Chapter 4 Real Oppression

• Edeline couldn’t hide her suspicion as she found herself deep in the ER unit. It wasn’t because of the advanced equipment or the tense atmosphere.
• The ER was the main trauma center of every hospital. The busy scene of medical staff providing first aid and filling the rooms was not a complaint for Edeline.
• In fact, she welcomed it warmly. The beautiful doctor acted swiftly with every patient who arrived. But where had all the other doctors assigned to the ER gone?
• So far, Edeline was the only doctor attending to and treating every patient who came in. She was only assisted by the nurses on duty.
• And what Elvis said was true. The ER was so busy that Edeline couldn’t even breathe calmly. She had even missed lunch and couldn’t take a moment to rest.
• Edeline didn’t complain. It was her duty to help and treat every patient. But the situation was impossible to accept with reason. It made no sense for the ER to be this swamped with just one doctor on shift.
• “What’s really going on?” Edeline muttered weakly after finishing treatment on a patient.
• “I’ve been wondering the same, Doctor,” came a voice from behind.
• Startled, Edeline turned reflexively and saw Lina—the nurse who had been assisting her. Lina was an ER nurse who had long served there.
• “Lina! You scared me!” Edeline exclaimed, half-stiff.
• “I’m curious too, Doctor. What exactly have you done to cause this?” Lina asked.
• Edeline narrowed her eyes at Lina. “What have I done? You’ve seen I’ve been busy treating patients all this time,” she said, offended.
• “Don’t you find it strange? Or do you already know?”
• “My energy is drained already. Don’t drain it further with my emotions,” Edeline urged, wanting Lina to stop beating around the bush.
• The 28-year-old nurse didn’t immediately comply. Her eyes glanced left and right, scanning the surroundings, then she pulled Edeline into a corner where no one was around.
• “All the doctors here have been reassigned to other units,” Lina whispered carefully.
• “What? Are you kidding?” Edeline’s eyes and mouth opened wide in shock.
• “I’m not joking, Doctor. My legs feel like they’re going to fall off from running back and forth helping you. Before you came here, an urgent order was issued by Dr. Elvis to the doctors on duty. The ER is to be staffed only by Dr. Edeline,” Lina explained in detail.
• Edeline’s heart jumped at the revelation. Her beautiful face showed the surge of emotion almost exploding into anger. Her eyes sparkled with clear fury.
• In the midst of this, Edeline recalled Elvis’s words before parting in his office—that he mocked her to fight in the ER. So… that loser deliberately pressured Edeline to raise the white flag of defeat.
• “Bastard,” Edeline muttered weakly.
• “What? Did the Doctor say something?” Lina was provoked by what she faintly heard as a curse but wanted to be sure.
• “I said burger because my stomach’s hungry,” Edeline lied reluctantly. There was no way she could tell Lina about what happened between her and Elvis. That rude man was truly annoying!
• “My stomach’s hungry too, Doctor. We haven’t eaten all day,” Lina added, also very hungry.
• “Then I’ll treat you when we get off work.” A genuine smile finally appeared on Edeline’s face, cheered by Lina’s innocence.
• “Hm, but Doctor, you didn’t make any mistakes, right?” Lina looked sharply at Edeline, who felt intimidated. “As someone who’s worked here a long time, I advise you not to make any mistakes with Dr. Elvis. You know who he is, right?” She warned Edeline not to do anything foolish that might anger Elvis.
• Edeline gave a bitter smile and cursed silently. “I… I didn’t make any mistakes—”
• “Is gossiping allowed during work hours?” A familiar sharp voice cruelly cut off Edeline’s mouth.
• Without even turning, Edeline knew who had suddenly appeared behind her. And sure enough, when she turned around, she found the arrogant figure glaring hostilely at her.
• “Everyone’s busy, yet you’re here gossiping and relaxing!” Elvis accused harshly.
• Lina lowered her head in fear, while Edeline stayed silent, lacking the energy to argue. Her eyes clearly burned with anger toward Elvis.
• “Report to me about the patients you transferred to the surgery and cardiac units.”
• Elvis immediately turned away without waiting for an answer. His attitude forced Edeline to follow his steps without refusal.
• Edeline’s emotions were played with again when they reached his room. Elvis sat casually, his calm, innocent face utterly infuriating to Edeline.
• “How was your first day in the ER? Can you breathe easy now?”
• Damn it! That was just an excuse to mock her.
• Edeline’s expression was calm, though her tired face couldn’t hide her exhaustion. “The patients I transferred to surgery and cardiac units were accident victims. X-rays showed serious rib injuries causing severe pain.”
• “You still insist on hanging in there? You can handle the ER alone?” Elvis sneered, his mocking grin so irritating.
• Edeline stood firm. She chose to ignore him to stay sane facing this tyrant. “I communicated with the surgery and cardiac units before sending the patients. They said you were in the operating room, so the other doctors approved. The cases were very urgent.”
• “You’re stubborn. Your courage can’t be underestimated.” Elvis kept provoking her.
• “Dr. Elvis.”
• “Yes, Dr. Edeline.”
• “You deliberately emptied the ER of doctors, then left me alone there to make me give up.” Edeline accused without hesitation.
• “You said you weren’t afraid to be successful. So I’m just helping you create that opportunity. I also need to see your loyalty as an intern here.”
• Elvis was truly despicable! He deliberately did this to unsettle Edeline’s resolve while simultaneously belittling her earnest efforts.
• Edeline was ready to fire back with sharp, biting words. But her intent was blocked as her vision suddenly blurred. At the same time, she felt something coming out of her right nostril. Then, at that very moment, she heard the scream of a child entering the room.
• The figure wasn’t clear, but Edeline faintly saw a little girl with beautiful long hair running toward Elvis. Edeline tried to keep her eyes open, though her vision blurred more. She saw the child being pushed away by Elvis until she fell.
• Hah! That bastard! He was even cruel to a child.
• “Hey, don’t be rough with a little kid!” Edeline’s voice faded as she lost consciousness.