Chapter 455 - Negotiations (1)
The Hagen family were formerly famous for their soaps and were leading a happy and moderately wealthy life but due to the insidious tricks of Earl Blaise, they were driven into poverty and had to live in hiding.
Always on the lookout for when people would discover their past, they could not stay in one place for too long.
However, after the first few years of them living in seclusion, they had not observed anyone coming to make trouble for them.
Thus, the Hagen family changed towns one last time and settled in this lonely place where not many people resided.
They had occupied a place on the outskirts of the town which allowed them to be unafraid of prying neighbors.
Their new residence was miles apart from their neighbors and gave them the privacy which they very much desired and deserved.
The head of the family, Timothy, and his younger brother, Joseph did not know any other skills that could help them make a living.
The only skill they had learned and used all their lives was soap making but now that was snatched away from them which left them feeling worthless.
For the past few years, they had been surviving on the means of the money they had earned from their business back when it was still booming.
Thankfully, Leonard, Timothy's son was able to gain minimum education even when they were constantly moving from town to town.
This helped him secure a job at the local accountant's office where he handled minor accounts to lessen his Boss's burden.
Being a smart lad, he picked up the required skillset quickly and was promoted to the accountant's assistant in no time.
His earnings were now being used to put the meals on the table for the family of eight.
The women in the family, Tim and Joe's wives, helped out in a local seamstress's store and would leave at dawn each day.
They worked the early morning shift which was why the noble guests had not seen them until now.
While Tim was thinking of how their lives had been until now, Joe was mulling over what the little girl had just said.
"How can a commoner help a noble person like you?" Joe spoke up, breaking the long silence.
Yvonne had been observing their expressions until now and could discern that they had been in deep contemplation.
However, she was not against this and it would be better for everyone if they made an informed decision rather than agreeing in haste only to regret it later on.
Joe looked into her eyes and though he did not try to intimidate her, he did not lower his vigilant leer.
Yvonne wasn't offended by his wary behavior as she could comprehend why they were feeling that way.
'A nobleman already cheated their family so it is only common that they would be suspicious of us.' She admitted and chose to move ahead.
"Sign a contract with us. Let us sell your soaps instead." She declared the aspect in which she needed their cooperation.
Her abrupt declaration and the bold choice of words caused the Valente family and the Hagen family men to widen their eyes in surprise.
'Vonny, not so suddenly!' Marcus was worried that they might reject without a second thought.
He was glaring at Rutherford to step in and do something but that annoying man sat in silence and watched the show, embracing the role of a bystander.
'She needs to do this on her own.' The doting father averted his eyes and glanced at his child who would have to work harder than this to make the Hagen family go with her plan.
"You say that even after what happened with Earl Blaise!?" Leo scowled after recovering from the shock of her absurd words.
They had sold soaps that rightfully belonged to them but due to the recipe in Earl Blaise's hands, they were declared thieves and could no longer follow their family's age-old occupation.
Now, this little girl was asking them to sign a contract with her family so that history might repeat itself?
They did not wish their family to face any more indignation so he was not in the least bit approving of her words.
"Our family name is not Blaise." She reminded them that they were not dealing with the same treacherous bunch.
"So what's stopping you?" Yvonne raised her brows and looked at Leo in a haughty, challenging way.
These words made the man guffaw as he rubbed his brows in frustration that the child was beginning to get on his nerves.
"The recipe my uncle stole from us, the document the Earl holds in his hand with the Royal Seal on it, and the business he has built surrounding that same recipe!" He uttered each reason in a low voice as his anger rose.
"Not to mention that none of my family members desire to live the rest of their lives in prison." He completed his final statement and shot back the same challenging look at her.
However, Yvonne was undeterred as she had a way to bypass each of these 'reasons' he had put before her.
Therefore, instead of wasting her breath on this man, she turned her gaze towards the two silent men of the Hagen family.
'They are more important right now.' She decided and focused her energy on them.
"Do you want me to believe that all these years, you have not tried to make soap?" She tilted her head and her lips curved into a wicked smile.
Howard shuddered as this was the same smile he had witnessed back when she first explained her plan to them in the Office room.
Rutherford was trying hard to control his proud smile but it was peeking out nonetheless.
Her inquiry caused Joe to cough but Tim was calmer.
"Those were never sold and were for home purposes." The head of the family retorted in a level-headed manner.
Yvonne nodded her head in acceptance of his answer then tapped her finger on her pouting lips.
"So you have never tried to experiment with new methods of preparing soap?" She pretended to be ignorant but inwardly, she sneered when she saw Tim freezing for a quick second.
'Hit the iron when it's hot.' She decided and went in for her final kill.
"Maybe my nose caught the wrong scent." She muttered to herself and was satisfied with Rutherford's quick thinking when he played along with her, inquiring what was wrong.
"After the crashing sounds, I was sure that I could smell…" She halted then looked Tim right in the eyes before continuing.
"Wasn't it almond oil, Mister Tim?" She questioned and saw how he gulped his saliva.
'Not done yet!' She smirked and blinked her wide watery eyes innocently while looking at her uncle.
"My tutor taught me once that Coconut oil, almond oil, and olive oil are some of the oils used in soaps." She explained as she successfully used Marquess Samed who knew nothing about this matter as her scapegoat.
Turning her gaze back at the men of the Hagen family, she smiled and dealt the final blow.
"The exact same scents that were coming from the room Mister Tim had been inside." She announced with certainty, waiting to see how they would clarify that.
Tim was surprised after hearing this as the crashing sounds that had come earlier were from the bottles of oils that he had dropped by accident.
Most of the bottles just flipped open while the only one that broke was the almond oil which Yvonne had caught first since it was the strongest.
While he was formulating a way to explain why she had smelled them, Leo was staring wide-eyed at his father.
"You tried again?" He questioned incredulously and saw his father avoiding his gaze.
This only proved that the little girl was not wrong and that his father was indeed trying to experiment with soap once again.
Tim sighed when he saw that his secret had been revealed and his co-conspirator, Joe too, had an embarrassed look on his face.
"All my life, the only thing I ever learned and enjoyed was making soap then one day I was forced to stop?" Tim clenched his fists and looked up at the little girl with his reddened eyes.
"Father…" Leo sighed after looking at his father's distress but Tim had more to say.
"So what if I tried to work with soap again? This was what I was born to do and if doing so sends me to prison then so be it!" He glared at his clenched fists as nothing could stop him from doing what he loved to do.
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