Chapter 404
Colin gave Michael a grim look and asked coldly, “You have an issue with that decision?”
Michael was already displeased with Colin for entrusting Herbathrive to Melody. Colin’s frosty attitude toward him further infuriated him, thus he said, “Colin, you’d better reconsider your decision. Let’s set aside a discussion about my contributions to Herbathrive’s development and talk about the ability of your chosen successor. How old is she? What medical skills does she have? What you’re doing will send Herbathrive down the hill.”
After Michael said this, the room fell silent. All the other doctors and staff held their breath, anxious over the confrontation.
Colin’s mood darkened as he said, “As I’ve mentioned, Melody is like a daughter to me. I don’t see any wrong with handing over Herbathrive to my heir.”
“You have every right to do that, but let me forewarn you that she doesn’t have what it takes to do the job. If you insist on handing Herbathrive to her, my disciples and I will leave this place immediately. There’s no future in Herbathrive anymore as I can foresee it collapsing soon after she takes over,” Michael said.
When Colin heard Michael’s threat to leave Herbathrive, he was overjoyed.
However, he pretended to be upset and asked, “Is that a threat, Michael?”
“Don’t take me wrong, Colin. I am merely offering you a choice,” Michael calmly replied.
He had set his sights on Herbathrive and stayed on for those years because he knew Colin had no children. That gave him a good chance to be appointed the heir to Herbathrive.
There was no chance he would sit still and watch Melody benefit from all his hard work.
He was confident he and his disciples would mean more to Colin than Melody.
To his surprise, Colin fumed instead and retorted, “How dare you threaten me, Michael! You have no respect for me as a boss! I have taken note of your wish to leave, so all the best to you!”
Michael’s eyes widened in shock and he blurted out in disbelief, “You are letting me go?”
“You heard me right. I have no wish or ability to manage a prideful and disrespectful staff like you. Please feel free to leave now.” Colin made his stand clear.
Michael’s face turned ashen.
He had no real intention of leaving Herbathrive, which had become one of Silverlake’s top traditional medicine clinics.
After putting much hard work into developing Herbathrive, he was naturally unwilling to let it go.
Alas, he could not take back his words, so he disgruntledly said, “Fine, I’ll leave right now. Don’t you regret this!”
With that, his gaze swept across his group of disciples, and he ordered, “Come with me! We’ll go where people appreciate us!”
Those disciples were trained by Michael, and in the field of traditional medicine, disciples had the utmost respect for their master. Thus, regardless of their personal preference, they would choose to obey him and leave Herbathrive with him.
Soon, more than half of the staff in Herbathrive left.
One of Michael’s disciples could not help but run up to him and ask in a low voice, “Master, are we seriously leaving?”
Michael turned around, smirkly threw a glance at Herbathrive’s signboard, and said, “Don’t worry, it’s temporary. How long do you think Herbathrive can last without us? It’ll be the change of seasons soon. People tend to fall sick more often during that period and they won’t be able to handle the influx of patients. By then, Colin will know who he should have let go instead.”
When the disciple heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Master, you’re the best! When we are asked to return, Mr. Herbert will inevitably have to give us a promotion and a raise.”
“What a petty ambition you have!” Michael said disdainfully. “I’m not looking for a raise.”
Indeed, he had set his sights on taking over the whole of Herbathrive!
Back at Herbathrive, David grew worried as he watched more than half of the team leave.
Anxiously, he asked Colin, “Master, are you going to let Dr. Hudson go? He may be quick-tempered, but how will our clinic continue to function if he leaves with his people?”
Melody chipped in casually and said, “Well, we’ve got you, don’t we?”
“Me?” David was stunned.
Melody nodded and said, “David, you’ve picked up a lot of skills in the past two months. It’s about time you put them to practice.”
“A-am I ready?” David stammered, unnerved by that thought.
Melody patted him on his shoulder and said, “Don’t belittle yourself. You are a graduate of a recognized traditional medicine school. You’re smart, motivated, eager to learn, and passionate about traditional medicine. What you lack is confidence, but I have faith in you. You will do a great job. Don’t forget I’ve got your back!”
David secretly clenched his fists in determination and said, “Yes! I will do my best!”
Melody nodded to him, then turned to Colin and said, “It’s true we’ll be short-handed. Our clinic is big, so we do need more fresh blood.”
Colin was still exhilarated by the fact that malicious Michael was gone. When he heard Melody’s comment, he casually waved her off and said, “I’ll leave this matter to you. You’ve better judgment than I in this aspect.”
Melody did not refuse and readily agreed to take up that responsibility.
“I’ll make a move and head back to the hospital. Beverly should be waking up from anesthesia soon. I don’t want her to wake up without me by her side,” Colin said, never shying from showing his affection for Beverly.
After giving everyone present a few words of caution, he quickly left for Central Hospital.
After he left, the staff started to discuss in hushed tones.
“So Miss Fox be in charge of our clinic from now on? Is she up to it?”
“I don’t know… Let’s take it one step at a time.”
Among the remaining staff, some were supportive of Melody, while others were uneasy about her rise.
Melody was not blind to that fact. She glanced around the room and said, “I know many of you might share the same view as Michael, but I can promise you Herbathrive will not go down the hill. If any of you wish to upskill and become a qualified doctor in the future, head over to David and indicate your interest. I’ll start some training sessions as soon as I have time.”
Many were delighted to hear that, as they, like David, had harbored the dream of becoming a qualified doctor.
They were envious when they heard Melody’s offer to David earlier, not knowing they would be given the same opportunity too.
“Miss Fox, we’ll surely work closely with you in the future to upgrade ourselves,” they gushed.
Melody nodded in acknowledgment and then led David aside for a private conversation.
“I can’t be here all the time, but I’m worried Michael would be up to no good. If anyone causes trouble in Herbathrive, or if Michael comes by and makes things difficult for you, please call me immediately,” she said.
“Sure…” David replied, then hesitantly asked, “Miss Fox, why did you say Dr. Hudson might be up to no good?”
Melody deliberated briefly and decided not to hide the fact from David. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Have you heard of any malicious doctors with good values?”
David’s face instantly turned pale, and he muttered in bewilderment, “M-m-malicious…”