Chapter 900

Matthew was about to speak, and anger was evident in his expression, but Tony cut in first, "Are you saying the reason I couldn't get the medical license is just because I'm an ordinary person?" His voice trembled as he spoke, and he gripped the edge of the table so tightly that it shook. His frail hands quivered uncontrollably, and the cups on the table rattled, spilling their contents. Jerome didn't seem to notice Tony's growing rage. Instead, he smirked, his tone carrying a tone of pride. "That's correct. You could put it that way. Regular folks have to follow the rules. It may sound harsh, but that's just how things are." Tony's face turned pale, his mind replaying the torment he endured trying to pass the medical license exam—to the point of losing his sanity. And all of it was because he was just an ordinary person. A fire burned in his gaze, growing hotter and wilder. Jerome, unfazed and overly confident, continued, "As a director, I have this little authority. If I had to be in your shoes, honestly, I wouldn't even bother—" A sharp smack landed across his face, cutting him off mid-sentence. The slap wasn't hard, but it was loud enough to make everyone freeze. The room fell into stunned silence. It wasn't the force of the slap left Jerome speechless—it was the sheer audacity of it. Jerome gingerly touched his cheek, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Y-You dare to hit me?" Tony, who still needed him to process a medical license, dared to lay a hand on him? Was he looking to make trouble for himself? Tony was beyond reason now. A lifetime of dedication to medicine, with no wife or children, had left his profession as his sole purpose in life. He had spent decades healing others, only to be told in his twilight years that he no longer had the right to practice, all because he wasn't born into privilege or was part of the system. His head buzzed, his thoughts consumed by searing anger. The fury churned in his chest, demanding an outlet. Looking at Jerome's smug expression, Tony couldn't hold back. Almost instinctively, his hand shot out, delivering another slap. "To hell with your damn medical license!" he roared as he slapped Jerome again. The force of the blow sent Tony staggering back a few steps. He barely managed to steady himself by grabbing the edge of the table. Jerome, now bleeding from the corner of his mouth, glared at Tony, his anger flaring. "You… You dare hit me again? Do you even care about getting your medical license anymore?" "License? To hell with your license! I'm done begging. Do whatever you want—I'm too old to care," Tony spat. Jerome froze, dumbfounded. The power he held over Tony was rendered meaningless in an instant. It was as if he had cornered prey, only to find it retreating into its shell like an impenetrable turtle. He had nowhere to strike. But as a leader, Jerome was used to being revered. People would bow and scrape before him wherever he went. Today, a common man had publicly humiliated him, and his anger surged like a volcano about to erupt. "I don't care if you want your damn license or not," Jerome spat, his chest heaving with fury. "You slapped me—twice! You think I'll just let that slide? I won't forgive this." Tony, usually the picture of a quiet and law-abiding man, seemed like a different person now. Exhausted from his outburst but unrelenting, he panted heavily and barked, "Do whatever the hell you want! I'm an old man with one foot in the grave. You think I care about your damn license anymore?" Jerome was stunned. He hadn't expected Tony to simply not care. For a moment, Jerome didn't know how to respond. Then, catching sight of Matthew nearby, he turned to him angrily. "Mr. Grant, isn't this going too far?" Matthew's voice was calm, but his words were sharp. "Too far? What's too far? Tony went to get a medical license, and your system made it impossible. Yet somehow, you managed to make it happen when it suited you. If it were me, I wouldn't just slap you. I'd want to kill you." His eyes turned icy, his voice carrying a chilling edge that sent shivers down everyone's spine. It was as if he truly harbored murderous intent.