CHAPTER 36: LEGACY

Devon noticed it all, their glances, their whispers, the way the room seemed to pulse with their adoration. He thrived on it, this unspoken worship, the way his presence electrified the air like a storm about to break. But beneath the surface, his mind churned, a shadow of unease flickering at the edges.

Pierce, oblivious to Devon’s inner calculations, clapped his hands together, his grin widening as they approached a sleek intraoperative MRI machine, its curves gleaming like a polished supercar. "Now, this beauty," he said, practically bouncing with excitement, "is the crown jewel. Real-time imaging, 3D mapping so precise you could thread a needle through a nerve without blinking. We had to move mountains to get it here, called in every favor, leaned on every donor. Yvonne was relentless, said it was non negotiable for you. ’If Devon wants it, he gets it, she told the board, and they listened. You’re changing the game, Devon, and we’re just here to make sure you’ve got the tools to do it."

Devon ran a hand along the MRI’s smooth surface, his fingers tracing the cool metal as if claiming ownership. The machine was a marvel, a window into the body’s deepest secrets, and he could already imagine it guiding his hands, illuminating the chaos of flesh with crystalline clarity. "Impressive," he said, his voice low and deliberate, letting the word hang like a verdict. Pierce’s chest puffed out, his pride swelling as if he’d personally engineered the device. "Impressive doesn’t cover it," Pierce gushed. "This is revolutionary. And it’s all for you. Yvonne’s already floating the idea of a naming opportunity, the Aldridge Center for Surgical Innovation. Can you picture it? Your name in lights, etched in marble. The board’s eating it up."

Devon’s smirk deepened, though his eyes remained sharp, scanning the room for any hint of disarray, any clue to the unease that gnawed at him. He let Pierce prattle on, the director’s voice a relentless drone of flattery and promises, new funding, expanded staff, even a potential partnership with a European research institute, all because of Devon’s brilliance.

The staff continued their work, their smiles never fading, their glances a mix of awe and desire, as if Devon were both deity and forbidden fruit.

As they completed their circuit, Pierce’s enthusiasm reached a fever pitch. "So, what do you think? We’ve outdone ourselves, haven’t we? This theatre’s a testament to your vision, Devon. We’re building the future here, and you’re leading the charge."

Devon paused, letting the moment stretch, his silence a blade held to Pierce’s throat. Then, with a calculated nod, he placed a hand on the director’s shoulder, the gesture firm and possessive. "You’ve exceeded expectations, Pierce," he said, his voice smooth as polished steel, laced with just enough warmth to keep the man hooked.

"This theatre, these machines, they’re a foundation for greatness. With leadership like yours, Blissvile is in hands as steady as they come." The words were a masterstroke, stroking Pierce’s ego.

Pierce beamed, his face alight with gratitude, his shoulders straightening as if Devon’s words had injected him with new life. "Coming from you, that’s... that’s everything," he stammered, his voice thick with emotion. "We’re just honored to serve your vision, Devon. Truly."

Devon inclined his head, a regal acknowledgment, and turned to leave.

The double doors of the operating theatre swung shut behind Devon, their soft hiss swallowed by the hum of machinery as his white coat vanished into the corridor. The room seemed to exhale in his absence, the air lighter but somehow less charged, as if his presence had been a storm cloud now dissipated. The staff resumed their tasks with renewed focus, their smiles lingering like echoes, their whispers of "Dr Devon" fading into the rhythmic beeps of the neuromonitoring devices.

Director Pierce stood rooted for a moment, his chest still puffed with the glow of Devon’s praise, his grin a fixture that refused to fade. He clasped his hands together, rubbing them as if sealing a victory, his eyes darting over the gleaming theatre, and a big smile was all over his face.

His moment of triumph was cut short by the shrill buzz of his phone, vibrating insistently in his suit pocket.

He fumbled for it, nearly dropping the device in his haste, and glanced at the screen. Yvonne Sinclair. His grin tightened, a flicker of nerves creeping into his expression as he swiped to answer. Before he could even speak, her voice sliced through the line, sharp and expectant, with the polished edge of a woman who wielded power like a blade. "Well, Pierce? Did he love it? Tell me he was impressed."

Pierce straightened instinctively, though she couldn’t see him, his free hand smoothing his tie as if to steady himself. "Ms Yvonne, he was more than impressed," he said, his voice brimming with the same zeal he’d lavished on Devon.

"He called it a foundation for greatness, his exact words. The Tan Xi, the MRI, the neuromonitoring systems,he was practically glowing. Said we’d exceeded expectations, that Blissville is in steady hands. I’m telling you, he’s thrilled."

Yvonne’s laugh was brief, more a release of tension than amusement, but it carried a warmth that made Pierce’s shoulders relax slightly. "Good. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear," she said, her tone softening but retaining its commanding edge. "Because we can’t afford to lose him, Pierce. You know that. Devon is a once-in-a-lifetime asset, and I’m not exaggerating when I say the people are circling. I’ve had calls from Johns Hopkins, Mayo, even that flashy new institute in Dubai. They’re all sniffing around, trying to poach him with promises of bigger budgets, private labs, you name it. We’ve got him here, locked in, but only if we keep him happy. This hospital’s future, our future, rides on his shoulders. Whatever he wants, whatever he needs, you make it happen. No questions, no hesitation. We cannot let him slip through our fingers."

Pierce nodded vigorously, though the gesture was lost to the phone, his fingers tightening around the device. "Absolutely, Yvonne, absolutely," he said, his voice a fervent pledge. "I’m on it. Devon’s not going anywhere. The theatre’s just the start, we’re already planning the next phase, maybe a dedicated suite, something to really cement his legacy here. I’ve spoken to the board and I’ll keep pushing. He’s ours, I promise you that."

There was a pause on the line, the faint sound of Yvonne’s breath crackling through the speaker, as if she were weighing his words. "See that you do, Pierce," she said finally, her voice firm but laced with a hint of approval. "You know what’s at stake. Keep him happy, keep him here, and we’ll all come out on top." The call ended with a click, abrupt and final, leaving Pierce standing in the middle of the theatre, the phone still pressed to his ear for a moment longer.

He lowered it slowly, his grin fading into a taut line as he exhaled a deep, shuddering breath. The weight of Yvonne’s words settled over him, the pressure of keeping Devon, a man who seemed to command the very air around him, suddenly more daunting than ever. He glanced around the theatre, the machines gleaming like silent sentinels, the staff still buzzing with their quiet adoration of the man who’d just left.

Pierce’s hands trembled slightly as he pocketed the phone, his mind racing with plans, contingencies, anything to ensure Devon stayed. The hospital’s future, his future, depended on it.