Chapter 18
The next day at work felt even heavier than the day before. I walked into the trauma department trying to keep my head high, but my shoulders were already tense. The whispers seemed louder now. Nurses who used to smile at me now gave me side-eyes. I clocked in quickly and grabbed my assignments, hoping I could just focus on patients and stay invisible.
That hope did not last long.
Sophia was already in full force. She had positioned herself at the main nurses’ station like she was running the floor. Her white coat was crisp, her hair perfectly styled, and she was laughing with two other nurses while holding a coffee. The moment she saw me, her smile changed into something sharper.
“Oh Lila, good morning,” she said sweetly, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “You look a
