Chapter 152

"Evelyn, you're here!" Grace greeted her with a radiant smile, reaching out to clasp her hand warmly. "I've already ordered. Come, sit with me."

Grace guided Evelyn to the table, her eyes narrowing playfully as she said, "It's been too long since I've seen you. Why haven't you visited me lately?"

"I've been drowning in work," Evelyn explained, settling into the chair.

Grace gave a small nod. "Yes, I've heard the whispers around the hospital." Evelyn remained silent, her gaze steady.

After a pause, Grace hesitated before asking softly, "Evelyn, I need to know—did you really get into Grandview General Hospital because of your connection to the deputy director?"

A faint, knowing smile touched Evelyn's lips as she met Grace's eyes. "What do you think?" she countered.

Grace shook her head, uncertainty flickering in her gaze. "I truly don't know."

The smile on Evelyn's face slowly faded. She knew exactly what Grace was implying. Even though Grace claimed ignorance, Evelyn could tell she believed the position had been handed to her through favors.

Grace sighed, her tone softening. "It's not that I don't trust you, Evelyn. It's just… Grandview General is one of the most prestigious hospitals. Getting in isn't easy. Everyone says their doctors are the best. After graduation, you were a housewife at the Sterling estate, not interning at major hospitals. Then, after returning from Chixdon, you landed a job at Grandview directly. It's just… hard to understand."

Evelyn's expression remained unreadable. "There's no need to explain further. I just want to know—did you invite me to lunch today just to ask about this?"

"Of course not, darling. I just care about you deeply," Grace replied quickly, her voice laced with concern.

Evelyn let out a cold laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh? Is that so? For a moment, I thought you called me here because you heard about my competition with Lila. Maybe you wanted to ensure I let her win."

She turned to Grace, her smile sharpening with irony. "But now, I see… I must have misunderstood you, Mom."

Grace's face froze at Evelyn's words, her lips pressing into a thin line. Evelyn watched the hesitation in Grace's eyes, her own smile faltering.

After a beat of silence, Evelyn scoffed, her voice thick with derision. "So… You did come here to tell me to let Lila win, didn’t you?"

Grace's lips trembled before she finally spoke, her voice unsteady. "Evelyn, I know this is difficult, and I know you'll be disappointed in me. But… I'm doing this for both of us. Your father mentioned that if Lila loses, she’ll be dismissed from Grandview and never rehired. The consequences are too severe." She paused, her voice shaking. "If Lila were dismissed for any other reason, we could handle it. But if it’s because she lost to you… it would be different. Do you understand?"

"No, I don’t!" Evelyn's face darkened, her voice rising with frustration.

Tears welled in Grace's eyes as she met Evelyn's gaze. "Evelyn… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Evelyn cut her off sharply. "Mom, I’ll ask you one thing. You only considered that Lila shouldn’t be dismissed because of me. Did you ever think about what happens if I lose? If I lose, I’ll be dismissed too. I’ll never be rehired. And once I’m out of Grandview, no other hospital will take me."

As she spoke, Evelyn’s eyes locked onto Grace’s, her voice heavy with an emotion Grace wasn’t prepared for.