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Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Phillip watched Curtis in silence.
Curtis had always been the free spirit of the family, a rebel since childhood.
Despite the family’s wishes for him to steer clear of the family business, he had a gift and found ElitePinnacle Investments and crafted his legend on Wall Street.
He was silver-tongued, so charming that he could talk anyone into or out of anything, and girls flocked to him like bees to honey.
He was a master of the slopes and the seas, an expert in skiing and sailing as if there was nothing he couldn’t learn.
Phillip had never seen him quite like this before.
“I can’t stand the thought of her with someone else. If it’s you, at least I know she’ll be safe, Curtis finally admitted.
What defeated sentiment must the proud Curtis be harboring to utter such words?
Phillip felt a complex swirl of emotions before he replied, “Curtis, have you ever considered how we would get past Mom and Dad? Anne divorcing you to marry me, are you trying to give them a heart attack?”
“Don’t worry about Mom and Dad. I’ll handle them,” Curtis said with his characteristic cocksure brevity, sparking Phillip’s curiosity.
“How are you planning to ‘handle’ them?” Phillip asked.
Curtis took a drag on his cigarette, smirked, and replied, “When the time comes, I’ll tell them I’ve discovered I like men and bring home some pretty boy. What would they prefer, a son-in-law with a beard or Leanne?”
Phillip’s speechlessness was plain as day on his face. “Quit joking around, Curtis. Grandma was hospitalized again recently. Just say it outright if you want to hasten her
death.”
Snuffing his cigarette, Phillip gave Curtis one last look before entering the house, leaving him with one final thought, “You’re too close to the forest to see the trees, Curtis.”
The new shift schedule was out, and Leanne’s night shifts had significantly increased.
Even Amy couldn’t stand it. “Ruben’s really out of line. Isn’t this blatant sabotage? Loading you with patients and scheduling you for the worst shifts.”
Leanne took her schedule to Ruben. “Ruben, this schedule seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it?”
Polishing his glasses, Ruben replied without looking up, “Leanne, you’ve been getting too bold since your man stuck his nose in the hospital issue last time. Do you think the whole department should tiptoe around you because you’ve got connections?”
Leanne was rendered speechless. Was he unfairly accusing her in advance? His audacity had her floored. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“And what have I done exactly?”
Ruben put on his glasses and tapped on the table for emphasis. “Just look at your attitude now. Isn’t it arrogant to question my scheduling?”
“If standing up for fairness is arrogant, so be it,” Leanne retorted, placing the schedule down. “I just hope for a minimum level of fairness. Our department usually does one shift every six days, but I have too many night duties this month, like eight. Can you justify that?”
Ruben had his excuses ready. “Donna has two kids to care for and an ailing parent at home. She needs fewer night shifts to get home early. Isn’t it right to consider a colleague’s difficulties? And Dr. Chase’s wife just got pregnant, with complications. He needs to be at home, and then there’s…”
“I get it with Donna. I often cover her shifts,” Leanne cut through his rhetoric, undistracted. “As for Dr. Chase, we know he doesn’t head home after his shifts. And Sandra is single and unattached, yet she has only three this month, even fewer night shifts than Donna.”
“Sandra’s been having heart troubles recently and needs her rest. Look at you, nitpicking/ not an ounce of generosity in you!” Ruben grew livid, resorting to pulling rank when he couldn’t win the argument. “You can’t even perform your duties properly, skiving off during shifts. I should be docking your performance, yet here you are, always stirring up trouble! This Ophthalmology department is too small for your ego. You fall in line and follow orders, or if you can’t handle it, go and ask the director for a transfer!”