Chapter 57
"Dr. Hilton..." With no other choice, I climbed out of the car, under the watchful eyes of Claude and Kate, and took the passenger seat.
Claude looked lost in thought, a trace of displeasure flickering across his face.
As I hastily moved to the passenger side, Max said, "I never told you my name."
That caught me off-guard.
Rubbing my head, I remained silent.
Max didn't press further.
"Just drop me off nearby, I can walk to school from there," I suggested, thinking it would be a good opportunity to ask my advisor about an internship. Without much ado, Max actually pulled over and let me out.
Watching his car drive away without hesitation, I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering how I was going to explain knowing his name.
Lost in thought, I approached the school gates.
There was Claude, standing at the entrance once again, but this time, Kate wasn't by his side.
I couldn't believe how often he'd appeared in my life just from last night to now, seeking me out personally for the third time.
He spotted me, his long legs carrying him quickly in my direction, and without a word, he pulled me into his car.
"Claude, what are you doing?"
I felt like every nerve in my body was about to explode.
"Go home. My mom wants to meet you."
He snapped the seatbelt over me as I instinctively resisted. But a stern look from him silenced me, "You want your parents' ashes, don't you? Well, mess up and you can forget about it."
I stared at him, disgusted by this low blow from Claude, using what I cared about most to threaten me.
"So, if I listen to you, you'll give me my parents' ashes? I want a deadline," I tried to negotiate calmly.
But I had overestimated him. He scoffed, "A deadline? Claire Floyd, since when did you start making demands? Because of that guy?"
He was referring to Max?
His anger over me riding with Max today?
"It's none of your business. You should give me my parents' ashes by right. I don't owe you; if anything, you owe me."
I had never spoken to him like this before.
He slammed on the brakes and pulled over.
"Get out."
His mood was unpredictable, but the moment he demanded I leave, I didn't hesitate.
As I left, I overheard him calling his assistant, "Find out everything. And make sure she doesn't get the spot."
What was he looking into?
It must be unrelated to me since he's a lawyer, needing to be thorough.
But what spot?
Sure enough, when I reached the school and met with my professor, he regretfully informed me, "You've been absent a lot recently, so the scholarship spot has been given to another student."
So, Claude's call was to make sure I didn't get that scholarship.
I clenched my fists but said nothing.
My professor seemed apologetic as he handed me an invitation for an internship.
"I know you're a dedicated student. This is an opportunity in the Emergency Department at Century Wellness Hospital. Interested?"
I pursed my lips and accepted the invitation.
An internship in the Emergency
Department is tough and truly tests
a doctor's skills. It's essentially
training to be a general practitioner.
"I'll give it a try. Thank you, Professor."
As I was about to leave, the professor added, "Have a good talk with Mr. Hart."
He's always been kind to me, and he sighed after saying those words. "It's because of Mr. Hart that the school is taking this seriously."
In other words, Claude's influence was significant, and they didn't. to offend him, suggesting Is
negotiate with him myse