Chapter 36 #2
“You’ve spent years structuring your compensation to reward aggressive growth.”
“I know and I’ve reaped those rewards.”
“This slows that down, Sullivan.” She was still staring at me like she didn’t quite believe I fully understood the implications of all this. “It’ll be a long time before you’re back on track. We’re not only talking a month or two.”
I nodded. “Growth doesn’t mean much if the foundation cracks.
Based on what you’ve just told me, that’s exactly what will happen if we go through with the cuts as planned.
Frankly, it’s exactly what Bree said, that the foundation will be gone if Emily leaves, and now you’re telling me it’s not just her. ”
Liana didn’t respond immediately, but I caught the small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at her mouth. “Okay. If you’re committing to this, we need to coordinate with payroll, HR, and legal to restructure your contract. It’ll take a few signatures and some very confused executives.”
“Let them be confused.” I sighed and dropped my head back. “Right now, this is the only way to keep this place operational without slowing down the timeline on the fifth floor. If I have to be the one to take the knock, well, it won’t kill me to switch to a slightly cheaper scotch, now would it?”
She snorted softly. “You’re still a billionaire. I think you’ll survive.”
My sister started typing again, pulling up documentation and drafting adjustment memos while looping payroll into an internal message thread.
We spent another half hour going through the logistics, redistributing and reallocating to make sure all the departments remained stable during the transition.
By the end of it, my name sat at the bottom of three preliminary authorization documents waiting for my digital signature. I signed them without hesitation, immediately handing the tablet back to her. “There you go. It’s done. I’m officially going to have to start buying one-ply toilet paper.”
She laughed. “You’re ridiculous. And you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” The truth was that I wasn’t really worried, though. She was right. I had more money than I could spend in a single lifetime. “Are we all good to send those off?”
Liana reviewed each form, then nodded once. “I’ll finalize everything with payroll and legal this afternoon.”
“There are a few other operational changes I want to implement,” I said, hesitating slightly.
She raised an eyebrow. “Financial or cultural?”
“Both,” I admitted. “Nothing is final yet, but I think it’ll help stabilize morale and improve communication. Maybe help to make this place run the way it should.”
She studied me again, her expression softer now. “You’re thinking about Bree.”
I didn’t bother denying it. “I think that I need to show her I’m serious about running this hospital better. That efficiency isn’t the only thing that matters and that I’m serious about doing what is best for the hospital as a whole, not just the fifth floor.”
Liana closed her laptop and turned toward me, folding her hands on the table. “You know this doesn’t automatically fix things with her.”
“I know.”
“She might still walk away.”
“I know,” I repeated.
The admission sat heavier in my chest than the financial concessions I’d made. Numbers were predictable. People weren’t.
“I don’t even know if this is enough to win her back, but that’s not really the point anymore.”
Her head tilted slightly. “Then what is?”
“I want to be the kind of man she’d want to be with,” I said. “Not someone she has to justify or defend to her coworkers. Just someone who’s worthy of her.”
Emotion flickered across my sister’s face before she masked it with a professional calm. “You’ve never talked like this about anyone before.”
“That’s because there’s never been anyone like her.
I see that now.” I stared down at the conference table thoughtfully.
“I could triple my net worth in the next decade. Expand Crowne Medical globally just like we planned and acquire five more hospital systems, but none of that would buy me a woman like Bree. I’m going to make sure she knows how much I care about her. ”
She leaned back in her chair, giving me that same evaluating look she used when auditing financial risk. “I’m proud of you, but don’t think this is the end of it.”
“I don’t.”
“You’ve got your work cut out for you, Sullivan.
Changing payroll is easy. Changing how people see you?
” She shook her head slightly. “That’s going to take time.
Consistency is key. I’m glad you’ve learned from all this.
It’ll sure make our next expansion easier, but you’re also going to have to have the uncomfortable conversations. ”
“I can handle uncomfortable.”
She smirked. “You say that now.”
“I’ll talk to the people,” I said reluctantly. “Not only those who work for Crowne Medical, but those who work for us as part of Saint Raphael’s now too. I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
She nodded once, satisfied but cautious. “Then prove it. God speed, big brother. Heaven knows, you’re going to need it.”