From Exile To Queen Of Everything - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Claire clenched her lower lip tightly, overwhelmed by shame and humiliation. 'That's it. I'm done,' she thought, refusing to treat her wounds as she reached to pull her pants back up.
The female doctor's voice cut in again, even sharper than before. "What the hell are you doing? Didn't I tell you to pull your pants down? Why are you putting them back on?
"Do you want this exam or not? I'm the doctor here. When I say undress, you undress. Stop wasting my time. I've got a dozen other patients waiting."
Claire said, "I'm done. I don't want the exam anymore."
"What? Refusing treatment? Do you think this is some kind of joke? This is a hospital," the doctor said.
"So what if this is a hospital? You don't own the place. Stop bullying me. If you can't speak properly, then keep your mouth shut. She's here for treatment, not to be your emotional punching bag," a voice sounded.
Sienna pushed the door open and strode in. The female doctor froze momentarily before jabbing a finger at her and snapping, "Who the hell are you? Who let you in? Did I call your number? Get out. Patients only enter when called."
Sienna pushed the doctor's hand away as Claire, her face full of grievance, quickly ducked behind her for protection.
Claire knew she was being unreasonable, but she just couldn't bear to stay there any longer. In a small, trembling voice, Claire said, "I-I don't want to continue the examination."
The doctor glared at Sienna and snapped, "Who the hell are you to her? Stop interrupting my consultation."
Sienna swept an icy gaze across the room, then locked onto the female doctor.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters are your words," Sienna said coldly. "She's a student. What evidence do you have to suggest she has a boyfriend? She already told you the bruise was from a fall.
"Yet you keep using suggestive language, twisting a simple injury into something else. What's your agenda? If you think this isn't the right place to talk, I'd be happy to take this to hospital administration."
The female doctor's face turned livid as she glared daggers at the domineering woman standing before her.
"I'm the doctor here, conducting a standard examination. Since you're not her family, get out of my clinic," the doctor finally said.
Sienna said coldly, "She refused the exam. I came in to get your name. I'll be reporting your unprofessional conduct."
Sienna leaned over to check the nameplate on the doctor's desk. The female doctor, now truly panicked, instinctively moved to snatch it away.
"What the hell are you doing? Trying to cause trouble on purpose? This is a hospital, not your personal turf. I'm the doctor here. I can call security and have you removed for disrupting order," the doctor warned.
A mocking glint flashed in Sienna's icy eyes as she said, "So you do know this is a hospital, and you're the doctor. Treating patients is your damn job. It's not like you're working for free. What gives you the right to dump your bad mood on others?"
"What the hell do you want?" The female doctor grew flustered, her face turning slightly pale. She held onto the back of her chair for support, deliberately avoiding Sienna's piercing gaze.
'What a terrifying woman. It's not like I said much to that girl anyway. Is she really that petty?' she wondered, 'What a fuss over nothing. It's none of her damn business anyway.'
"I'll give you one last chance. Examine her properly. And the rest of you, get out. This isn't surgery. Why the audience? Your attitude now will determine whether we take this to hospital administration," Sienna warned.
Realizing this woman was not to be trifled with, the nurses quickly made themselves scarce and slipped out.
Though seething with anger and resentment, the female doctor had no choice but to grudgingly examine Claire's injury.
It wasn't quite a 180-degree turn, but her attitude definitely softened.
In the end, the doctor reluctantly prescribed some medication for Claire and gave her instructions on how to use it.
Sienna casually tossed the name badge back onto the desk and said to Claire, "Remember, you're here to get the care you paid for, not to be treated like crap."
There were always unpleasant people in life, but one was never obligated to endure anyone's toxic behavior.
Claire nodded, suddenly feeling emboldened. Eager to vent her pent-up frustration, she sneered at the doctor with an air of superiority, "I'm starting to doubt your medical skills. You hurt my butt during the exam. What a quack."
The female doctor was absolutely fuming. She had a notoriously bad temper and habitually vented her frustrations on her patients during consultations.
Over the years, fewer and fewer patients have booked appointments with her. Those who did never dared to utter a word in her presence. Never did she expect to meet her match here.
Claire was instantly captivated the moment she laid eyes on Sienna. This stunning yet aloof woman radiated an aura of formidable dominance. She was the epitome of what every girl dreamed of being.
'She's so tall. That sleek black silk dress she wore is breathtaking, making her look like a queen emerging from the night, regal, elegant, and absolutely commanding,' Claire thought in awe.
Claire's eyes sparkled with admiration as she watched Sienna's every move like an awestruck fangirl. Every gesture radiated effortless grace and confidence. 'From this moment on, she is my idol,' she wondered.
"Miss, thank you so much for helping me just now. I'm Claire. What's your name?" she said.
Sienna said, "No problem, it was nothing. I'm Sienna Hart."
Claire beamed. Her high ponytail bounced as she moved, delicate brow bones accentuating her pretty features, and her eyes sparkled with youthful energy.
'Sienna?' Claire repeated the name silently in her mind several times. 'What a beautiful name.'
"Can I call you Sienna? Are you here to see the doctor too? Not feeling well?" Claire asked.
Sienna replied, "I'm here with my younger sister."
Claire beamed, her pearly white teeth flashing in a radiant smile. She continued eagerly, her eyes shining with curiosity, "Oh, I see. Sienna, did your sister get hurt? How old is she? She must be as gorgeous as you are, right?"
Sienna recognized Claire right away as the girl Amber had slapped. The bruise on her butt was probably from that.
"Just a minor injury. She's almost eighteen, still in school, and quite adorable," said Sienna.
"Student?" Claire's heart leaped. 'What a perfect opportunity. What if we're actually at the same school? That would be absolutely amazing,' she wondered.
"Sienna, which school does she attend? Don't get me wrong. I'm just curious. Maybe we're even at the same school," Claire said, her tone careful yet hopeful.
"Her name is—" Sienna had just begun when Amber appeared. Spotting Claire leaning in close to Sienna, Amber immediately hurried over.
"What the hell?" Amber snapped, pushing Claire away by the shoulder.
The moment Claire saw it was Amber, the anger she'd just managed to suppress flared right back up. 'What are the odds?' she thought.
Claire was usually the composed, straight-A class president, every teacher's pet. But now, composure was the last thing on her mind as she aggressively rolled up her sleeves.
Claire straightened up defiantly, glaring daggers at Amber. "Amber, I haven't even settled scores with you yet, and here you come asking for trouble. You slapped me and pushed me.
"What do you have to say for yourself? I'm warning you. This isn't over."
'Who do you think you're scaring?' she wondered. Amber scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Claire, if you've got the guts, let's throw down again. I'll even spot you two moves."
At that, Claire's eyes widened. "Amber, you're so rough. What part of you even resembles a proper girl? Throw down? I'm no violent girl like you. You have to apologize to me, ten times, and not a single one less."
Amber scoffed, "Claire, either throw hands or get lost. An apology? In your dreams. If you hadn't gotten in my way, I wouldn't have hit you. Serves you right."
"Amber, you—" Claire stammered, her voice shaking with rage.
'No wonder Amber is the worst in school—lousy grades and an even worse attitude,' she wondered.
"Let's go," Amber sneered, shoving Claire aside as she strode up to Sienna, confidently looping her arm through Sienna's before marching out with her head held high.
Claire stared dumbfounded at Amber and Sienna's retreating figures as she wondered, 'How dare Amber loop arms with my idol? What gives her the right? Is she even worthy?
'How could she be so shameless? Wait a minute. When Sienna said she had a younger sister who's also a student. Could she mean Amber? No, I've met Amber's sister before, and she looks nothing like Sienna.
'So what exactly is their relationship? Amber Hart and Sienna Hart?'
Claire could deny the truth all she wanted, but there was no escaping the connection between Sienna and Amber. On the verge of tears, she got into the car and headed home.
Claire fumed inwardly, 'Why is Amber so lucky? Life's so unfair.'
Sienna reached out and gently ruffled Amber's hair, her voice full of concern as she asked, "So, what did the doctor say?"
Amber went rigid, her pupils dilating in shock. 'Did Sienna just ruffle my hair?' she thought as her heart pounded.
Amber desperately tried to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, forcing her face into what she hoped was a fierce, unapproachable expression.
She crossed her arms over her chest, a single stubborn cowlick sticking up from her short hair, making her look irresistibly cute, even as she maintained a deliberately cold, aloof posture.
Amber scoffed, "Like that could bother me."
Sienna smiled faintly, her good mood evident. "Let's visit Dad first, then head home."
Amber frowned in confusion. "Dad? Wait? He's here?"
"Yeah, he's injured," said Sienna.
Amber shrugged. "Oh," she replied flatly.
Amber barely showed any emotion upon hearing that Aiden had been hospitalized, clear proof of how little care and affection he'd shown her over the years if not outright mistreatment.
'Reno went too easy on him,' Sienna thought coldly.
Sienna knocked on the door. "Come in," Linda called out.
As Sienna and Amber walked in, Aiden let out an exaggerated groan. "Sienna, you're finally here. You have no idea. Someone actually tried to kill me. I was just minding my own business, walking along, when suddenly a gang jumped.
"They threw a sack over my head and dragged me into an alley at once. They beat the hell out of me. Every blow was brutal and precise.
"I have no idea what weapons they used, but they left me with one foot in the grave, barely clinging to life, almost kicked the bucket. If it hadn't been for a kind passerby who got me to the hospital, I wouldn't even be breathing right now."
Sienna fixed him with an icy gaze, her voice devoid of warmth. "Is that so? Then, Dad, have you made any enemies recently?"
It was the first time Amber had heard her father pour his heart out like this. She guessed Sienna must really mean something special to him.
Amber thought to herself, 'Dad would never listen to our explanations. Even the smallest things, Linda would blow them out of proportion, and then he'd just lecture us.
'In my memory, all I ever felt at home was punishment and grievance.'
Every time Jocelyn showed Amber concern and Linda put on her fake motherly act, she couldn't help but crave it. Amber used to think that if she just catered to their whims, she might finally have a warm, loving home.
Amber glanced at Sienna and noticed an uncharacteristic coldness in her demeanor. Her words lacked their usual warmth. It was completely different from how she treated Amber and Vivian.
Aiden pondered deeply, then shook his head and said earnestly, "Sienna, I honestly can't recall offending anyone. You must help me uncover the culprit. Don't let them get away with it."
Linda snapped, her eyes glinting with provocation and disdain, "Sienna, it's been days. Why haven't you found any leads? Are you even trying? He's your father.
"After he suffered such injustice, you act like you don't care at all. Are you even fit to be called his daughter?"
Sienna's expression remained unreadable as she mused inwardly, 'Since you're all so eager to know, I might as well give you the truth.'
"Dad, truth be told, I've actually uncovered some leads, but I hesitate to say more. After all, the person involved is—" Sienna hesitated.
Aiden grew frantic at the words. He jerked upright, neck straining as if trying to stretch his whole body, and pressed urgently, "Who? Who the hell was it?"
'Who the hell dares to lay hands on me in broad daylight?' Aiden wondered, and a blaze of fury erupted within him. 'What reckless fool dares to touch me? Does he have any idea who he is messing with?
'Doesn't he know Hart Corporation's standing these days?'
Standing nearby, Linda glanced at Sienna, meeting those piercing eyes. A wave of unease crept into her heart.
Sienna's lips curved in a faint, knowing smile, her frosty gaze glinting with a hint of amusement. "Are you absolutely certain you want to know, Dad?"
Aiden nodded fiercely, his voice tight with rage. "Who the hell was it?"
Sienna's gaze settled on Linda as she said coolly, "Mrs. Lambert, won't you step forward and explain about your dear relatives and friends?"
Upon hearing this, Linda's face drained of color. As if jolted by electricity, she sprang to her feet in shock. "Sienna, what nonsense are you spouting now? Don't you dare sling mud at me?"
"This has nothing to do with me. I want to find out who's behind this attack on my husband, too. If I ever get my hands on them, I won't let them off the hook." Linda vehemently argued, desperate to clear her name.
Aiden ground his teeth. He'd never doubted Sienna's methods. "Who the hell was it?"
Sienna said, "Dad, do you recall Leo, the former finance manager, apparently a relative of Mrs. Lambert? The moment I took office, he and his associates couldn't wait to resign.
"Later, they came begging to be rehired, but what's done cannot be undone. I told them we'd handle things by the book. They left, threatening to demand justice from you.
"I expected a civil conversation, but I never imagined their resentment would drive them to target you."
The truth hit Aiden like a thunderbolt. Now he understood exactly what had happened.
Aiden turned on Linda in a fury, bellowing, "Linda, so it was your people all along. I told you back then. Those shifty-eyed guys looked like trouble from the start.
"What was that bullshit you promised me about them being honest and hardworking? Now they're trying to fucking kill me."
Linda's eyes widened in horror as she frantically shook her head. 'How could this be?' she wondered. 'Leo behind this? Impossible. Even if Leo had the guts, he couldn't pull this off. She's framing me. It's Sienna.'
"Honey, listen to me. It absolutely can't be him. Sienna is spouting complete nonsense; her investigation is all wrong," said Linda.
Aiden believed Sienna without question. Thinking it over, only those people harbored enough resentment to actually attack him. 'What a bunch of ungrateful wretches,' he wondered.
Aiden clenched his fists, seething with rage. 'And to think I actually put my trust in them, even had high hopes for them. This is how they repay me?'
"Those ungrateful sons of bitches," Aiden spat through gritted teeth, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned pale.