Now she couldn’t look me in the eye.
Before leaving, she turned toward me.
“You think you’ve won something?”
I looked at the folder in front of me.
“No, Celia. I think you finally have to answer the questions you kept telling me not to ask.”
She walked out without another word.
The hospital placed her on administrative leave that afternoon.
Several weeks later, North Harbor terminated her employment following its investigation.
The company also referred its findings to law enforcement and began reviewing the questionable payments.
Lawyers would spend months sorting through the financial consequences.
But my name was cleared.
My suspension was removed from my personnel record.
The hospital restored my pay and approved a formal review of the harm caused by the false accusations.
And Celia’s remote-work approval authority was gone.
On the day I returned to work, Tessa met me near the employee entrance.
