Chapter 154 More Than Business
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“So what now? One speech from Caesar and you’re ready to give up? Sounds to me like you don’t really like him all that much,” Mr. Hector said coolly.
“How could I not like Caesar?” Qwain snapped. “I’ve loved him just as much–if not more–than Mario. But I’ve already lost. I lost biologically. After what Caesar just said, what else am I supposed to do?”
“You still have a chance.”
Qwain turned to look at Mr. Hector.
Back at Quinn Group, Wendy immediately called a meeting with her project team after setting her sights on Cliff Haven.
“Zynn, see if you can find a way in. I couldn’t get Drake Bay, but I’m not letting Cliff Haven rot in Fabien’s hands. If the price is right, we take it. I checked out the back hill–promising terrain. With future development, Cliff Haven’s going to be one of the hottest properties in the area.”
Sammy laid out all the market projections and post–launch valuations. Everyone agreed—it was a project worth pursuing.
Even the board’s notoriously cautious senior members signed off.
Wendy had been pulling long hours over the Cliff Haven project, but no matter how late she got home, Chase always left a light on for her, waiting quietly in the living room–unless he had surgery the next day.
That night, she returned to find him still awake, reading on the couch. She recalled Sammy’s earlier report on Wellinges Pharma’s current situation.
Most updates went from Melody to Sammy to her–just the key points.
This time, it was about a serious spinal curvature patient–apparently congenital. The patient had bounced between hospitals before ending up at Wellinges. The board had fought for days over whether to take the
case.
Several executives felt that, with Wellinges Pharma on the verge of going public, the focus should be on maintaining a high surgery success rate. This kind of high–risk operation, they argued, shouldn’t be taken on right before listing.
But Chase, along with a few of the attending surgeons, insisted: a hospital is a hospital. Even if it’s going public, it should never be fully commercialized. The patient should always come first.
“The patient always comes first.” That was the last thing Chase had said in the meeting.
Lately, he’d lost his temper more than once at board meetings. He was even starting to question whether taking Wellinges public was the right move.
But no matter how much tension he carried from the hospital, at home, Chase never let it show. He was always warm with Wendy, quietly burying his frustration.
“You’re back,” he said, looking up as she came through the door. He set aside his notes and took off his glasses.
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Chapter 154 More Than Business
“Did you eat?” he asked.
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Wendy nodded and sat beside him. “I know the board’s been driving you nuts. But that’s business. If you hate dealing with it, let Melody handle it. I hired her to be your assistant specifically to take care of the things you don’t like. You shouldn’t feel burdened by any of it.”
Chase didn’t feel burdened–it was more like… disbelief.
What are people without any medical ethics even doing in a hospital?
Several of the board’s senior executives hadn’t been in an OR in years. They’d forgotten that patients always came first.
“So you’ve heard,” Chase sighed, handing her a warm glass of water. “I just can’t wrap my head around it. A hospital is supposed to be sacred. As doctors, we’re supposed to have compassion. So how is it these people don’t?”
“Not everyone can be as good as you,” Wendy said. “Most people live mediocre lives. They can’t handle failure–and they definitely can’t handle the idea that one small failure might derail their chance at success.”
What she hadn’t told the board was that the IPO arrangements were already locked in. Even if something went wrong, the outcome wouldn’t change.
But that group of executives… they lived in constant fear.
Chase never thought that way. He simply focused on doing the right thing in front of him.
“I need to go to the study to review some valuation reports. You’re not heading to bed yet?“.Wendy glanced
at the calendar. Tomorrow was Saturday. She sounded a little disappointed. “Lemon told me a new movie just came out. I was thinking of taking you, but I guess there’s no time.”
Ever since their honeymoon, they’d both been too busy to spend much time together.
Just like those five years before–rarely seeing each other.
But now, even if they only caught a glimpse of each other each day, they were always thinking of one another. Chase no longer felt uncertain or insecure.
And with Henry potentially returning to the country at any moment, the pressure would only mount.
They didn’t have the luxury for romance right now.
“It’s okay. How about this: while you’re in meetings tomorrow, I’ll have a few people over here to discuss the surgery plan. You okay with that?”
“This is your home too–you can do whatever you want. But for meetings…” Wendy yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Environment makes a big difference. Quinn Group has a few conference rooms we lease out. There’s one free tomorrow. I’ll have Sammy book you a smaller one. Maybe we can still grab lunch together?”
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