Chapter 508
Sienna nodded in satisfaction and shifted her gaze back to Celeste.
Her expression held zero aggression; in fact, she looked genuinely puzzled.
“Dr. Vaughan, since you were able to power through a four-hour, highly complex demonstration, it proves your wrist wasn’t severely injured before or during the procedure.
“Mr. Coleman has already confirmed your hand is fine.
“This closing procedure will take less than five minutes, and I’ve already stabilized the patient’s condition.
“It should be infinitely easier than what you just did. Surely… you won’t disappoint everyone, right p>
She tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening. “Or perhaps… a five-minute bile duct anastomosis is somehow harder than a four-hour resection p>
The hall fell dead silent.
Her words were overwhelmingly polite—so polite that anyone could feel the razor-thin blade concealed beneath them.
The breakdown in Celeste’s eyes was genuine, but the toxic resentment and bitter reluctance buried deep within were even more real.
Her carefully maintained smile finally shattered.
“Dr. Sloan, I’m really not trying to make excuses… my hand genuinely hurts p>
“Even if there’s no major structural damage, I was forcing myself through the final stretch of that last surgery.
“If I rush onto the operating table now, I… I’m afraid I might p>
By the end of her sentence, her voice caught in a choked sob, and her eyes rapidly filled with tears.
Helena threw an arm around her shoulders, glaring at Sienna with blatant hatred.
“Sienna Sloan, she’s in this much pain and you’re still forcing her! Enough is enough p>
Helena suddenly changed her tactic, aiming her fury squarely at Jonathan.
“Mr. Coleman might be an orthopedic authority, but he works with bones. How can he tell if her muscles are hurting p>
Jonathan furrowed his brow. After all, no one had ever dared to question his medical judgment before.
The faces of everyone in the crowd shifted slightly at the accusation.
Sienna let out a scoff but didn’t argue.
Instead, she took two steps forward, stopping right in front of Celeste.
The distance between them closed to less than an arm’s length.
Sienna leaned down slightly, extending one hand, palm up.
“Dr. Vaughan, let me examine your wrist and check your pulse p>
Celeste froze. “What p>
“If Mr. Coleman’s word isn’t convincing enough, what if I add my own?” Sienna maintained her calm smile.
“Whether your hand actually hurts,. whether there’s muscle swelling, fascia tension, or meridian blockage… I’ll know the second I feel it. You can’t fake it p>
She placed two fingers lightly against Celeste’s wrist.
Celeste instinctively tried to rip her hand away.
But even though Sienna didn’t seem to be using any force, her two fingers locked Celeste’s wrist down like a vise.
Under her grip, Celeste couldn’t move an inch. She even felt a numbing sensation spreading through her arm.
A few seconds later, Sienna released her.
Sienna stood up straight and turned to the crowd.
“Dr. Vaughan’s right wrist muscles are relaxed, her fascia is smooth, and her meridians are entirely unobstructed p>
Her voice was clinical and calm. “There are zero signs of acute strain or inflammation. In other words p>
She looked back at Celeste, her eyes as calm and reflective as a mirror.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with your hand. You’re just terrified to step up to the operating table p>
The moment the words dropped, the entire hall drew a collective breath.
Celeste’s face went from flushed to chalk-white.
Helena was stunned too, her hand freezing stiffly around Celeste’s shoulder.
“You Celeste finally found her voice tears spilling down her cheeks simultaneously you’re ying! Who are you to say p>
“On the grounds that I am the undisputed master of the Cirrus Needles,” Sienna replied.
“Dr. Vaughan, if you insist your hand hurts, you can go get an X-ray right now.
“Whether it’s fascia edema, carpal tunnel compression, or anything else, it will show up crystal clear on the imaging
“Bring the scans back here. If there’s genuine inflammation, I will apologize to you right here in front of everyone p>