Chapter 73 Poaching Someone in Person
Chris only hesitated for half a minute before agreeing: "Fine! Remember what you said - I'll do anything, even if it means not getting divorced!"
Joanna didn't have time to think it through and agreed once more.
After hanging up, she kept waiting for Chris and Dr. Powell to arrive.
But half an hour later, only Chris showed up at the nursing home.
Joanna looked behind him, didn't see Dr. Powell, and tried to comfort herself with some disappointment: "Does Dr. Powell still need a while? It's okay, there must be traffic. I'll wait a bit longer."
Chris frowned: "My mom just called saying Cynthia fell and might miscarry. I sent Dr. Powell there first. Dr. Gordon will be here in five minutes."
"Chris! My mom is critically ill, this isn't a joke. Only Dr. Powell can do this surgery! Dr. Gordon is an orthopedic surgeon - orthopedics!"
Joanna was about to break down.
The hope she'd finally been waiting for, yet Chris still chose Cynthia.
The numbness in her heart seemed to tell her to get used to it, but Joanna knew she simply couldn't let it go!
Sandra's life was important - there was no time to argue with Chris here.
"Joanna, what are you trying to say? Isn't the baby in Cynthia's belly a life too? Your mom is at this nursing home - don't they have doctors who can do surgery? Why do you have to bring someone from outside!"
Chris argued back defensively.
Joanna smiled bitterly: "Of course they have doctors, but Dr. Bruce and Dr. Powell are the best doctors in Austin City. Having them here would be safer. Chris, I shouldn't have expected you to help me at all."
He was never a reliable choice.
After saying this, Joanna stopped paying attention to Chris and went straight to find Dr. Bruce.
Learning that Dr. Powell couldn't come, Dr. Bruce became serious: "I need to be clear with you, Miss Jones. I'll do my best with the nursing home doctors to perform the surgery, but if we can't save your mother, you need to be prepared to arrange her funeral."
Joanna looked up, her gaze serious: "Dr. Bruce, I want to go into the operating room with you."
"Are you joking? Outsiders can't enter the operating room!" Dr. Bruce thought Joanna was being unreasonable.
Joanna took out her medical license and said: "I specialize in orthopedics and have done many surgeries. Although I haven't done cancer or neurological surgeries, since my mom got sick, I've been studying books on these topics for three years. I believe you've heard my name - Dr. J! So please let me try. I'll just assist and won't interfere with your surgical decisions!"
Dr. Bruce had thought Joanna was being unreasonable, but when he heard she was a doctor, he hesitated.
Finally, he agreed: "Alright, I trust your abilities."
The two quickly entered the operating room. The process was more difficult than Joanna had imagined. She concentrated on assisting, which did provide some convenience for Dr. Bruce.
Orthopedic surgeons are very capable at suturing and basic surgical procedures, and could share Dr. Bruce's workload.
Seven hours passed, and the numbers on the monitors finally returned to normal.
Several exhausted doctors emerged from the operating room. Dr. Bruce removed his mask and said with emotion: "Miss Jones, you really are an excellent doctor. I think if you had chosen to specialize in cancer treatment, you would have achieved great success too."
Joanna's anxious heart finally calmed down: "Thank you, Dr. Bruce. You saved my mother's life!"
She bowed deeply, but Dr. Bruce stopped her. "This is my duty. Miss Jones, I shouldn't need to say more about your mother's condition. Her cancer is in her brain, so emotional stress triggers it to spread. You and the family need to be careful about this!"
Joanna nodded, carefully remembering Dr. Bruce's words.
She had asked Chris to come because she wanted to deceive Sandra again about her happy marriage, so Sandra would focus on recovering.
But Joanna hadn't expected that after the surgery, Sandra never woke up.
If the monitors hadn't shown normal vital signs, Joanna would have thought Sandra was leaving her.
Joanna didn't sleep all night. When a nurse brought her breakfast the next day, she remembered Chris and asked: "Is that man who came yesterday still here?"
The nurse shook her head: "That gentleman left after you entered the operating room."
At this news, Joanna just twitched her lips without any obvious emotion.
She quietly watched over Sandra, but didn't expect Chris to come back on his own.
Looking at Sandra sleeping peacefully, Chris sneered: "The nursing home doctors are pretty good. Looks like Dr. Powell didn't need to come after all."
Joanna didn't look up, her voice calm: "If we'd waited for Dr. Powell to come, my mother would have stopped breathing by now."
Chris got angry: "So if the nursing home doctors could do it, why did you think I was wrong yesterday!"
"Because there weren't enough people! So yesterday I went into the operating room myself to help save my mom!" Joanna's tone became heavier.
"You?" Chris questioned. "Are you joking? Joanna, saving your mother was all Dr. Bruce's achievement, right? You going in just caused trouble! But this Dr. Bruce is pretty capable. I have a new project recently that might need him. Ask him for me - he can come work at the research institute, I'll pay him more!"
Joanna looked at him like he was crazy. "You actually came to my mom's nursing home to poach staff? Aren't you afraid of being thrown out!"
"Everyone likes capable people. I'm just offering him a better work platform. You're not the owner of this nursing home - why are you getting angry?" Chris didn't care about Joanna's attitude and instead started seriously thinking about what salary level to offer Dr. Bruce.
At the door, Angelo, who had rushed over after getting the news while on a business trip, heard this and laughed coldly. "So Mr. Cooper, after failing to cooperate with our company, you've come to the nursing home to poach people?"
Both Joanna and Chris looked over, their expressions showing surprise.
After his surprise, Chris put on an arrogant attitude: "You're just a small company employee - what right do you have to interfere with my business? Your boss isn't even here. If you're willing to beg me, maybe I can find you a position at Cooper Corporation too."
He thought he was offering very generous terms.
But Joanna laughed out loud, and even Dr. Bruce, who had come in with Angelo, looked at Chris strangely.
"I'm sorry Miss Jones, but I think your husband might need to see a neurologist too. What is he talking about! This man is the owner of our nursing home. The nursing home alone brings in tens of millions of dollars a month!"