She Was My Practice Surgery

The day of my C-section, my husband Mark pulled the plug on my surgery—firing the top-tier surgeon I'd waited months for and replacing him with his childhood sweetheart, Chloe.

"Baby, Chloe's residency is on thin ice—her review is a disaster. If she gets kicked out now, her career is over. But if she pulls this off? They'll make an exception for her. She'll be back on track."

"Come on, it's just a C-section! It's not brain surgery. Chloe's not gonna mess it up. Unless… you actually want some random guy staring at you down there?"

I shook my head, frantic. No way was I letting an unqualified doctor like Chloe anywhere near me. But Mark had already signed the consent forms. He even threatened to cancel my anesthesia if I didn't cooperate.

In the operating room, Chloe skipped the anesthesia entirely. The pain was so blinding I blacked out. When I came to, it was even worse. Chloe—my "surgeon"—was casually using a scalpel to file her nails.

"Can't take a little pain? Serves you right for stealing Mark from me."

I tried to scream for help, hoping someone outside would hear, but Chloe pressed the blade to my throat. "You don't want me to succeed—admit it. Scream again, and I swear I'll end your baby's life."

So I went silent. For my child.

But Chloe's incompetence wrapped the umbilical cord around the baby's neck. My child was suffocating. I felt my world collapse.

When I woke up again, Mark was there—a mess of guilt and regret. But me? I felt… calm. Eerily calm.

"No. Absolutely not. Dr. Smith is the best C-section surgeon in this city. I waited five months to get him. I paid twenty thousand dollars to have him operate in this private hospital. You can't just swap him out!"

I was drenched in sweat, clutching Dr. Smith's sleeve like a lifeline. Mark stood nearby, annoyed.

"Always with the money! Is twenty grand really more important than Chloe's future? This is the best hospital in the city. If she gets fired here, no one else will take her. What about her dreams, huh? You only ever think about yourself!"

I stared at him, stunned. "Mark, I'm your wife. This is your child. How can you gamble our lives like this? Chloe can't even pass her residency!"

Dr. Smith stepped in, grim. "Your baby is breech. There's a serious risk of cord prolapse. If an unqualified person performs this surgery, it could be fatal for both mother and child."

Just then, the door flew open. There stood Chloe, already in scrubs, eyes red but chin held high.

"Dr. Smith, with all due respect, you can't just trash my skills. And sister-in-law—I know you don't like me, but don't drag my career into your personal drama. It's insulting."

"You don't want me? Fine. I'll leave. I'll go be a nurse somewhere else. Better than being treated like this."

She began peeling off her gloves.

Mark grabbed her hand. "Chloe, stop. If you leave, who's going to protect you? You're too soft for other hospitals. Stay. I'll always look out for you."

With a wave of his hand, his security team escorted Dr. Smith out.

I tried to sit up. "Mark, don't do this."

But he looked at me like I was crazy. "Lana, it's a C-section. Women give birth in fields and on sidewalks every day. You're being dramatic. I've never heard of one going wrong."

"You're a shareholder! If you want to help her so badly, just promote her. Make her head of department. Problem solved."

Mark sighed. "I wish it were that simple. But Chloe…"

Chloe cut in, tears now streaming. "Mark offered me the position. I said no. I want to earn my place—not because I'm someone's favorite, but because I'm good."

She turned to me, voice sharp. "And you—you specifically asked for a male doctor. What's that about? Mark might be okay with it, but I'm not. As his little sister, I won't let you embarrass him."

Her eyes narrowed. "I became a doctor to help women avoid exactly this kind of judgment. So why request Dr. Smith? What are you hiding?"

I was too angry—and in too much pain—to respond. A contraction ripped through me, and I doubled over.

Mark rushed to my side. "She's in labor! Everyone out! Now!" He turned back to me, voice softening. "Honey, trust Chloe. She won't hurt you. What matters is you and the baby."

He tried to leave. I grabbed his hand, pleading. "Anyone but her, Mark. Please."

His jaw tightened. He pulled away and signed the form. "Lana, Chloe is the only female OB/GYN here. I won't let another man see my wife like that."

Then he leaned in, cold. "If you refuse Chloe, you get no anesthesia. Your choice."

My throat closed. He knew how terrified I was of pain. Yet he was willing to let me suffer—for her.

Before I could say another word, he ushered everyone out and pulled Chloe into a hug. "You've got this. I believe in you."

I passed out from the pain.

The last thing I heard was Chloe's whisper: "Mark, can I do this alone? No assistants. Because…"