Is this destiny?

Sarah looked at JoAnna. "Are you going to come and work at White corp.? If you do that, I might come to office more often, and we can have coffee breaks and lunch together. It will be fun."

JoAnna laughed. "Do you go to office to work or to have coffee and lunch?"

"Good point." Sarah laughed with her. "I might need to revisit my priorities... But I miss Bridgette! You took my coffee buddy away!"

"Are you seriously considering to join White corp.?", Sophia asked. She was curious as well.

Instead of giving a straightforward answer, JoAnna started explaining: "I started my DNA research at LA Medical Center, and I'm enjoying it. My supervisor is great. She is letting me skim on time with patients compared to other residents, so I have extra time for assisting in surgeries and messing with DNA. Because I already have many hours in surgery, I'm close to fulfilling requirements for my graduation with focus on surgery. Then I can focus on DNA as my secondary topic, but I can graduate even without that…"

Sophia was not aware of JoAnna's progress. She knows that JoAnna took double-load of courses compared to others and that her previous mentor provided her with extra opportunities, but it sounds that JoAnna can get her medical degree as a surgeon soon!

"How close are you to graduation?", Sophia asked.

JoAnna thought for a second. "I'm done with exams so only residency with hours in surgery are left. At this rate… maybe in one to two months?"

"Wow! Can you finish before your wedding?" Sarah exclaimed.

JoAnna showed a smug smile. "Yes. I think I can. It would be great if I can finish by then and get married with a degree. But I'm not sure what will be the status of my DNA work in LA Medical Center at that point because now I'm doing it as a resident."

"Maybe your supervisor can help? You said he is great. Make sure you don't end up in same situation like in Seattle. If he is hitting on you, keep your distance!" Sophia ended with a warning.

"It's a SHE. Dr. Johnson. And yes, she is great. She is treating me very well, always accommodating my schedule. Actually, she is treating me too well. I wanted to ask her for an explanation because she has an icy unyielding attitude toward everyone else. I can clearly see that she treats me differently."

"Do you have any clues why?" Sophia was worried that woman might be interested in JoAnna as well, but she was reluctant to say that aloud.

"Only suspicion… I suspect that Jeff did something." JoAnna has her ideas, of course.

"Your intuition is never wrong. What do you think he did? Bribe her? Or her superior?" Sarah started guessing.

JoAnna laughed. "Anything is possible, knowing Jeff he probably went to the Big Boss himself."

Sarah was eager to investigate. "If he did anything with money, there is a trail. Do you want me to check?"

JoAnna looked at Sarah with sparkles in her eyes. "Can you?"

Sarah showed a smug smile while pulling her laptop closer. One minute later Sarah asked: "Is this your Dr. Johnson?"

JoAnna looked at the laptop and vigorously nodded. "That is from LA Medical Center employee profiles!"

JoAnna glanced at Sarah and her eyes flashed with mischief before returning to the screen. "You can see all the data since they started working! Show me others! Let me see file for Christine Lee. Also, Sharon…"

"Hey, hey!" Sarah interrupted JoAnna. "Do you want to spy on your coworkers or to find out why are you getting special treatment?"

JoAnna pouted for some time and then agreed that looking into the reason of her supervisor's behavior should be a priority.

Sarah moved to the sofa chair and started working her magic. She mentally detached herself from her sisters.

"How are you doing? Ready for the baby?" JoAnna asked Sophia.

"We painted the nursery, but that is as far as we reached. There is no furniture inside yet. There are so many choices that we can't agree what to get." Sophia sighed.

"Why don't you let Felix handle it?"

"Because he wants to buy everything!"

Sophia and JoAnna laughed and chatted about Sophia's pregnancy, house ownership, and house staff. JoAnna spoke about her resort and wedding plans.

Two of them went to the kitchen and came back with snacks.

Sarah was so immersed in her laptop that they had to call her multiple times to get her attention to the fruits in front of her.

"It's snowing heavily now." Sophia was concerned that guys are outside in this weather.

JoAnna also approached the window and observed that visibility is low. "I hope they see this crazy weather and come back. Whatever they are doing, they can do it later."

Sophia glanced at JoAnna. "If coming back before finishing whatever they planned to do means failure, do you think that weather will get them to stop?"

JoAnna rolled her eyes and sighed. "I forgot… those are three huge egos. They will not admit defeat as long as they can move."

Sophia bitterly laughed. "And even then, they will find an excuse and not admit that they failed."

"That is so true!" JoAnna laughed.

"Anna!" Sarah called.

"Did you find something?", JoAnna went toward Sarah. Sophia followed.

Sarah moved laptop so that JoAnna can't see the screen. "I found something, alright. Sit on the sofa. You too, big sis…"

Sarah grinned. "I want you to give me your wildest guess: why is your normally unpleasant supervisor treating you super-nice?"

"Is she on Jeff's payroll?", JoAnna immediately said.

Sarah shook her head. "Guess again."

"He invested money in LA Medical Center." JoAnna gave her next guess.

Sarah rubbed her chin for a second before responding. "That is true, but it's done from White corp. as a donation which is not tied up to you. And they are donors to many hospitals, yours is not an exception."

"I give up." JoAnna raised her arms in surrender.

"So soon?" Sarah was disappointed. She liked playing this game.

"I'm out of ideas!", JoAnna exclaimed.

"How about you?" Sarah looked at Sophia.

Sophia thought for some time before speaking. "I know that Jeff likes to go big… and based on your grin it is something big… It's definitely much more than giving some extra money or doing a favor to one, or even few people… unless that person is the director, or a major shareholder… Tell me: am I right?"

Sarah laughed. "You are getting close."

Sarah saw that JoAnna and Sophia are looking at her without intention to give any further guesses, so she started talking. "OK… now listen to this... Since April 22 this year, there is a new majority owner of LA Medical Center group. Person never showed at bi-weekly meetings, but shareholders are not required to attend…" Sarah looked at JoAnna.

JoAnna gasped. "He bought the hospital?"

Sarah smiled. "Stocks. It's the stocks. You can't buy the hospital itself. And the LA Medical Center group consists of one hospital where you are doing your residenship, four walk-in clinics and one research facility. As a majority owner of more than 51% you can make all decisions by yourself, like you own the place…"

"How much does he own?" JoAnna interrupted her.

"The majority owner has 54%... and when did I say it's Jeff?" Sarah looked at JoAnna's confused expression.

JoAnna frowned. "Not Jeff? Who is it then?"

Sarah grinned. "It's you."

"No way!" JoAnna's first reaction was denial.

Sarah turned her laptop to show to JoAnna. "Look. He opened a separate bank account where your dividends are being deposited."

Sophia also came closer to see.

JoAnna stared at the screen blankly.

Sophia took few deep breaths and patted her chest. "I knew he likes to go big, but this… I need to reevaluate my definition of: going big."

It took some time for JoAnna to recuperate. She was not sure how to react to this. Her man is just too much. Too handsome, too kind, too rich… and completely hers. "He said that he will make sure I'm not bullied ever again. I never thought that he will use a method like this. But this definitely explains extra treatment I'm getting from my supervisor and few directors who are always almost-bowing whenever we see each other."

Sophia laughed. "Somehow, they know you own them! If anyone bullies you at work, fire him!"