I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away
Chapter 462: The Inside Story

Meredith brought Hugo Hart to the office, personally poured tea, and sat down to chat.

"Mr. Hart, please have some tea," Meredith said with a consistently polite attitude.

Hugo Hart felt a bit embarrassed; it's hard to be rude to someone so friendly.

"Thank you," Hugo Hart said, taking a somewhat uneasy sip of tea.

Meredith asked earnestly, "Mr. Hart, I heard you mention food incompatibilities earlier. Are the consequences really that severe?"

When it came to professional knowledge, Hugo Hart was confident. "Absolutely. The combination of ingredients is crucial. Some combinations can cool and detoxify the body, which is beneficial, while others can harm our health. Our organs are delicate; incorrect combinations can damage the liver."

Meredith inquired, "Can hospitals detect such issues?"

"Unless it reaches the level of food poisoning, hospitals can't detect it," Hugo Hart explained. "Some ingredients harm only the liver, others harm the lungs. Over time, a person can be completely drained." Meredith asked, "If someone's organs fail within a month, could it be due to...?"

"Who is so unlucky to eat incompatible foods every day?" Hugo Hart replied. "In our daily lives, most people don't understand food combinations. As long as it's not eaten long-term, it's usually not a big problem. The human body has immunity and resistance. But eating it every day? Even a strong body can't handle that."

Meredith recalled what the maid Aubrey Lawson had said. Before her mother's accident, Joy Chaucer had been very attentive and cooked several meals for her mother. Could her mother's deteriorating health have been caused by Joy Chaucer using incompatible foods?

However, a few meals couldn't prove anything. Meredith could only suspect but not use it as evidence.

"Mr. Hart, thank you for your insights today. I've learned a lot," Meredith said sincerely. "I heard you are also a chef with nearly twenty years of experience. Would you be interested in working at my restaurant? I am willing to offer double your previous salary plus a two percent profit share at the end of the year as a token of my sincerity."

Hugo Hart laughed, "You're quite generous for someone trying to poach me so openly. You're the first."

After being troubled by him earlier, Meredith's willingness to hire him at a high salary surprised Hugo Hart.

Meredith said, "I'm not very knowledgeable about the restaurant business. I started this restaurant because I love food. The head chef is the most important part of a restaurant. I want to entrust its future to you, Mr. Hart. Do you dare to take on this challenge?"

The phrase "do you dare" had a bit of a provocative tone.

Hugo Hart neither agreed nor refused, saying only, "I need to think about it."

No one dislikes money, and Hugo Hart had recently been squeezed out by competitors and was unemployed. He indeed needed a job.

The two percent profit share from this restaurant was quite substantial.

"No problem, I'll wait for your decision," Meredith said, handing him a business card. "This is my contact information. When you've made up your mind, feel free to call me. The head chef position will be reserved for you." Chefs with real skills often have some pride.

Meredith handled the matter calmly and then proceeded to investigate the issue with the ingredients.

The price difference between frozen fish and wild-caught fish was significant. Meredith would not tolerate anyone profiting from this discrepancy.

After thorough questioning and investigation, Meredith discovered that Lucas, who was responsible for purchasing ingredients in the kitchen, had taken advantage of the situation when wild-caught fish ran out and pocketed the price difference, profiting $30,000.

Fortunately, it was discovered early; otherwise, the loss would have been much greater.

Meredith fired him immediately and demanded he return the illicit gains. Considering his momentary lapse in judgment and the difficulty of surviving in the capital, she decided not to involve the police.

Chloe's case had already been concluded and tried in court. She was sentenced to twenty years for intentional homicide.

Believing there might be more to the story, Meredith thought long and hard before taking her baby to visit Terrence Sterling at his office.