Medical Center
"It's me. Tomorrow, you go…"
Amid the stunned silence of Meredith and the other two, Adam immediately grabbed his phone and dialed Assistant No. 3.
"By the way, Meredith, which nursing home is Dr. Gray at again?"
Adam asked, holding the phone in one hand while looking at her expectantly.
What choice did Meredith have? She could only reluctantly give him the name and address of the nursing home.
"Did you hear me? Go there and recruit the healthcare workers who cared for Dr. Alice Gray."
Ignoring Meredith's inner turmoil—and with Christina giving him a silent thumbs-up—Adam nonchalantly laid out his orders to Assistant No. 3.
"Alright, find me six—preferably three men and three women so they can work in pairs. They need to be ready to start tomorrow. And yes, compensation isn't an issue."
Though Meredith felt completely overwhelmed by the back-and-forth between Adam and Christina, she ended up agreeing. When it comes to matters like these, it's best to strike while the iron's hot and settle things decisively. If Meredith used to have a 60% chance of backing out afterward, Adam's dazzling shower of cash has now crushed that chance to less than 1%.
George and Liz couldn't help but grimace.
With one swift move, Adam ensured that six healthcare workers would be at his beck and call around the clock.
To poach them quickly, money's no object, right?
But seriously—how much money does that take?
The compensation here is leagues above what a typical nursing home worker earns while juggling care for several, sometimes even a dozen, seniors.
With money, you really can do anything.
"Also, order a gourmet meal and have it delivered to this address—attention: Monica Geller. And make it fast."
After securing the healthcare staff for Dr. Gray, Adam remembered one more thing.
After hanging up, he turned to Christina and said,
"I was originally planning to have dinner with friends tomorrow night, but now with Dr. Gray's situation, it looks like I won't get that chance—for tomorrow night or for a long while after. So let's move it up to tonight. Christina, cover for Dr. Gray until early morning; after your dinner, I'll come back and take over. Sound good?"
"Don't worry," she replied with a nod.
Unlike the unmotivated slackers George and Liz, Christina and Adam were completely on the same page. After all, this was the legendary Dr. Alice Gray—a textbook example of excellence. Getting a chance to learn from her is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; it's like living the dream straight out of a novel. Adam had already spent a fortune and worked tirelessly to set this up. Now, as long as Christina just puts in a little effort—even if it means sacrificing her free time every night—she was more than willing.
"I'll go talk to the director about renting an office space at the hospital," Adam said.
Looking at Meredith, he smiled, "Meredith, get home tonight and organize Dr. Gray's surgical footage, notes, and all those valuable records. See you tomorrow."
Then, shooting Christina a look that said "keep holding the fort," he headed off to see Chief of Surgery Richard.
Although showering money like confetti is Mr. No-Trace's signature move, this tactic was a bit too flashy—leaving too many traces. Even if Meredith were metaphorically pinned down by these glittering financial ultimatums, there'd still be a slim 1% chance she could break free if she mustered the courage. Christina, however, was a different story. As Meredith's best friend—and the kind who always has her back, even tossing out sayings like, "If you can't fight it, why not just lie down and enjoy it?"—she left no room for resistance.
---
Chief of Surgery's Office
Adam laid out his plan.
To his surprise, Chief of Surgery Richard didn't immediately agree; he seemed just as conflicted as Meredith. Meredith's hesitation was because of her troubled relationship with her mother.
"So what's your excuse?" Adam asked, his gaze turning strangely toward Richard.
"Alright, I'll help sort it out," Richard replied, noticing Adam's odd look. He forced a smile—he really had no choice.
Adam had already detailed a long list of benefits regarding Dr. Alice Gray—plus, he'd anticipated potential disruptions to the hospital's operations and was ready to fix them with cash. As a longtime colleague and good friend of Dr. Gray, handling the office rental was just a small favor. How could Richard possibly refuse?
"Thanks, Chief," Adam said, setting aside his nosiness and speaking sincerely. "It'd be best if you could get this done quickly—ideally by tomorrow. Dr. Gray is only scheduled for a few days in the hospital before discharge, and I want her transferred immediately. I need her new office arranged to look just like her old one."
"Got it," Richard replied.
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Unable to hold back, Chief Richard exclaimed, "Dr. Duncan, you really put your heart into this!"
Setting aside some unspeakable thoughts, he felt genuinely pleased—even a bit envious—that an ailing old colleague and friend could receive perks that far exceeded the norm. After all, even at their level, they were still just working for the man. If you're a worker and you still expect extra perks after you're done for the boss, dream on! Remember, the promised perks can always be unilaterally revoked. Without legal protection, even if you died right in front of your boss, no one would bat an eye. And when unforeseen circumstances hit, it's really tragic.
In short, Meredith surrendered before things got ugly—otherwise, Adam had a knockout punch waiting for her.
"Alright then," he thought.
You, because of your past and your busy schedule, didn't want to see your mom—so you put her in a nursing home. But do you realize how high the crime rates are in Western nursing homes and assisted living facilities? They're shockingly high—enough to send shivers down your spine, not to mention the abuse. Your mom is a legendary doctor. Not only was she a beauty in her youth, but even now she carries herself with a charm that far exceeds the norm—making her an easy target. And on top of that, she has Alzheimer's. Even if she were victimized, she might not even remember. Doesn't that only make her even more vulnerable?
She's your mom, for crying out loud! How can you stand by and let that happen?
If Adam were to confront Meredith with these real investigative reports, he'd have her so full of shame and regret that she'd be bawling her eyes out, maybe even break down completely. But there's no way around it—Adam is a good guy. He wouldn't resort to that unless absolutely necessary.
Hmm… That's just how thoughtful he is.
"Monica, it's me. The dinner with friends originally scheduled for tomorrow night has been moved up…"
With Chief Richard's agreement, Adam left with a beaming smile. As he headed toward the locker room, he called Monica and the others.
"Your cousin Kathy is there as well? No problem—more people means more fun. I'll have an extra order placed."