The person who brought the news about Dr. Phraownapha's attendance at the meeting was none other than Dr. Chamai Phorn herself. She had told the young man about it since the morning, leaving him barely able to concentrate on examining patients all day long, right up until his evening break.
As Dr. San was about to head home, Dr. Chamai Phorn walked into the doctors' lounge. She leaned against the table, crossed her arms, and gazed at the younger male doctor's face. She brought up the morning meeting because she was certain it would upset him to have been overlooked and bypassed.
"You look like you're about to eat someone alive. Thinking about Dr. Phraownapha, aren't you?" Dr. Chamai Phorn remarked.
Dr. San whipped his head around to look at the senior female doctor.
"It's not that big a deal," San replied, trying to keep his feelings to himself, though he wasn't very successful at hiding them.
"Really? She's been working here for several years, but she's never attended a meeting before, has she?" the woman in her mid-forties said, teasingly.
San turned his face away and stared at his phone screen, his thumb scrolling aimlessly as he tried to ignore her pointed words.
"Whatever," he muttered, clearly uninterested.
"So, what do you think, San? Do you really believe Phraownapha got promoted purely on merit?" Chamai Phorn asked.
"There might be various factors involved," San replied vaguely. He acknowledged that Dr. Phraownapha was highly skilled, but in this day and age, skill alone might not be enough.
"It's not just that... and it's not just her looks either."
Dr. Chamai Phorn spoke, and San looked up at her again, noticing the sly smile curling at the corner of her mouth, full of hidden implications.
"What do you mean, P'Phorn?" he asked.
Chamai Phorn smiled like a witch.
"I mean... Dr. Phraownapha might be using her beauty to her advantage, you know."
San froze. The phrase "using her beauty to her advantage," as spoken by P'Chamai Phorn, could only mean one thing: that Dr. Phraownapha had seduced and charmed the highest executive, Director Anuwat, into rewarding her with a promotion.
The thirty-something young doctor didn't want to believe it outright. Even though he saw Dr. Phraownapha as a direct rival, he had never noticed any such behavior from her. He was irritated by her competence and admitted that her appearance was an asset—after all, beauty is a woman's wealth—but he had never imagined she would resort to "climbing the ladder" in the way P'Chamai Phorn suggested.
"Maybe it's not that extreme," San said.
"It is exactly that extreme. Otherwise, why would the director push her so hard?" Chamai Phorn insisted.
San stared blankly at his senior colleague. The turmoil inside him began to make him lean toward her words. Maybe it was true. He had heard rumors about the director's reputation as a womanizer. Even though he was nearing retirement, the old man hadn't lost his teeth or claws.
Perhaps Dr. Phraownapha had seen this as a shortcut to rapid advancement. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that the beautiful doctor had used dirty tactics.
"If that's really the case, there's nothing we can do about it, right?" San murmured. For a moment, he even considered resigning from this hospital.
"Why do you say there's nothing we can do?" Chamai Phorn glanced toward the door of the doctors' lounge to make sure no one was coming in, then stepped closer to him.
"What do you mean, P'Phorn?"
"If you want to bring down someone who has unfair privileges, you need evidence. Expose her to the entire hospital so everyone sees she's not better than us... she just traded her body for it."
Dr. Chamai Phorn spoke with a cold, ruthless tone. San was stunned once again. It seemed the senior doctor wasn't just harboring jealousy toward Dr. Phraownapha—she wanted to completely destroy her.
Once their feelings aligned, the conversation shifted to plotting. Chamai Phorn said there was no reason they should let some pretty-faced newbie rise so easily just because of "beauty privilege." If Phraownapha wanted to survive in this field, she should prove herself with real ability—not connections or personal charm.
Those words sparked a light in Dr. San's eyes. Without needing to say more, the two silently agreed to join forces, waiting for the moment Phraownapha would slip up. And if no such moment came, they might just have to create one themselves.
Chamai Phorn smiled contentedly at the corner of her mouth. She didn't spell out exactly what they would do next, but the atmosphere in the doctors' lounge at that moment was enough to convince Dr. San that he wasn't alone in his thoughts anymore. Soon after, the two parted ways and headed home after work.
At the same time, Phraownapha continued working as usual, caring for patients with great attention and dedication. She had no idea she was being targeted by multiple parties. Likewise, her husband, Thiraphat, had a packed surgery schedule stretching well into next year.
Not only that, as a skilled surgeon, he also had to attend academic conferences, medical seminars, and give special lectures at universities. Everyone wanted to hear insights from this experienced surgeon with his gentle demeanor and soothing voice.
Although Thiraphat preferred focusing on surgeries over academic appearances—since so many patients were suffering and waiting—he knew that in this field, one couldn't neglect disseminating knowledge. Still, the senior doctor tried to limit his commitments and avoid out-of-province events whenever possible.
However, sometimes he had no choice. If the hospital director or higher executives ordered him to travel to a nearby province, he had to go.
The latest was a seminar with an invitation sent well in advance, held at a hotel in Hua Hin. Thiraphat didn't understand why it had to be so far—wasting time, money, and requiring attendees to travel hours each way—but he could see why: major corporate sponsors and the hotel chain were hosting.
Thiraphat had been personally requested by the director to attend this academic conference, with a luxury van provided for transportation and accommodation arranged. He didn't want to stay overnight away from home out of consideration for his wife, but since the event spanned both Saturday and Sunday, there was no avoiding it. Phraownapha herself had encouraged him to take the opportunity to relax.
"Relax? How can I relax when you're not coming along, Phrao? I'll miss you terribly," Thiraphat said sweetly with a smile.
"Is it really that bad? It's just one night," Phrao replied, smiling back.
"Even one night is too much," Thir replied, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
"Then hurry back. I'll be waiting," she said, her voice laced with affection.
On the day of departure, Thiraphat arrived at the hospital early in the morning to clear emails—mostly lab results and health checks for upcoming surgery patients, sent to him in advance for preoperative review, as several operations were scheduled back-to-back after his return from Hua Hin.
At 8 a.m., the young senior doctor walked out to wait in front of the hospital. He was mildly surprised to see that 'Koi,' the nurse, was also preparing to travel with him.
"Hello, Doctor," she said sweetly, raising her hands in a wai.
"Hello," Thiraphat returned the wai and gestured for her to board the van first, then followed and sat beside her. Once the driver closed the door, it became clear that this trip would involve only the two of them.
Thiraphat was surprised because he hadn't been informed that anyone else would be joining, but he didn't ask about it. He didn't think much of it anyway. His only task was to attend the seminar and return to prepare for more surgeries.
The surgeon had no idea that all of this had been carefully arranged by Koi herself. As a scrub nurse who assisted in the operating room—an important role—she had easily volunteered to accompany Dr. Thir on this seminar trip.