A female student named Serena Anderson was in the middle of giving birth in a dorm bathroom at the university I worked at. But the baby had its umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, making the labor process a very dangerous one. So, I rushed over to the bathroom to help her with her delivery.

But once the baby was safely delivered, Serena's roommate, Lynn Farris, was the first one to attack me.

"Do you even have a conscience? You've never shown up for Serena in any way throughout her pregnancy, and yet you only show your face when she's giving birth?"

Thanks to Lynn's words, I went viral on the Internet. I couldn't even defend myself against the entire Internet, so I ended up getting called a jerk boyfriend by countless people.

The school board didn't want any negative impact on their reputation, so they fired me on the spot. Even my wife didn't hesitate to abandon me.

When Serena woke up, she burst into tears and told everyone that I was the one who had violated her. Thanks to that, I became the most unpopular person in the city. In the end, I got executed by a few extremists in public.

After I get reborn, I refuse to head over to the bathroom and assist Serena with her labor.

"I'm just a campus doctor, so I can't take on a responsibility as important as this."

The moment those words left my mouth, the pregnant student's roommate, Lynn Farris, couldn't wait to curse me out.

"A life is at stake, and you say something like that? Are you even human? You're the only doctor on campus. Who else are we supposed to ask if not you?"

That familiar face burned with familiar fury. In my previous life, it was this very face that dragged me into a maelstrom of public opinion.

"You're right, but I'm just a campus doctor." I pointed to the medical license hanging on the wall. "My scope of practice covers basic medical care and emergency first aid, not obstetrics. Handling a high-risk birth without authorization isn't just illegal—it's irresponsible."

Lynn's face flushed red with anger. "Those are all just excuses for refusing to save someone! You're the only one here. If you won't save her, who will?"

She spun around to face the growing crowd. "Everyone, look! This is our campus doctor! A cold-blooded monster! He's going to watch a fellow student and her baby die!"

Several students, swayed by her words, chimed in.

"She's right. How can you do this, doctor?"

"Just save her first and worry about the rest later."

The crowd began to close in, the pressure mounting. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911 in front of everyone and put it on speaker.

"Hello, this is Westlake University, girls' dormitory, third floor. A female student is in active labor in the bathroom. The situation is critical. We need an ambulance immediately for an obstetric emergency."

After hanging up, I looked at the crowd. "I've called for an ambulance. What we should be doing now is keeping the area ventilated and preparing clean towels and hot water, not standing here creating more chaos."

But Lynn wouldn't let it go. She grabbed my wrist. "By the time the ambulance gets here, it'll be too late! Why won't you do something now? Are you scared?"

I shook her off, my voice going cold. "If you truly care about your roommate, you should be preparing hot water and clean towels right now and dispersing these onlookers, not wasting time trying to guilt me into something dangerous."

My gaze swept across the room. "Any unprofessional intervention could kill them both. Which of you has experience delivering babies? Who's willing to take responsibility when something goes wrong?"

The crowd that was so noisy just moments ago fell quiet. No one dared to speak up.

"I've done everything within my authority." I looked at Lynn. "Standing here blocking the way is only delaying the professionals who can actually help."

Lynn stood there speechless, her face flushing and paling.

Just then, another student's panicked voice rang out from the bathroom. "Serena's bleeding! There's so much blood!"

Everyone's faces went pale. Lynn whipped around to glare at me. "Are you still going to refuse to save her now?"

The smell of blood mixed with screams, cutting through the air.

"She's dying! The bleeding won't stop!"

At that moment, Dean Harrison Lockwood suddenly rushed upstairs. "Dr. Kirk! What are you standing there for? Get in there and help her!"

I clenched my fists and spoke through gritted teeth. "Sir, I called 911. High-risk delivery is beyond my scope of practice."

"Bullshit!" Spittle flew from Mr. Lockwood's mouth, nearly hitting my face.

"What scope of practice? Someone's dying! If she dies on campus, we're both finished! You're a doctor! You have to help!"

Mr. Lockwood's eyes went wide with panic. Without another word, he grabbed my shoulders and shoved me hard toward the bathroom stall with all his strength.

"Get in there! If she dies, we're all going down with her!"

I stumbled and crashed into the stall door. It rattled loudly against the frame.

The surrounding students stared at me like I was already guilty. Their silent judgment pressed against my back until I could barely breathe.

The horrors of my past life overlapped with the coercion of this one. In the end, I was still being forced back into the center of this nightmare, all in the name of saving a life.

I stepped into the stall. The metallic stench of blood hit me immediately.

Serena Anderson sat slumped against the cold tile, deathly pale. Beneath her spread a pool of blood that made my stomach turn.

The umbilical cord wrapped around the baby's purple neck. The tiny life barely had any breath left.

My heart clenched. In that instant, everything from my past life came rushing back. Her tearful accusations when she woke, Lynn's condemnation, the online mob, and the cold edge of a blade.

Every image crashed over me, nearly stopping me in my tracks. I couldn't let this happen again. But this was a dying mother and a suffocating child.

Then Serena seemed to regain a sliver of consciousness. "Save my baby. Please…"

I drew a sharp breath and dropped into a crouch, quickly assessing her condition. She was hemorrhaging badly, and the baby was in distress. She needed immediate intervention, but…

I pulled out my phone. "Listen, I'm the campus doctor. I need you to tell me who the father of your baby is."

Serena's lips moved, her voice barely a whisper. "It's Leo…"

"Dr. Kirk! You monster! Are you even human?"

Lynn burst into the stall like she'd lost her mind, swinging wildly to knock the phone from my hand. "Serena's dying and you're taking photos of her? You're disgusting!"

Her shrill voice filled the cramped space and carried to every eavesdropper outside.

I avoided her attack, resisting the urge to throw her out bodily.

Then Serena screamed again, her body convulsing violently. The situation spiraled toward critical. A thought flashed through my mind.

Rather than being forced to help and reliving my past nightmare, maybe…

I let Mr. Lockwood's next shove throw me off balance, stumbling toward the water pipe. "Stop pushing me!"

Then, in the split second before I hit the ground, I angled my left forearm—ulnar side first—directly at the pipe's metal joint and slammed into it with my full body weight.

Mr. Lockwood froze. "Dr. Kirk! What happened?"

Cold sweat instantly beaded on my forehead, my face draining of color. "My arm's broken! I can't even hold gauze steady now. How am I supposed to deliver a baby? You want me to use this useless arm and kill them both?"

I forced the words through gritted teeth, pain shooting up my arm. My gaze swept sharply across everyone present.

"Mr. Lockwood, and you, Lynn! You're the ones so desperate to save her, right? Then you'll do it. Follow my instructions exactly!"

"Me? I can't!" Mr. Lockwood's face went white. He backed away.

"You have to!" I snapped. "You're the closest ones here! Are you going to stand there and watch her die right in front of you? Listen to me and do exactly what I say! Now!"

I guided them through clearing the airway, carefully unwinding the cord from the baby's neck, then coached Serena when to push.

Every step was precarious. One wrong move, and they would both die.

The process was harrowing. The bleeding worsened at one point, and the baby nearly stopped breathing several times. Finally, a weak but unmistakable cry pierced the suffocating tension.

They made it. Almost immediately, urgent footsteps echoed from outside.

"Ambulance is here! Move! Clear the way!"

The stall door swung open, and professional paramedics and nurses quickly took over.

"You did well, doctor. Your intervention was timely. Thank you," one of the paramedics said quickly as they worked.

I sagged against the wall and let out a long breath. At least they were alive.

Serena and the baby were carefully lifted onto stretchers and wheeled out of the bathroom, the crowd trailing behind them.

I turned to head back to the medical office to bandage my arm when Lynn's voice rang out again. "Dr. Kirk! Serena's in this condition, and you're the father! Why aren't you getting in the ambulance with them?"

"What? Dr. Kirk is the father?"

"Oh my God! No wonder..."

"What a monster!"

The accusations and looks of disgust turned on me instantly. Even Mr. Lockwood stood frozen, his mouth hanging open.

My blood ran cold. "Lynn, defamation carries legal consequences. Are you sure about this?"

Lynn looked even more triumphant. "Who are you trying to scare?"

She whipped out her phone and started a livestream, shoving the camera in my face. "Everyone, look! This is the scumbag campus doctor, Dr. Murphy Kirk! He got a student pregnant and won't take responsibility! Share this! Get it trending! Make him famous!"

Within minutes, the accusations spread across social media. Posts calling me a predator and discussing the bathroom birth went viral.

The surrounding students fed off the frenzy. Their shouting grew louder. I simply watched it all unfold, expression cold.

Since becoming the campus doctor, I'd been nothing but diligent and professional. I'd never once crossed a line with any student. Apparently, that only gave them the courage to destroy me more boldly.

I smiled bitterly and walked away.

Let them rage. The harder they pushed this narrative now, the worse the backlash would be later.

The next day, police officers appeared at my door. "Dr. Kirk, you need to come with us for questioning. Please come with us to the hospital."

In the hospital room, Serena lay pale in the bed, looking away from me. Lynn stood beside her, shooting me a venomous glare.

I knew what was coming. I stayed silent, almost amused, content to play the observer.

The officer approached the bed. "Ms. Serena Anderson, is the campus doctor, Dr. Murphy Kirk, the father of your child?"

The room fell silent. Every eye was fixed on Serena's pale lips. Her lips trembled, and her gaze flicked nervously toward Lynn before dropping to her lap.

"Serena, don't be scared! The police are here. Tell them the truth! Did he assault you or not?" Lynn couldn't wait. Her voice was sharp, leading.

After a suffocating silence, Serena seemed to gather every ounce of strength she had left. Head bowed, she whispered, "Yes."

Lynn immediately pointed at me, shrieking. "Officers, you heard her! He raped a student! He deserves to rot!"

The reporters outside the room erupted, trying to push past the police barricade.

The lead officer's expression darkened completely. "Dr. Kirk, do you have anything to say?"

At that critical moment, I slowly reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, my expression calm.

"Officer, before I provided medical assistance, I obtained Serena's consent to record our conversation for documentation purposes. This is the original, unedited recording."

I pressed play and turned the volume all the way up. The recording played. Serena's agonized moans and labored breathing filled the background.