Shanshan stepped forward, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly without realizing it. Her eyes were slightly red, and she looked like she had been deeply wronged. "Director, everyone, I really never said anything like that."
"And I would never do something that goes against medical ethics."
The director gave a small, cold smile that didn't reach his eyes and said slowly, "I never said the person in the recording was you, Dr. Shanshan. Why are you so quick to deny it?"
As soon as he said that, a few sharp intakes of breath echoed around the conference room. All eyes turned sharply toward Shanshan like spotlights.
Her heart tightened, but her face remained pitiful. She bit her lip, and her eyes welled up with unshed tears.
"Director, you know how chaotic the department has been these past few days. Patients keep coming in nonstop. I've been pouring all my energy into the work."
"And now, suddenly, this recording pops up, naming me? Of course I panicked. I just wanted to clarify it right away, didn't have time to think much."
She gently wiped the corner of her eye where the tears still hadn't fallen and quickly glanced at the director to read his expression.
The director crossed his arms and said nothing, but his gaze remained probing.
Seeing this, Shanshan steadied herself and continued softly, "Besides, with today's technology, it's not hard to edit or fake audio."
"Using just one recording to accuse someone isn't convincing. I've worked at this hospital for so long. I've always treated patients with care and stayed focused whether in the operating room or clinic."
"My professional ethics and behavior have always been clear to my colleagues."
She paused, took a deep breath, straightened her back, and looked the director in the eye with sincerity. "Director, I ask you to investigate this matter thoroughly."
"I'm not afraid of being investigated, because I have a clear conscience. But if this slander isn't clarified, how can I continue to treat patients with peace of mind? Even the hospital's reputation will be affected."
The room fell into a brief silence. People's expressions shifted as hushed murmurs started to spread.
Shanshan stood still with her hands at her sides, looking fragile on the outside, but her palms were already slick with cold sweat. Her heart was pounding violently, waiting for the director's response.
The atmosphere in the room was tense. Hospital Director Wang looked at Shanshan with interest, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
He thought to himself, She seems so confident. Maybe she really does have a plan.
Hospital Director Wang stood up and chimed in, "Director, what Dr. Shanshan said is true. If we're upright, we don't fear shadows."
"If we didn't do anything, then no one has the right to falsely accuse us or smear our names with baseless claims."
Just then, a sharp, ice-cold voice cut through the air like a blade, coming from behind them. "You're the ones being slandered? Then what am I? The criminal?"
Everyone turned their heads at once.
Katherine walked toward them, her back straight and stiff, her expression calm but carrying an undeniable pressure. Her presence alone silenced the room.
She stopped in front of the director, gave a slight bow, then spoke clearly and calmly. "Director, this incident has caused a big stir. Everyone in the hospital, and even outsiders, are paying attention. How do you plan to handle it properly?"
"I'll state clearly right now, I'm willing to stake my entire career on this. The videos circulating online, the ones stirring up controversy, are not fake or fabricated. Every single one of them is real."
"This is not some baseless accusation. It's the truth."
"On the contrary, Hospital Director Wang and Dr. Shanshan privately conspired to set me up. They ignored medical ethics and even harmed my patient. Their actions have crossed the legal line. This is a criminal offense—intentional injury."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shanshan shouted out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "Katherine, stop making false accusations and talking nonsense!"
"I really didn't expect that just because you didn't give me a spot for the overseas exchange program, you would hold a grudge and use such low tricks to deliberately get back at us!"
Katherine's mouth curved slightly, forming a faint smile, but the smile was cold and sharp, without any warmth. "Get back at you? Dr. Shanshan, we are all colleagues in the same field. Can we just talk reasonably and look at the facts?"
"Right now, the solid evidence is all laid out clearly in front of you. And yet you still stubbornly deny it. Don't you think that's ridiculously laughable?"
"I'll give you some good news. On my way to the hospital, I already handed all the collected evidence to my lawyer. You just wait for the court summons and prepare to face the lawsuit!"
Katherine kept a card up her sleeve and didn't reveal everything about calling the police. In fact, right after submitting the evidence to the lawyer, she reported to the police and handed over all related materials without holding anything back.
She knew the police would come soon and put an end to this farce once and for all.
But Shanshan kept resisting, sticking her neck out and threatening, "Katherine, don't think these little tricks can scare me. Sue me all you want. I never did those things. Even if the king himself came, I wouldn't admit it!"
Katherine's smile didn't fade. She nodded lightly, calm and steady. "Dr. Shanshan, you have always kept your cool, showing no change even if Mount Tai fell in front of you. I have always admired that."
"I hope you can keep this calm and collected attitude later. But don't lose your composure."
Shanshan's heart skipped a beat at those words, and her eyes darkened.
She couldn't help but wonder: Could this woman really be hiding more evidence?
But then she thought it was impossible. Katherine hadn't appeared much at the hospital recently, so where would she have gotten new evidence?
Thinking this, Shanshan forced herself to stay calm and answered sharply, "Dr. Katherine, you keep accusing me again and again. Don't think I'm easy to bully. I know the laws about defamation well. If you keep talking nonsense, I can sue you anytime!"
"I welcome Dr. Shanshan to sue me, but I'm not sure you even have the chance."
After saying that, Katherine took a USB drive out of her bag. "Director, I have more evidence here."
"Since the director and hospital leaders are here today, please all be witnesses. Let's see if I'm lying or if they are deliberately framing me."
Before she finished speaking, the whole meeting room became tense and heavy.
Everyone's eyes focused on the USB drive in Katherine's hand, especially Shanshan and Hospital Director Wang.
Their gazes were like magnets, locked onto that small storage device, unable to move away.
As time passed, their hearts beat faster and faster, pounding like drums in their chests.
That frantic rhythm seemed to warn a storm was coming.
At the same time, Shanshan and Director Wang's hands, hanging at their sides, started shaking uncontrollably.
Sweat beads formed on their palms and soon soaked their clothes.
They looked at each other, their eyes showing fear and unease they couldn't hide.
Everyone present wondered what evidence was really on that USB drive.