When My Boyfriend Stole My Medical Breakthrough

I finished speaking, ignoring the astonished stares from those around me, and turned to leave. But Gian swiftly moved to block my path.

His voice suddenly escalated, "Francesca, what kind of joke is this?"

"Where would someone like you get the funds to study abroad? Don't act on a whim!"

Mariam's expression soured too. "Dr. Olson, after all your dedication to ankylosing spondylitis rehab research, how can you just walk away? It's so irresponsible!"

I stared at the two of them, my lips curling into a smug grin. "Isn't my departure exactly what you both wanted?"

There was a brief silence before Mariam, seeming to have resolved her internal conflict, clasped my hand tightly.

"Dr. Olson, you have remarkable talent, and I don't want to see you abandon your aspirations."

"If you're open to it, I could introduce you to Dr. Sullivan, and perhaps he'd consider taking you under his wing."

With those words, Mariam instantly gained sainthood status in the eyes of our peers. And if I turned her down, it would appear that I was being ungrateful.

Just then, Director Harvey stepped forward. He gave Mariam a supportive pat on the shoulder.

"Dr. Castro, you haven't done anything wrong, so why should you make unnecessary concessions?"

"Especially to someone whose integrity is questionable!"

He added, his gaze sharp as it locked onto me.

"Since you've already decided, this small hospital can't possibly accommodate someone as distinguished as you."

"Submit your resignation, and I'll approve it immediately."

Gian looked visibly shaken, as if he wanted to say something in my defense. But I cut him off, shrugged off my lab coat, and walked away without a backward glance.

As soon as I stepped outside the hospital's doors, Gian caught up to me and grabbed my arm.

"Francesca, who said you could quit? Come back and apologize to the director."

I shook off his grip, my face expressionless. "Not a chance!"

"Francesca, you're just a broke kid. How do you plan on affording to study abroad? Take another step, and we're through!"

His domineering tone was pathetic. This was the man I'd devoted myself to for three years.

I smirked in self-mockery. "Then let's end it."

I didn't give him time to respond, jumping into a cab and driving away.

By the time I reached home, news of the events between Mariam and me had spread throughout the hospital. Some gossip-mongers even posted about it on the New York Medical Forum.

Suddenly, Mariam and I became notorious in the city's medical circles. She was praised as an admirable doctor, attracting offers from prestigious research groups worldwide.

As for me, I was branded a thief lurking in the shadows. My previous accomplishments were completely dismissed, and I was painted as "a shame to the medical field" and "a disgrace among doctors."

Reading one scathing comment after another on the forum, I felt an odd sense of calm.

It was on my strong recommendation that Mariam initially joined the research group. Once she was part of it, all her experimental data came from me; she hadn't even conducted a single experiment herself.

My mentor had high hopes for me, and before he passed away, he left a recommendation letter, hoping I could join Dr. Sullivan's research group and build a future there.

Now, the research is nearing the clinical trial phase. It'll be interesting to see how Mariam, without me to shield her, plans to independently complete an ankylosing spondylitis repair surgery.

Exposing Gian and Mariam's lies is only a matter of time.