Accident Prone

"Here you are…" Isaac said cheerfully when Liz and Max entered his office. He stood up and walked toward Liz with his arms spread wide, indicating that he wants a hug. "I thought you got lost."

Liz returned her father's hug. "We took the long way here so that I can show your empire to Max."

Isaac wanted to say that one day it will be hers, but he knows that Liz does not like to talk about it, so he kept that comment to himself.

"What do you think?" Isaac asked Max while shaking hands with him.

"Impressive." Max said while nodding approvingly.

Isaac liked Max's response. Max praised him, but not to the point of fawning over him. "How was your trip here? I'm sorry that I could not be home to welcome you when you arrived, I had some things to take care of here. Did they receive you in the house well?"

"Everything is fine. I have no objections. You have a wonderful house, Mr. Williams."

"Please, call me Isaac."

Max smiled and nodded, but he knows that he can't call Liz's father on a first name basis.

Isaac glanced at Liz and saw that she walked toward his desk.

"Thank you for coming." Isaac said to Max in a low voice, so that Liz does not hear. He knows that if Max didn't come, Liz would not be here either.

"Thank you for having us." Max responded.

This exchange of pleasantries between Max and Isaac was interrupted by Liz's, "Oho!"

Isaac looked at Liz and saw that she is going through the papers on his desk.

"Is this the new approach to micro-surgery which you want to patent?" Liz asked.

Isaac smiled smugly. "I decided to publish it. In that way I get the credits, people know that I'm behind it, and others use it for free."

Liz blinked. "If you patent it, it will earn you a lot of money which you are losing by publishing it."

Isaac gave Liz a knowing look. "True… and not. It takes time for a patent to kick in. Years sometimes. And during that time, this technique can save lives. Also… don't I have enough money already?"

Liz made a face, indicating that she does not approve. "Money you earn can be donated to the people in need. And when you give this for free, you are giving it to the surgeons who are already loaded. Do you think that they will lower the price of their services because you shared this for free?"

Isaac chuckled. "Who said it will be for free? I'm only publishing the theory part and disclosing the results and benefits without going into too many details. If they want to know how it really works, they need to attend my classes."

Liz clicked her tongue. "I see… So, you will charge them to learn from you. Not bad. But that will not stop them from teaching others."

Isaac shrugged. "Let them. By then, I will come up with a more advanced technique."

Max understood that this is some father-daughter thing he is not part of. But he is glad that Liz is happy. Max can see that she is close to Isaac. It's no wonder that Isaac is missing Liz and is eagerly waiting for her to return to New York. However, if that happens, where does that leave Max?

"Why are you still working with papers? You should use a computer…" Liz reminded Isaac.

"Leave me alone." Isaac grumbled. "I'm a surgeon and not a computer person. And I'm used to papers. When I'm done, I give it to my secretary to type it in…"

Liz stifled a laugh. She likes to make fun of her father who can use robots and the latest technology in order to perform surgeries, but he hates typing on the keyboard.

She was curious about the article he is preparing. "How much will you disclose in the publication?"

"Let me show you…" Isaac started and paused when he saw that Liz lifted her hand.

Liz glanced at Max nervously. "Uhm… sorry. I tend to get carried away." She turned to Isaac. "Let's talk about it later. If we get into this, Max will be bored."

Max was touched that Liz thought of him. He knows how much she loves her work and how easily she gets lost in medical topics. He came up with something… "Don't worry about me. I feel thirsty and I remember that we passed by the kitchen."

"I will call my secretary to bring drinks. What do you want?" Isaac was eager to order refreshments.

Max rejected Isaac's offer. "I'm not sure so I will go myself and find something I like. In the meantime, the two of you can chat."

Liz was troubled. She knows that Max is doing this only so that she can talk to Isaac without feeling guilty for neglecting him. "Are you sure?"

Max nodded confidently. "Do you want me to get you something?"

Liz thought for a second before responding. "If there is iced coffee in the vending machine, I will take one."

Max glanced at Isaac who said that he does not need anything.

…

Max found the kitchen right away, but he decided to linger in the hallway a bit so that Liz and Isaac get some extra time.

The view from the ninth floor allowed him to see the buildings which circled around the park which is divided into four distinct areas. Liz and he walked through there, but he didn't realize how massive that is, and he missed several distinct features. There is a tall rock formation from which water cascades into a pond, on another side colorful flowers are creating geometric patterns, there is a four-tiered fountain, and there are artfully arranged pathways and benches throughout.

"Did you hear that Chairman's daughter is back?" A voice drifted toward Max from the kitchen.

"Elizabeth?" Another voice asked.

"Yes. The neuro-surgeon." The first voice said mockingly.

Max frowned. Why would they talk about Liz like that? He perked up his ears.

"Do you think she is here to work?" A third voice asked.

"Oh, God… I hope not."

There was a snicker before someone said: "Like she needs to work."

"True… she owns us. Why is there a need to pretend that she is hardworking?"

"Do you think it's true that she went to the West Coast to work?"

"Hmmm… Not very likely. She probably went on vacation. That is what rich people do."

"But I heard from a person who spoke to the Chairman directly that she is working as a neurosurgeon in Seattle and that she is doing well."

"Pft… and you believe everything he says. The Chairman is a father, of course, he will talk only the best about his daughter, even if it's not true. Can you prove it? Even if he says it and there are articles, everything can be fabricated these days…"

"Do you have something against Elizabeth?" Max asked from the door.

He was unable to listen to this rubbish anymore and he had to see who is talking smack behind Liz's back and he ended up facing two young women and one man.

Two women were eyeing Max and smiled. It was obvious that they like what they see and they ignored Max's hostile attitude, or they didn't notice.

"Who are you?" The man asked Max.

"I am someone who knows that Elizabeth is extremely talented and working hard in Seattle, and she left this place because of people like you. What do you know other than gossiping…" Max leaned closer and read the nametag. "…Dr. Schmuck?"

The man frowned. "It's Dr. Schmitz."

Max looked coolly at Dr. Schmitz. "I call it how I see it, and I see a schmuck."

Dr. Schmitz was about to retaliate when the woman on his right held his hand. "Don't. You don't know who he is, and we are at work…"

"This is not over…" Dr. Schmitz said through his teeth before leaving the kitchen with the two young women who were his gossip-partners. Actually, one of the two women was standing up to Liz, but Max didn't know which one was it so he glared at all three of them.

Max watched the trio leave and exhaled while thinking that Liz probably heard something like this when she worked here and that is why she left. But, is leaving a solution? No matter how much she works, and proves herself, and what heights she reaches, there will always be people who will diminish her accomplishments and say that she won because of the preferential treatment.

Max wondered, do people talk like that about him at the Alpha group? Probably. After all, if Nathan is not his father, Max would not get a chance to be the CEO no matter how hard he worked and how smart he is.

Shouldn't Liz embrace her background and take what belongs to her? If the naysayers will not be convinced regardless of what she does, why would she fight a losing battle? She could hire a few people with the sole goal to infiltrate the hospital and gather evidence against the gossipy people. As the daughter of Isaac Williams, she can easily build a case to fire them.

But that is his Elizabeth. When she believes in something, she will fight for it. And as the best boyfriend, Max will support her. Maybe he does not deem the fight important, but Liz is the most important for him, and that is why he will be her knight in shiny armor and fight off all these baddies.

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