Fred was taken aback by the conditions Kieran proposed. He had been hired by Kieran for a hefty fee, so he figured Kieran should be willing to meet any conditions he proposed.
But to his surprise, Kieran was adamant about one particular issue.
Kieran looked at Fred and said, "Please understand, professor, that this patient had always been treated by Dr. Brice Tranquil Care Hospital, even Dr. Brice resigned from another hospital to Tranquil Care Hospital for the sake of the patient. Dr. Brice knows this patient's condition better than anyone else. I know you're not a fan of working with people you don't know, but having someone who knows the patient's condition working with you should be a good thing, right? What do you think, professor?"
It was clear that Kieran was insistent on having Dr. Brice involved with this patient.
The professor didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Alvin.
Alvin promptly wheeled a chair over and placed it in front of the professor.
The professor stared at the coffee on the table, nodded slightly, and said with a serious expression, "I reckon I've had too much coffee. Mr. Hernandez doesn't mind if I go to the bathroom first?"
"Of course." Kieran stood up and approached the professor, ready to help, but the professor blocked him. The professor smiled at Kieran and said, "No need to trouble yourself, Mr. Hernandez. Alvin can help me."
With that, the professor looked at Alvin, who immediately wheeled the professor towards the restroom.
Vanessa stayed put, standing on the other side of the room.
Kieran glanced at Harding, who got up, patted Kieran on the shoulder, and said, "I'm gonna go for a smoke."
After saying that, Harding left the room.
Kieran took out his phone and started fiddling with it.
After Harding left, he nodded at Karl at the door. He lit a cigarette but didn't take a drag. Instead, he leaned in close to Karl's ear and whispered, "Restroom."
Karl pressed a button on his walkie-talkie and said, "Restroom."
Dylan stood at the staircase, dressed in a white chef's uniform with a chef's hat and a mask covering his face.
Upon hearing the message from the walkie-talkie, he quickly walked into the restroom. He followed closely behind the professor and then entered a stall, where he started recording.
After the professor had Alvin check the surroundings to make sure none of Kieran's people were around, he took out his phone and dialed Kyle's number.
"Mr. Hernandez insists on having the patient's previous primary doctor by my side... Yes, I haven't agreed yet... Yes, I'm sure there's nobody from Mr. Hernandez's side around me... So, what should I do now? ... Okay, I understand! I promise I won't let the patient wake up. I want to hear my daughter's voice..."
In the restroom, Dylan accidentally overheard the professor's conversation.
Through a quick glance, Dylan saw the professor angrily throw his phone against the wall.
Alvin immediately picked up the shattered phone. The professor took it from him and casually tossed it into the trash can.
Then, he saw the professor wheel himself out of the restroom, with Alvin hurrying to follow.
Dylan looked at the phone in the trash can and sent a message to Kieran. He quickly received a reply from Kieran.
He took a pair of gloves from his pocket, put them on, reached into the trash can, picked up the shattered phone, and put it into a bag, grumbling, "If you're gonna smash it against the wall, just smash it against the wall! Why do you have to throw it in the trash? What a hassle."
As Dylan complained, he put the bagged phone in his pocket.
After a smoke break, Harding nodded to Karl at the door and returned to the room.
Alvin wheeled the professor into the room, just as Harding was sitting down. He asked, "Did Dr. Ladd also step out for a bit?"
Harding chuckled and nodded, "I went out for a smoke."
The professor studied Harding's hand and said, "Dr. Ladd, your hands don't look like those of a habitual smoker."
"I don't smoke that often, just occasionally," Harding replied.
The professor didn't pursue the topic. He had a knowing look on his face as he turned to Kieran and said, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, Mr. Hernandez."
"I hope your answer will be worth the wait," Kieran responded with a smile.
Dr. Brice watched the two intelligent men. Neither of them was easy to deal with.
The professor laughed, "Mr. Hernandez, you've gone to great lengths to seek me out so many times. This patient must be very important to you."
"Yes, she's someone my wife cares deeply about," Kieran replied.
The professor seemed to understand and nodded, "I see. In that case, I can't let your wife down. You're right, Mr. Hernandez. Since Dr. Brice knows the patient the best, his involvement in the treatment process will certainly be beneficial. Don't you agree, Dr. Brice?"
Dr. Brice smiled and nodded, "Absolutely."
"Then I have one request, and I hope Mr. Hernandez can accommodate me," the professor said.
Kieran nodded, "Go ahead."
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