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Despite my unease,I started my life as usual.
I found that after leaving Michael,my life gradually became fulfilling and vibrant.I no longer had to worry about Michael's sleep at night,nor did I need to monitor what role Emily played in his dreams.
I felt so relaxed for the first time.
The next day at work,when I was chatting with my colleagues,there was a glimmer of gossip in her eyes."Do you remember the person I told you about a few years ago who was offering a high salary to hire a sleep therapist?"
"Michael Johnson?"I asked with doubt,and my colleague nodded in confirmation.
"That's him.His insomnia couldn't be cured before.I don't know who cured him,but now it has returned."
The corners of my mouth quirked into a smile."Well,maybe the miserable often have something hateful about them."
"I heard he'll come to our hospital today.Let's see who has the ability to get this lucrative position."
I took a sip of coffee.In the past eight years,Michael only compensated me for the half-year when I was his sleep therapist.During the seven and a half years when I was his girlfriend,he regarded my efforts for him as typical support from a girlfriend.I gave him seven and a half years of good sleep for free.
Michael's condition seemed almost hopeless.The sleep therapists in our hospital shook their heads after looking at his medical records and could only bring him into my consultation room.
Michael was brought in like this before,but now his eyes were bloodshot.The moment he saw me,he sat down with a pleading expression.
"Lily,please,help me.I've only slept for a mere ten hours in the past three days."
"Save me,or I'll die."
I looked at his pale face and smiled knowingly.
"Michael,you know what?If you really die,you can sleep for centuries."
One morning when I should have been on my day off,I was woken up by a urgent phone call.When I glanced at my phone,it was actually the hospital director.
I immediately got up and answered the phone.The director's urgent voice came from the receiver.
"Doctor Shi,something happened.Check the internet."
"The hospital is willing to trust you,but if this matter isn't handled properly,it will be very difficult for us."
"Please understand.You'll be temporarily suspended from your duties."
Hearing the word"suspended",my mind immediately cleared.I briefly replied to the director and then quickly opened Weibo.
I found that I had been mentioned over 99 times.The headline read,"Unscrupulous Doctor Ruins Patient,Lacks Medical Ethics".
It briefly mentioned my efforts for Michael over the years,but exaggerated the news that I was now refusing to treat him.It said that I had the medical skills but no medical ethics.Four hundred out of the five-hundred-word article were accusations against me.
It accused me of ignoring a patient who was desperate and of using my influence among doctors to prevent Michael from getting treatment.It even attached an audio clip of her choking up.In the audio,she sobbed and pleaded with everyone to punish me,the unethical doctor.
Throughout the article, there was no mention of her and Michael, but in the heavily pixelated parts, one pixelated area revealed my surname, another revealed my given name, and even the mosaic on the name of my hospital was done in a way that it was still recognizable.
The more I read the article,the more familiar the writing style seemed.When I checked the poster's ID,it was indeed Emily.
