He Gave My Promotion to His Childhood Sweetheart

I'd just found out I was pregnant when the hospital sent out a notice canceling my eligibility for the Chief Physician review.

The reason: pregnancy would tie up resources, plus the conflict-of-interest policy.

I went to argue it out with my husband, Isaac Henson, the hospital director. He barely glanced at me.

"You're pregnant now. Stay home and take care of yourself. Let Joyce Dickerson have the Chief Physician title."

I froze where I stood.

For that one slot, I'd worked more than sixteen hours a day in this hospital.

Over six years, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five surgeries. Zero post-op complications.

The hardest procedures, the double-valve resets and replacements, no one in this entire hospital could do them but me.

My research papers had won the hospital thirty million in funding.

By skill, by contribution, that title should have been mine.

And now he wanted to hand it to an ordinary physician who'd been here less than six months.

I said it flat out.

"I don't agree."

Isaac frowned.

"Pregnancy and the baby will set you back at least three years. Giving you the Chief title now just means the slot sits there wasted. I'm the director. I can't abuse my position for personal gain. Can't you be a little reasonable?"

"Joyce just got here. She needs to find her footing. It's only a title. Why do you care so much about an empty name? You're older than she is. Just let her have it."

Something in me went cold.

I looked at him, and I smiled.

"Fine. I'll let it go. You included."

I turned and started gathering my things. Isaac thought I'd given in, and his tone softened. "That's more like it. Once the baby's born, there'll be plenty of chances."

I took off my badge, set it on his desk, and walked out.

Behind me, his voice dropped.

"Marion, what's that supposed to mean?"

I didn't stop.

"Exactly what it looks like."

He got up and grabbed my arm.

"It's one Chief Physician slot. Do you really have to make a scene over this? It's not like there won't be other chances."

"Make a scene?"

I turned and looked at him.

"Six years. You've said that to me every single time. The first time, I gave it up for Nadine, because you said she'd put in eight years, it wasn't easy for her."

"The second time I gave it up for young Gordon, because you said the hospital needed fresh talent."

"The third time, the fourth time, you always had a reason for me to step aside. Six times, Isaac. I'm thirty-two. I'm not young anymore!"

He frowned, impatient.

"But you're pregnant. The hospital can't let a pregnant woman who'll be useless soon sit on a slot. You did this to yourself."

I almost laughed in his face.

"Nora in Neurology got promoted to Chief Physician while she was pregnant. So did Rachel in General Surgery. Plenty of others too. Do you want me to list them all?"

His face soured.

"But none of them have a husband who runs the hospital. If I went ahead and gave you the Chief title anyway, what would people think? Marion, since when did you get this selfish?"

"I'm selfish?"

I laughed.

"Nora's husband is head of the administrative office. Rachel's father is executive deputy director. Which one of them recused themselves?"

"But I'm the director"

"So what if you're the director?"

My eyes stung, hot.

"I, Marion Butler, earn my title with my skill, with my dedication to this work, with the research strength that brings this hospital its funding. Not through my connection to you, the director!"

"So I can't be promoted because I'm pregnant, and I have to recuse myself because I'm the director's wife. Isaac, is it the rules that don't hold up, or is it that you simply don't think much of me at all?"

"You want to talk to me about recusal? You and Joyce grew up together, childhood sweethearts, and that doesn't need recusing? You hand the Chief Physician title to an ordinary doctor with six months on the job, and that isn't abusing your position for personal gain?"

Isaac's face went dark.

Right then, Joyce pushed the door open.

She saw me, and started explaining, careful and timid.

"Marion, Isaac only gave me special consideration because my dad helped the Henson family. Please don't take it the wrong way."

"If this is going to make you fight with Isaac, then let me give the title back to you"

"What are you saying?" Isaac cut her off gently. "The Chief Physician title was the hospital's decision. Your qualifications and ability are above hers. You've earned it, you don't need to give it up."

He turned to me, his patience gone.

"Marion, take a page from Joyce. Think of the bigger picture. Not like you, throwing away your dignity over a bit of empty prestige."

"Go clear out your desk for Joyce. A pregnant woman should act like one. Your focus should be resting and carrying the baby, not competing over who's better."

Watching him defend Joyce with everything he had, the last small flicker of hope in me went out completely.

I was about to speak when he gave me a look, like he was doing me a favor.

"All right, be a good girl and do as you're told. Next week there's the surgery for the state official. Joyce operates, you assist. This is the surgery that decides whether the hospital gets top-tier status, so treat it with care. Getting to assist a Chief Physician this young is an honor for you."

Joyce flushed, all fake modesty. "Isaac, wouldn't that look bad? Marion is the authority in cardiology."

"There's nothing bad about it. You're the talent this hospital is investing in. No matter who it is, they cooperate with you, no conditions."

The words landed like a slap across my face.

That surgery was a plan I'd spent three months preparing.

From the pre-op assessment to the surgical workflow, I'd finalized every piece of it myself. The state had named me by name to lead it.

And now she was ordering me to assist Joyce?

My stomach clenched, and my nails nearly dug into my palms.

Just then, a text came through on my phone.

Director Butler, this is the Director of Puren Hospital. I've heard all about your Chief Physician qualification being canceled. You're welcome to join us anytime.

Puren Hospital was one of only two top-tier hospitals in the city.

Advanced equipment, and physicians of the highest caliber.

Three years ago, Puren had tried to recruit me. But for Isaac's promotion to director, I'd turned them down.

A moment later he sent an email. The compensation package.

Position: Chief of Cardiology.

Title: Chief Physician.

Salary: $800K a year.

A private research lab, fully funded.

I looked at those lines, my eyes burning.

Six years. I'd been at this hospital six years.

Killing myself for it, and still only a department deputy chief, making less than $300K a year.

The research funding I'd earned myself, and I didn't even have the right to bring it into a lab.

Every time I wanted to run a project, I had to beg and grovel my way through report after report.

And Puren was handing me, just like that, the Chief Physician title I'd dreamed of.

This wasn't an olive branch.

This was them recognizing what I was worth.

I replied: But I'm pregnant now.

The answer came instantly: Director Butler, our hospital does not discriminate against women or pregnant staff. Come, and I'll make all the arrangements for you.

I sent back one word: Yes.

The whole walk back to my department, I felt eyes burning into me.

Sympathy, pity, quiet glee.

And a bleak kind of dread, the fear of sharing my fate.

I heard a heavily pregnant nurse crying softly.

"Marion's the director's wife and even she got cut when she got pregnant. I'm just a nurse. Am I going to lose my job after I give birth?"

The person beside her had no comfort to offer.

I paid it no attention and went straight back to my office, and started packing my things.

Head Nurse Finch pushed the door open, furious on my behalf.

"Marion, you're just going to leave? Who do they think they are? Why not file a complaint with the State Health Department?"

I smiled a little. "No need."

Joyce pushed the door open and gave a soft laugh.

"Filing a complaint won't do anything either. Isaac is the director. Every year he brings in millions in research funding for this hospital. You think they're going to let him go?"

"Even the State Health Department would praise him for putting the bigger picture first, for being fair and clean."

I ignored her. Pearl stormed off too, still fuming.

Joyce walked over to my desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

"Marion, Isaac wants you to hand over the surgical plan for the official from the State Health Department. The full procedure, the staffing, the family's contact information, the post-op precautions, everything. Put it together properly and give it to me."

"Isaac says there can't be a single mistake, or it'll cost us the top-tier hospital rating. And you can't afford to be the one who caused that."

I didn't look up.

"No."

She froze.

"On what grounds?"

"Hospital rules. Whoever performs the surgery uses their own plan. It keeps the operation clean and it makes responsibility clear. If you use my plan and the surgery fails, whose fault is that?"

"Yours, obviously"

"If it's mine, then I do the surgery, and you don't need the plan at all."

That shut her up. She bit her lip hard.

"Marion, don't think you can corner me like this. If you won't give it to me, I'll have Isaac come and ask. He's the director. You wouldn't dare refuse him."

I said nothing. Right in front of her, I dragged the surgical plan into the trash, then formatted the computer.

Joyce stared, dumbfounded.

"Marion, are you insane? You wiped everything. Do you want to lose your job?"

I glanced up at her.

"Yes. I'm done."

Joyce lunged and grabbed my hand, gripping so hard it felt like she'd snap the bone.

"Marion, even if you're quitting, that's the hospital's patient data. What right do you have to wipe it?"

The pain made my vision go black. "What I wiped was my own work. The patient records are all in the system. You can pull them anytime. It's none of your business. Now let go of me!"

Joyce didn't let go. She looked at my belly, and something vicious flashed through her eyes.

She pretended to lose her footing and threw her whole weight into me.

My feet slipped and my lower back slammed into the desk.

The pain tore through me all at once. My hand went to my belly on instinct, cold sweat breaking over me.

Joyce took two steps back, a smug little smile on her face.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Marion. My foot slipped. I lost my balance."

I was so furious I raised my hand to slap her, but the door banged open and Isaac caught my wrist and flung it away hard.

"Marion! What are you doing?"

The same spot took a second blow, and I couldn't straighten up from the pain.

There was a dull, dragging ache low in my belly, and cold sweat soaked through the back of my shirt.

I clenched my teeth and couldn't get a single word out.

Isaac acted as if he saw none of it, planting himself in front of Joyce, his eyes cold on me.

"Marion, are you done? This is a hospital, not somewhere for you to throw a fit. Apologize to Joyce, now!"

I forced my head up, my face slick with sweat.

"Isaac, are you blind? She shoved me on purpose!"

He caught the wrongness in me and his expression stalled, but it went cold again fast.

"All I saw was you about to hit her. She knows you're pregnant. Why would she push you? Don't stand there slandering people!"

"Marion, you never used to be like this. Coming to blows over a title. You've truly outdone yourself in my eyes."

Right on cue, Joyce's eyes reddened. She hid behind Isaac, her voice thick with tears.

"Isaac, let it go. Marion's pregnant, her emotions are all over the place, I understand. She has more seniority than me. Why don't we just give her the Chief Physician spot after all, and let her be lead surgeon on the official's operation too"

Playing the tearful victim, she'd dressed herself up as the poor thing being bullied by a senior colleague.

A crowd had gathered outside the department door doctors, nurses, patients, families all of them pointing at me.

"She always seemed like such a decent doctor. Who knew she was really like this?"

"You can know a person's face and never know their heart. Who knows how much dirty money she's taking."

"Pregnant and still can't let it rest. She's going home to raise a kid, but she's got to hog the title too?"

I looked to my own colleagues. Most of them avoided my eyes, ducking their heads to fake being busy or shrinking back half a step with strained faces.

No one would speak up for me.

The chill of standing utterly alone crawled up my spine, colder than the pain splitting my lower back.

Isaac tucked her against him like she was precious, his voice ridiculously soft.

"Joyce, you don't have to give an inch to her. You earned that title on your own merit."

But when he turned to me, his eyes were like ice.

"Now. Apologize to Joyce this instant. Handwrite a three-thousand-word self-criticism, deliver it in front of everyone at tomorrow's meeting. Your bonus for the year is canceled. You're suspended pending review!"

Listening to him, I was shaking all over.

Not from anger. From how cold it left me.

I stared straight into his eyes and spoke, one word at a time.

"I won't apologize."

His face changed in an instant.

"Marion, you're defying your superior. Do you think I won't fire you?"

"No need. I quit!"

I pulled out my resignation letter and slapped it on the desk.

His expression darkened.

"Marion, do you have any idea what you're saying?"

I didn't look at him. I fit the last thermos into the cardboard box.

"I said I'm resigning. I'm done."

His face went black.

"You're threatening me with resignation? You think Cardiology can't run without you?"

"Think whatever you want."

Joyce chimed in from the side, all snide sweetness. "Marion, you're a high-risk pregnancy at your age. Isaac's only thinking of your health. Don't play hard to get and make things difficult for him like this."

Isaac looked at me like he'd caught a glimpse of some filthy scheme in my head.

He gave a little laugh. The certain kind.

"Marion, your connections, your network, your resources are all through me. You're an associate chief physician. Away from this hospital, you're nothing!"

"Then let's find out."

I turned to leave. He roared after me, beside himself.

"Marion, don't forget, you're pregnant. What hospital is going to pay top dollar for some deadweight about to go on maternity leave?"

I didn't slow down.

"Then Director Henson needn't trouble himself about it."

"Marion, you'll regret this!"

I looked back and met his eyes coldly.

"I do regret it. I regret not waking up sooner."

With that, I carried my box to the door.

I stopped. Turned back.

"One more thing. The divorce agreement I'll send it to your email."

And without a glance at his ashen face, I walked out and didn't look back.

Out of the department, I went straight to OB-GYN and booked the procedure to end the pregnancy.

Then I had a lawyer friend draft a divorce agreement and sent it straight to Isaac.

His message came instantly.

Marion, what is this supposed to mean? You want to divorce me over something this small? You want to be a single mother

I ignored him and drove home.

Only at home did I see it the whole stretch of my lower back was mottled purple.

I touched my flat belly, and the tears came rushing down.

See, your daddy doesn't even care about you. Born into this, you'd have no one to love you either.

I got out a box and started packing my clothes.

The smart lock clicked open, and Isaac came storming in.

"Marion, what is this? Why did you book an abortion?"

I shot him a sidelong look.

"Are you an idiot? Why do you keep asking why? I mean it exactly the way I said it. I'm not keeping the baby."

"That baby belongs to both of us. What gives you the right to get rid of it?"

My head snapped toward him.

"So you do know the baby is yours. You didn't hold back one bit when you shoved me earlier!"

He froze, his expression turning awkward.

"I I was panicking. I was afraid you'd do something you'd regret."

"Afraid I'd do something wrong, or afraid your precious little sweetheart would get hurt? Isaac, you didn't ask me a single question before you pinned the blame on me. In your heart, am I just some vicious woman who frames people?"

His face tightened, and no words came.

I zipped the suitcase shut and dragged it toward the door.

He threw out an arm to block me, his face all long-suffering patience, as if I were the one being unreasonable.

"Isn't this enough? You spent three years trying to conceive, swallowed all those bitter medicines, and now you can bring yourself to just throw it away?"

"If you don't want it, why should I keep it?"

I laughed, and the laugh turned to tears.

"Isaac, you know exactly how many years I waited for that Chief Physician title, everything I gave up for it. And you still handed it to Joyce, who isn't worth one finger of mine."

"You know exactly how hard it was for me to have this child, and you still shoved me aside with your own hands, not caring whether the baby lived or died, all for Joyce. Since you care about her that much, I'll let you have her."

"I already sent you the divorce agreement, Isaac. Let's part on good terms."

I opened the door and walked out without looking back.

Isaac's furious voice came from behind me.

"Marion, do you have to make this so ugly? Have you even thought about it? A twice-divorced woman who's had an abortion, who's ever going to marry her? Who's going to support you?"

"Don't think a little medical skill means you can look down on the hospital. You want to quit? One word from me, and I'd like to see who dares to take you on!"

The last bit of hope in me shattered completely.

I turned back and looked at him.

"A woman doesn't prove her worth by marrying. I have two hands and two feet. I don't need a man to support me."

"And I forgot to tell you. I already have an offer from Puren Hospital. I start this afternoon."

The expression on his face froze, then cracked apart, piece by piece.

I turned away without emotion and stepped into the elevator.

At Puren, the Director of Puren Hospital walked me through the onboarding himself. It was done in under ten minutes.

The Chief of Cardiology had a private suite of an office, the floor-to-ceiling windows clean and full of light.

A pot of gardenias sat on the brand-new desk, a faint fragrance drifting at the tip of my nose.

Everything was a fresh start.

In my first two days I performed five surgeries, two of them heart transplants.

The patients recovered well, with no complications.

The way my colleagues looked at me shifted from that first appraising scrutiny to genuine respect.

The families were moved to tears, and even brought me a banner and letters of thanks.

My fifth day on the job was also the day I'd scheduled the abortion.

I was lying on the table, about to be put under, when the door of the operating room was shoved open.

Isaac hauled me up, his face frantic.

"Marion, wait. Get to the cardiac surgery suite, now!"