Viya's POV
The room erupted into shocked murmurs. Twenty-one years old, but nine years of medical training and experience.
I felt an odd prickling sensation—someone's stare felt different from the general curiosity around me.
Following my instincts, I scanned the crowd until I locked eyes with a pair of intense, almost predatory eyes.
A complete stranger.
From his seat, the man smiled and called out without any sense of propriety, "May I ask who you studied under, Dr. Lockwood?"
Miranda seized on this immediately.
"Right! Viya, are you saying you started studying medicine at twelve or thirteen? Stop trying to fool people. Just reading medical books at home doesn't count as formal training."
Her voice grew more confident. "What legitimate teacher would take on an t
