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“Not unless my doctor has recently become a lesbian,” Seo-yeon snickered as she moved over by us. “Can I partake in this feast or is it for the baby only?”

“Do not pick a fight when I do the same when you have issues and need your family,” Mum warned her, her tone cold.

And that was the time not to push Mum… If you liked breathing.

I nodded for Seo-yeon to go ahead. “It’s nothing confidential. Though I would prefer you not use it as ammunition later.”

She probably wanted to say something shitty but shot a glance at Mum and thought better of it. Then she seemed to bite back a smirk. “I wish you the best in Atlanta, Brother. Whatever we can do as your family to make it work.”

And get me out of London—the UK or Europe even. I wasn’t stupid. I knew exactly what she meant.

Which was why I had wanted to leave and have my own life out from under them.

“There was a major shake-up in dermatology and two doctors were out,” I told Mum, not caring if Seo-yeon listened. It wasn’t like people couldn’t find the information out. “I’ve been helping—”

“Because you’re suddenly a dermatologist?” Seo-yeon snarked.

“Yes, I am,” I sighed. I nodded when she froze in eating. “For shifters—yes, I am. I did a fellowship that gave me the credentials and I’ve kept them up.”

Mum tapped the counter in front of me. “How is that department head? Are they grateful or the problem?”

“Grateful and a great doctor,” I told her honestly. “Dr. Carla Greer is one of the best and dedicated.” I explained what happened, both of them shocked at the drama and wanting to hear the tea.

“Good that she immediately stepped up and smacked people into line,” Mum praised. “And that she stood with Ms. Reed.”

“Oh,DoctorReed has a lot of allies,” I snarked but froze in what I was going to say next. I met Mum’s gaze and couldn’t hide my shock as I dropped my chopsticks. “You knew.”

“Yes, I knew,” she confirmed, searching my eyes. “And you are a bit too upset that she kept it from you.”

“He likes her,” Seo-yeon purred.

There was no point in denying it. “I’ve been her ally and we’ve become friends—I helped her get away from Dr. Fitz who was abusing her. I just…” I shook my head. “I told you that I think I’m being sensitive. It’s just all balled up together, and how I found out…” I sighed and sat back, rubbing my hands over my head. “She knew about Mandy already. I don’t know how. Or when.”

“It couldn’t have been long,” Mum muttered. “She is one to act.”

That was fair and I nodded. I wasn’t going to say it was upsetting because I’d been with Ellie last night before it all happened and that was something we should have probably discussed. Hell, I’d gone to her right away when I’d found out.

I told them what Mandy had pulled with the board and how it had all blown up. The scene it was right in the lobby of the main building by security—the mess it all was. Even what I learned later about the department heads thinking Ellie was involved in the meeting they were called for. That had been so petty and childish.

Also, how scared I’d been coming in late and thinking Dr. Carpenter was going to stab Ellie in the back.

“Your hospital needs to be a reality show,” Seo-yeon muttered, looking shocked and a bit disgusted. “Does any healing actually happen there?”

“Yes, lots, but—we’ve seen how quickly toxicity can bloom in even a good group like our pack,” I reminded her. Ten years ago it had happened to Da when a group wanting to take over got to some of his Betas—it had been a mess.

And he’d had to clean house.

“Yes, we do, but also—I remember ASH before the board,” Mum defended. “No one took it seriously because it was a hospital started by ‘idealistic fool doctors’ who had no knowledge of how to run a business. Half the department heads were women and Ms. Reed ran it for the founder—a woman. A hundred years ago?”

“Sexism at its finest,” Seo-yeon chuckled darkly. “And clearly a PR campaign against the leadership of the hospital in an attempt to take power. People with big names and bad intentions wanting in on the money and prestige. I wonder how many of those board members were the original ones?”

“That’s a very good point,” I admitted. “I have no idea. I know Dr. James said two were being too bold for only being on the board ten years. I don’t know if the seats were passed down or—that’s something to think about.”

“So what worries you?” Mum asked. She searched me a moment and I realized she probably misread what she was getting off of me. Probably embarrassment. “You are upset for Mandy.”

“No,” I immediately answered but then frowned. “I’m sad that’s where she ended up. Even if I hated her and all she’d done.”

“You knew the girl she was and hoped things turned out differently for that girl,” Mum surmised.