Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1682

Sylvia truly wanted nothing more to do with Steve, feeling a suffocating weight in her chest just looking at him. Yet, here he was, lowering his status to apply for a job at her company. If she rejected him purely out of personal grudges, it would be an irreparable loss for Agri-Tech Ventures. Caught between her private feelings and the big picture, she closed her eyes and finally compromised for the sake of the company's future. Snapping his resume shut, she walked out of the lounge without sparing him another glance.

Outside the door, her assistant was peeking curiously down the hall.

"Sophia!" Sylvia called out, prompting the young woman to jog over immediately. Shoving the resume into Sophia's arms, Sylvia kept her expression carefully blank. "Take him to go through the onboarding process. From today onward, he is our company's legal counsel."

Sophia was a bright, beautiful young woman freshly recruited by HR straight from a top university. Not only was she highly capable, but she also carried a natural confidence and was always quick on her feet. "Yes, Ms. Moore!" she agreed with immediate enthusiasm. "I will take Mr. Michell to get his paperwork sorted right away!"

As she spoke, her gaze could not help but drift toward Steve. Taking in the man's tall, elegant posture and breathtakingly handsome face, a faint blush crept onto Sophia's cheeks.

Sylvia spotted her assistant's blossoming crush in a heartbeat, but she kept her mouth shut. After all, a man like Steve was exactly the type to have young women flocking to him wherever he went. It was a sight she was long accustomed to. Without so much as a parting look at Steve, she turned on her heel and strode back to her office.

Unwilling to let it go, Sophia gripped the folder in her hands and pressed further. "But you are so amazing yourself, Mr. Michell. How come you haven't won her over yet?"

The question struck the softest, most vulnerable part of his heart. Steve lowered his eyes, his thick lashes veiling a heavy dose of pain and regret. After a long moment, he gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Because I was young and foolish in the past, and I ended up hurting her." He let out a soft sigh, his voice brimming with bitterness and helplessness. "I suppose this is exactly what happens in those romance novels you girls love to read. The classic tale of a man groveling to win back the one that got away."