Chapter 205: Recruitment Troubles
Expanding Rayne Clinic was no longer something Ethan could put off.
Hiring new staff had become an urgent priority.
He had already asked both Helen and Natasha to recommend doctors and nurses they trusted.
Over the past few days, he'd interviewed quite a few candidates.
On paper, they were outstanding.
Impressive résumés.
Years of experience.
Flawless technical skills.
Yet every single one of them left him unsatisfied.
The problem wasn't their medical competence.
It was something much harder to define.
A feeling.
In Ethan's eyes, a truly exceptional doctor or nurse needed an almost instinctive passion for saving lives.
The kind of passion that pushed someone to keep going even after complete exhaustion...
...the kind that made them struggle back to their feet the moment a patient needed them.
What Ethan wanted wasn't blind self-sacrifice.
He wanted people willing to give of themselves without constantly calculating personal gain...
...but who also knew where the line was.
Compassion wasn't the same thing as recklessness.
Whether the candidates came from Natasha or Helen, they all possessed outstanding résumés and impeccable professional qualifications.
Yet every one of them failed Ethan's test.
To put it another way...
If they prayed to the Holy Light...
...the Holy Light wouldn't answer.
The people Natasha recommended were almost flawless.
So flawless that Ethan couldn't point to a single concrete problem.
Yet deep down, they all made him uncomfortable.
It felt as though he was only seeing one carefully crafted mask among dozens.
Helen's recommendations were the exact opposite.
Their execution was impeccable.
Calm.
Precise.
Perfectly obedient.
They resembled tools produced by some disciplined system.
So standardized...
...that they seemed to have lost both warmth and individuality.
In the end, Ethan gave up.
"...Forget it."
"I'll find my own people."
---
Later that morning, the clinic's phone rang.
Helen answered.
"Rayne Clinic."
A calm, courteous voice came through the receiver.
"Good morning, Ms. Wick."
"This is Winston, manager of the New York Continental Hotel."
"May I speak with Dr. Rayne?"
The moment Helen heard both his identity and his polished tone, her smile faded.
"One moment, please."
She pressed the transfer button.
"Ethan."
"A Mr. Winston is asking for you."
Ethan thought for a moment.
"The manager from the Continental?"
"That's right."
"Okay."
"Put him through."
Helen hesitated.
"I think I'd like to listen in."
"Is that all right?"
"Of course."
Ethan answered without hesitation.
The call connected.
"Mr. Winston."
The familiar, elegant voice replied almost immediately.
"Dr. Rayne."
"I hope I'm not interrupting your work."
"Not at all."
Ethan remained relaxed.
"What can I do for you?"
A brief pause followed.
"I merely wished to offer a suggestion."
"Oh?"
"We've noticed that Rayne Clinic has recently begun recruiting additional staff."
Winston's voice remained calm.
"If I may say so..."
"Your clinic has indeed reached the point where expansion is necessary."
Ethan remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"If you wish, we'd be happy to recommend several trustworthy candidates."
"Doctors."
"Nurses."
"Even administrative personnel."
Silence lingered for a moment.
"Recommendations?"
Ethan's tone revealed nothing.
"Yes."
Winston remained as courteous as ever.
"The Continental and your clinic are, in essence..."
"...friends."
Friends?
Ethan thought about it.
He actually had a fairly good impression of Winston.
As far as he could remember, the man had never caused him any real trouble.
"All right."
Ethan finally replied.
"Have the list and their files sent to Helen."
"I'll interview a few of them."
"If they're suitable, Rayne Clinic will hire them."
He added,
"And thank you for the Continental's support."
Winston answered softly,
"We appreciate your openness."
"However..."
"I should clarify one point."
"These candidates are not from the Continental."
"What do you mean?"
Ethan frowned slightly.
"The High Table learned of your clinic's expansion."
"They personally selected a group of candidates for your consideration."
Winston spoke with the same measured calmness as before.
"So..."
"This is a gesture of goodwill from the High Table."
"...?"
Ethan couldn't hide his surprise.
After a brief silence, he asked,
"Does Gianna know about this?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that."
Winston replied politely.
"Perhaps you should ask her personally."
"I see..."
Ethan suddenly sensed there was something else beneath the surface.
The Continental had gone out of its way to call him.
To tell him the High Table wanted to place people inside his clinic.
And Winston had made a point of emphasizing that the idea hadn't come from the Continental.
The hint couldn't have been much more obvious.
What exactly is he trying to tell me?
After a moment's thought, Ethan remained silent.
Winston chuckled quietly.
"You seem very cautious about accepting outside assistance."
"That's wise."
Ethan finally answered,
"I prefer knowing every member of my own team personally."
"So..."
"I'll decline for now."
"But thank the High Table for its generosity."
"I understand."
Winston responded immediately.
"If you change your mind..."
"...please don't hesitate to contact us."
"Of course."
---
Just as Ethan thought the conversation had ended...
Winston spoke again.
"One more small matter."
"May I ask..."
"Are you satisfied with your current automobile?"
Ethan paused.
He actually liked the car quite a bit.
If he remembered correctly...
...it had been Winston's gift.
"I am."
"Why do you ask?"
"It's like this."
"The Continental recently acquired an exceptional batch of components."
"We'd be delighted to upgrade your vehicle."
"The improvements in both performance and safety would be considerable."
"Hmm..."
Ethan hesitated.
"The entire upgrade would be handled by the Continental."
"You have our assurance."
Winston added.
After considering it briefly, Ethan nodded.
"All right."
"That sounds fine."
An upgrade was just an upgrade.
Afterward, he could always ask John to inspect the car himself.
Besides...
It might also help him figure out what exactly the Continental and the High Table were trying to accomplish.
After all...
Whether it was sending staff to the clinic...
...or modifying his car...
Everyone close to him—Helen, Natasha, and John—would thoroughly inspect everything first.
If there really was some hidden agenda...
...it wouldn't make it past them.
"Excellent."
"It won't interfere with your daily use."
"We'll send a specialist to perform the work directly outside your clinic."
"Thank you for your trust."
The call finally ended.
---
Silence returned to the examination room.
Ethan walked back to the reception desk and looked at Helen.
"You heard all of that, right?"
Helen nodded.
"You made the right decision."
"Of course."
Ethan shrugged.
"I'm not an idiot."
Then he frowned.
"So..."
"What exactly are they trying to do?"
Helen answered calmly.
"I'm not entirely sure."
"But they're definitely not trying to help."
She folded her arms.
"When someone genuinely wants to help..."
"...they don't insist on placing their own people inside your organization."
"That's called control."
Ethan nodded thoughtfully.
"Am I imagining things..."
"...or did Winston actually want me to reject the High Table's offer?"
"But he seemed perfectly comfortable with upgrading the car."
Helen smiled faintly.
"Your instincts are correct."
She looked directly at him.
"Doctor..."
"In this city..."
"...no one offers goodwill for free."
She paused.
"But some people..."
"...know how to leave themselves an escape route while still staying within the rules."
Ethan nodded in understanding.
Outside, New York remained as busy as ever.
On the surface, everything appeared peaceful.
Beneath that calm...
...dangerous currents continued to move.
He turned and headed back toward the examination room.
"Back to work."
Helen returned to the front desk.
And the clinic quietly settled back into its normal rhythm.