1 I had just stepped out of the operating room when the rumors hit like a tidal wave. Whispers of me being the "Herpes Whore," the "Syphilis Surgeon," echoed through the hospital corridors. A viral screen report, with my name—Dr. Stella Kane—emblazoned across the top, had been leaked online. The result: positive. Overnight, I went from a respected surgeon to a moral degenerate, a pariah. When I looked to my husband, Julian, for protection, all I found was a chorus of mockery from his friends. “Your wife is famous now, Julian. Every restaurant and mall she’s ever been to is doing a deep clean. They’d rather she just drop dead somewhere far away.” “Even the eighty-year-old beggar on the corner wouldn’t touch her now. You couldn’t pay him to. Everyone knows she’s filthy!” Julian himself had anonymously posted more than a dozen threads fanning the flames. “Chloe finally got her chance in the OR, but no, Stella had to fight for the spotlight. Well, I’ll give her all the spotlight she can handle!” Looking at the man whose eyes simmered with resentment for me, I turned and scheduled an abortion. 【The “Syphilis Surgeon” ate at the Crane’s Landing restaurant. We have completed a full sterilization. Everyone can dine here with confidence. Praying that diseased bitch never comes back!】 【Spreading her virus everywhere, what’s the difference between her and a plague rat? Just stay home and rot, don’t come out and infect the rest of us!】 One comment, in particular, stood out, a deliberate warning: 【She’s a doctor, you know. Be careful if you go to City General. You don’t want to catch what she has.】 I didn’t have to guess. That was Julian. His goal was simple: to drive me out of the hospital, to avenge his precious Chloe’s wounded pride. The internet was a deluge of insults and condemnations. My mind went numb. I couldn’t even cry. I closed my eyes in despair and called a colleague in OB/GYN to book the procedure. “Stella, I thought this baby was something your husband wanted more than anything. What does he think about this?” Our seemingly perfect little family of three… I was only just discovering the rot festering beneath the surface. My fingers trembled as I gently touched my swollen belly, a wave of nausea rolling through me. My colleague knew about the online rumors. She assumed I was buckling under the pressure and didn’t press further, simply scheduling the appointment. I had just signed the consent form when the husband of a patient charged at me with a knife, his face contorted with rage. “You call yourself a doctor? God knows how many men you’ve been with to get riddled with diseases. If you’ve infected my wife, you’ll pay for it!” My pregnant body was clumsy. I couldn’t dodge in time. A searing pain erupted in my shoulder as the blade sliced through my coat, and blood began to well from the gash. I pressed my hand to the wound, trying to stay calm. “Those are just rumors. I’m not sick. Someone is framing me.” But he wouldn't listen. He yelled for others to come and see, turning me into a public spectacle, a sinner on trial. “Just because you say they’re rumors? No one admits to having a filthy disease, and you’re no different. The proof is all over the internet! What’s the point in denying it?” Then, a splash of red. The acrid smell of paint filled my nostrils as a bucket of it was thrown over me, soaking my clothes and stinging the open wound on my shoulder like salt. “Get the hell out of this hospital, or we’ll complain to the board! If that doesn’t work, we’ll call the police and report you for intentionally spreading a virus!” I wiped the sticky paint from my face, too terrified to look up, feeling utterly defeated. Just then, Julian rushed over, pulling me into his arms. “You’re pregnant. You should be at home resting. What if these barbarians had hurt you? What would I do?” Chloe followed close behind him. The fresh, red love bites on both their necks told the whole story. “Stella, are you alright?” Chloe asked, her voice dripping with false concern. “Julian felt so bad for you, working so hard while you’re pregnant, that he helped me get the position of department head in OB/GYN. You’re not mad, are you?” Because of this scandal, the hospital director had already suspended me. I hadn’t expected such a grand surprise upon my return. Since they loved taking what was mine so much, I would disappear forever and let this tragic couple have their twisted fairy tale. The two of them stood there, clean and pristine, making me look even more like a fallen, painted clown. I turned to leave, but Julian grabbed my paint-soaked arm, then recoiled in disgust. “Chloe has a difficult case. She wants you to take a look.” Seeing Chloe’s saccharine smile, a shiver ran down my spine. “I need to go home and shower.” A flicker of impatience crossed Julian’s brow, his face darkening. “You’re her senior. There’s no need to make excuses to shirk your responsibilities. Get going.” He had given his ultimatum. There was no room for discussion. He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward a room at the end of the hall. Before I could react, he shoved me inside and locked the door. 2 My heart leaped into my throat, clenching into a tight, painful knot. I spun around to see a burly, disheveled man walking toward me, a leering grin on his face. “Stay back! This is a hospital!” The man spat on the floor, his eyes filled with contempt. “You’re that ‘Syphilis Surgeon’ from the internet, aren’t you? You look like a whore. Must have cheated a lot to get so diseased.” “But I like them diseased. It’s not like a man can get cervical cancer. Don’t be difficult. I’m probably the only man in the world willing to play with you now!” He lunged, grabbing at my clothes. I pressed myself against the door, curling into a ball. I could faintly hear voices from the other side. It was Chloe, her voice a petulant whine. “It hurts me to even think of you with her. She’s always the star at the hospital. Can’t you get rid of her for good? She’s taking all my surgical opportunities, boo-hoo…” Julian’s voice was smug, confident. “Don’t worry, my little sweet pea. This plan will ensure she’s gone from the hospital for good. Who does she think she is? She can’t compare to you in any way. She’s only fit to stay at home, have babies, and cook, like some old maid.” Even through the thick wood of the door, I could feel his disdain. Riiip— The paint-caked fabric of my uniform tore. A pair of grimy hands reached for me. I fought with all my might, but it was useless. Just as I was about to give up, the door was thrown open. I turned, ready to scream for help like a drowning woman grabbing for a lifeline, only to see that the doorway was crowded with people. The man instantly changed his tune, pointing at me and shouting, “It was her! She seduced me! She has diseases and she’s still trying to lure men into her bed! I’m a victim here!” In an instant, I was once again the target of everyone’s fury. The man’s wife stormed forward and slapped me, her spittle flying as she screamed, “So it’s you! You promiscuous bitch, trying to seduce my husband! If you’ve given him your filthy diseases, I’ll make you regret the day you were born!” “If this hospital doesn’t give me an explanation today, I’m calling the cops!” A hospital administrator pushed through the crowd, his face a thundercloud. “A full suspension, effective immediately! We will investigate this thoroughly!” After the administrator left, a few of Julian’s friends eyed me with malicious amusement. “Stella, couldn’t Julian satisfy you? You must be really desperate, not picky at all…” “Don’t mind me for being blunt, but if you’re sick, you should stay home and get better. Spreading it on purpose is a crime, you know. You could go to jail for that.” Julian finally arrived, pulling me out of the throng. “What’s going on, honey?” he asked, looking from me to the crowd with an expression of pure confusion, as if he truly had no idea what had happened. His friend recounted the incident with relish, adding his own embellishments, ensuring everyone in the vicinity heard. “Honey, don’t be afraid,” Julian said, his voice full of concern. “Of course, I believe you. You would never do something like this.” But as he spoke, he was using a burner phone to record the entire scene, ready to upload it to the internet and brand me a "promiscuous cheater." I never knew he was such a good actor. A chorus of condemnation rose around me. Julian, feigning a difficult position, said, “Tonight is Chloe’s promotion dinner. A few of our friends will be there. Why don’t you take this opportunity to apologize to everyone on a livestream? We’ll all support you.” I had done nothing wrong. Why should I apologize? I knew that if I went, it would only make things worse. “You all have fun. I’m not going.” Julian’s immediate instinct was to defend Chloe. He grabbed my wrist. “Chloe is just trying to help. Don’t be ungrateful. I only helped her get the department head position because it was a natural progression. Are you jumping to conclusions again?” I had said one sentence, and he launched into a tirade on Chloe’s behalf, terrified she would bear even a hint of blame. But me? The torrent of filth online was crushing me, but he felt no pity. In fact, he kept raising the stakes, showing no mercy. In the end, Julian dragged me to Chloe’s celebration. The moment I entered, everyone scattered as if I were the plague, desperate to avoid any association with my “virus,” my “misfortune.” Seeing this, Chloe feigned kindness, her voice syrupy sweet. “What is everyone doing? Stella came all this way to celebrate my promotion to department head. You’re all being so cruel.” She started to walk toward me, to take my hand. But Julian intercepted her, pulling her a safe ten feet away from me, his posture defensive. His devotion to her was truly something else. A waiter then brought in a small, rickety table and placed it in a corner, setting down a plate of leftovers as if feeding a dog. 3 “I’m so sorry, Stella,” Chloe said, her voice laced with false sympathy. “This is for everyone’s health and safety. We’ll go live later and help you clear things up. We’re still good friends and colleagues, right?” One of Julian’s friends chimed in. “Hah! Didn’t you see the director’s face today? Black as thunder. Besides, who would dare let her treat them? What if she makes things worse? Hahaha!” The room erupted in jeering laughter. I clenched my jaw, my voice cold. “I’ve shown my face. Can I go now?” Julian, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. “They’re just joking around. Right now, we’re the only ones willing to eat with you. You should be grateful.” He then forced me down onto a low stool, in front of the plate of spoiled food, like an animal they kept for their amusement. A moment later, a waiter rushed in and began spraying me with disinfectant, the clear liquid mixing with the red paint to create a foul-smelling soup that streamed down my face. Then, his friend set up a phone on a tripod, aimed it at my face, and shrieked with excitement. “The stream has only been on for a second and there are already three hundred thousand people in here! Stella, you’re going to be a huge star!” Julian cleared his throat, a pointed reminder. The friend quickly corrected himself. “I mean… more people will get to hear Stella’s sincere apology.” The livestream feed, projected onto a large screen, was a blur of scrolling comments. 【That whore is eating out? Doesn’t she know how dirty she is? Just looking at her makes me sick.】 【Look what she’s eating, spoiled leftovers! It’s worse than what my dog gets. She deserves it. Maybe now she’ll learn not to go around seducing other people’s husbands!】 【Any man in this stream who’s been with her better get checked. You could have a virus and not even know it. She’s a menace!】 【She’s ruined lives and she still won’t apologize!】 … Julian shoved the camera in my face, his voice a soft, gentle threat. “Let’s just apologize to everyone, honey. For the sake of our future child, don’t you think?” I dug my nails into my palms so hard I drew blood, but I couldn’t feel it. Under his relentless pressure, I numbly opened my mouth. “Julian, do you really think I’m sick?” His face instantly darkened with impatience. “What I think doesn’t matter. What matters is what other people think. An apology isn’t going to kill you. Stop wasting time!” If I apologized, it would be an admission of guilt. The rumors would be cemented as fact. The abuse would only intensify. They were trying to push me over the edge. Seeing the smug, triumphant look on Chloe’s face, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I turned to the camera. “If you really want me to apologize, then I’ll grant your wish.” I slowly stood up and bowed to the camera. “I. Am. Sorry.” As expected, the number of viewers surged, and the comments grew even more vicious. 【The Syphilis Surgeon finally admits it! So stubborn for so long!】 Julian pretended not to see the comments, patting my head with satisfaction. “That’s right. Everyone will forgive you. You’re setting a good example for our child.” Chloe then pushed me back onto the stool and stuffed a piece of moldy bread into my mouth. The others in the room raised their glasses in celebration, as if a mission had been accomplished. The clinking of glasses and their raucous laughter nearly blew the roof off. I sat there, my heart a dead, gray ash. The endless stream of filth on the screen no longer stirred any emotion in me. “Julian, darling, you have to take me to the hospital. A patient is in labor, and I have to be there.” The room emptied in a flurry, leaving me alone with the livestream. A second later, a violent cramp seized my abdomen, a heavy, dragging sensation pulling everything downward. As a doctor, I knew what was happening. There must have been an abortifacient in the bread. Just as the thought crossed my mind, a warm, sticky stream of blood began to flow from between my legs. Dragging my pain-wracked body, I took the phone with its screen full of vitriol, got in my car, and drove toward the river. As the car began to sink into the water, I gave the camera one last, tragic smile. “My death is on every single one of you.” I tossed the phone into the river, slipped out through the window I had left open, and escaped from that hellish life forever. Julian was sitting in the hospital corridor, composing a message to placate me. But before he could hit send, his friend ran up to him, shaking his phone frantically. “Julian! Quick… look! Stella… she just killed herself on the livestream!” At the word “suicide,” Julian’s eyes widened, and he let out a hysterical roar. “What are you talking about? Say that again!”
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