Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 215

The entire onboarding process was remarkably smooth. The HR manager was clearly a seasoned professional; the paperwork and schedules were flawlessly prepared, saving Jade a significant amount of time.

Once the formalities were out of the way, there was just one final step: meeting the boss. The manager escorted her to the executive office, but since the boss wasn't at his desk, she asked Jade to wait for a moment while she went to find him.

Jade waited quietly, letting her eyes sweep the room. The decor was minimalist and the layout spacious. The furniture was sparse but clearly high-end, every detail impeccably restrained, radiating a cool, professional order.

It seemed her middle-aged boss had excellent taste.

About five minutes later, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor. Jade quickly turned around, and the moment she locked eyes with the man walking through the door, she froze.

Hugo Harrington?

What was he doing here?

Before Jade could even process the shock, the HR manager introduced them. "This is our CEO, Mr. Harrington."

Turning to Hugo, she added, "And this is our newest attorney, Jade Yates. Today is her first day."

The revelation hit Jade like a freight train. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that the owner of this firm was Hugo Harrington. For a moment, she was completely struck dumb, unsure of how to even open her mouth.

Fortunately, Hugo didn't seem to notice the awkwardness. He dismissed the manager with a nod and extended his hand to Jade, introducing himself formally. "Hugo Harrington."

Jade shook his hand mechanically. "Jade Yates. The new attorney."

The man she had secretly carried a torch for all those years had just re-entered her life in the most unexpected way possible. Jade didn't know whether to celebrate or panic. She was entirely unprepared for this, her mind spinning in total disarray.

Simultaneously, a wave of regret washed over her regarding her outfit. It was too severe, too unyielding. If she had known he was the boss, she would have softened her look. Nobody wanted to come across as a ruthless shark in front of the man they had a crush on.

Jade suddenly wondered if he knew about Willow and Julian's divorce.

Even though she desperately needed a job, if this offer had anything to do with Julian Sinclair's influence, she would walk out the door right now. She refused to be tied to that man in any capacity.

Since the door was open, Jade decided to clear the air immediately. "Do you mind if I ask why you hired me? Because if this has anything to do with Julian Sinclair, there's something you need to know. Willow is currently in the middle of filing for divorce from him. And I refuse to accept a job if it's some sort of favor tied to him."

Hugo hadn't expected her to be so blunt. She was entirely different from the calculating people he usually dealt with—there was a fierce, refreshing honesty about her. He met her gaze directly. "Julian is Julian, and I am I. My decision to hire you has absolutely nothing to do with him."

The unspoken implication was clear: he already knew about the divorce.

"Then why did you hire me?"