessed massive online influence?