Chapter 155 The Verdict Is Out
Isolde listened in silence, continuing to eat her meal without interruption.
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Only when she had finished did she put down her utensils, lift her gaze, and say, “They do want to find you a good match. Don’t overthink it. Tomorrow, I’ll take you out for a walk”
Isolde had already planned to visit some of her stores the next day, so it wouldn’t hurt to take Nicole out for a little change of scenery.
Nicole, however, only thought Isolde was just saying this to placate her. She said nothing, watching her leave.
Later that evening, when Clark returned home, Isolde once again shared a meal with him.
Clark, with a glint of excitement in his eyes, spoke about the Parliamentary Library, his tone lighter than usual. “I thought I’d be promoted to Imperial Scholar–Apprentice because of Doug, but today I found out Luka and Doug don’t get along at all.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” Isolde smiled.
“Yeah, he gave me a task today. I need to write a paper and present it to the King tomorrow,” Clark said, his voice tinged with both anxiety and excitement.
“You’ll do great,” Isolde encouraged.
Clark nodded gratefully. “Isolde, once I get my salary, I’ll take you out for a nice meal.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Isolde replied with a smile.
Clark hurriedly finished his meal and rushed back to his room.
Esme, watching him go, laughed. “Clark’s a completely different person now.”
“When someone gains confidence and purpose, they change,” Isolde replied.
Esme agreed with a nod.
The next day, Isolde had Noelle go to Wyngor Chamber to find Nicole and prepare her to go out.
Nicole didn’t expect Isolde to actually take her anywhere, so when she heard that, she quickly got out of bed, bathed, and dressed, rushing to meet her.
Though her body was still weak, after a few days of lying in bed, she felt mentally drained and needed a change of scenery. But being out in public without someone to support her made her nervous–she feared the gossip and whispers.
Nicole knew Isolde was strong–willed and would surely stand up for her if anyone dared to treat her badly.
Collin had been busy lately, with his Everfort Granary finally up and running. He’d used the store Clark had recommended for his business and was focusing on external sales, so location wasn’t much of a conce
When Isolde arrived at the brocade shop, only Vincenzo and a few assistants were present.
Business was booming. Vincenzo had secured an exclusive deal with the brocade supplier, meaning they’d
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Unlike before, when Vincenzo was focused on martial arts, he now wore fine clothes, resembling Collin’s style, complete with a satin tunic, jade belt, and his hair neatly tied. He looked even more refined, his sharp features now accentuated by his new attire.
He’d also been learning accounting, having picked it up from Collin.
When Isolde arrived, he had just finished reviewing the accounts from the previous day and was in high spirits.
“Isolde,” he greeted warmly as he walked toward her.
“Vincenzo, how’s business?” Isolde asked.
“Couldn’t be better,” Vincenzo said with a wide grin, his eyes shifting toward Nicole. “And who’s this?”
“My older sister,” Isolde replied.
Vincenzo noticed the faint marks on Nicole’s neck and immediately realized she was the one who had tried to take her own life–the scandal surrounding the Duke’s estate was no secret.
“Ah, Miss Langley, I’ve heard about you,” Vincenzo said.
Nicole bowed politely but said nothing.
They sat down, and Vincenzo instructed one of the assistants to make coffee.
Isolde asked, “Is brocade still the best seller?”
“Yes, definitely. Brocade is in high demand–there’s just not enough of it,” Vincenzo answered.
“Is brocade really that good?” Nicole asked from the side.
Vincenzo glanced at her complexion before taking down a piece of pomegranate–colored brocade and saying, “Miss Langley, your complexion is fair. This pomegranate color would look great on you. I’ll give it to you as a gift.”
Nicole stood up in a panic, waving her hands. “I… I don’t want it,” she stammered. “I’ll buy it myself.”
Isolde shot a playful glance at Vincenzo, chuckling. “What’s with the refusal? Take it, make a beautiful dress out of it. It’s rare that Vincenzo is being so generous.”
Nicole, still hesitant, only relented when Vincenzo insisted. “If you refuse, it’s like you’re turning me down in front of everyone,” he said with a grin.
Vincenzo sometimes spoke like this–his blunt, straightforward style was part of his charm. In business, it made him seem trustworthy, and it worked in his favor.
Nicole, embarrassed, finally gave in. “Then… thank you, Vincenzo.”
Isolde gave Vincenzo a pointed look, silently wondering if he realized how easily his gestures might‘ misinterpreted. Giving an unmarried woman such a personal gift could easily be seen as having mo. han just business intentions.
Fortunately, it seemed Nicole didn’t take it that way–she merely assumed it was a gesture of goodwill
related to the business.
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Chapter 155 The Verdict Is Out
After asking about the store’s sales and general operations, Isolde stood up to leave.
Faith, holding the brocade, followed behind.
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Once they were in the carriage, Nicole leaned in and whispered, “Vincenzo, did he used to work for you?”
Isolde smiled. “Not quite. He was originally a guard in the Princess‘ estate. When I saved Lord Theodric, the Princess assigned him to protect me. Strictly speaking, he’s still part of the Princess‘ household.”
“A servant?” Nicole asked, skeptical.
“Of course not,” Isolde chuckled. “His family’s well–known, and his father is currently a general in the North Camp. Vincenzo trained under his father. What I’m doing is giving him a bit of a side job here–it’s honestly a waste of his talent.”
“A general’s son?” Nicole’s head drooped slightly, disappointment in her eyes. “I guess I could never match someone like that.”
Nicole was, in many ways, the only clear–headed member of the Vance family.
Putting aside the Duke’s estate, Vance’s family was nothing more than a business family–a failed one at that. Now, they were relying on the Duke’s name to try and arrange marriages for their daughter.
Anyone who knew the true story wouldn’t think the Vance family was anything like the Duke’s. A daughter from a failed business family wasn’t fit for a general’s son.
Isolde noticed the look on Nicole’s face and suddenly realized what was going on.
Nicole liked Vincenzo.
This… was complicated.
Isolde thought to herself, What does Vincenzo think? He’s probably never even considered marriage…
Isolde made a mental note of this and decided she would have to ask Vincenzo about it later.
As for Vance, after several days of running around, he had stubbornly refused to take Geoffrey’s advice. He had spent a significant amount of money but hadn’t managed to reach any agreement with Kameron or Jocelynn.
The court had handed down its verdict: three years in prison for the charges of defamation and brawling.
When the verdict came down, Priscilla fainted from crying. Prudence hurried to find Geoffrey, who had been preparing to go to the Valen family to break the engagement the next day. He had intended to go today, but a delay with the court kept him from leaving.
After hearing what Prudence had to say, Geoffrey frowned. “The verdict has been made. There’s no changing it now.”
Prudence insisted, “But you have connections in court. How can you not change this? It’s all about the money, right? How much will it take?”
Geoffrey shook his head. “Connections won’t help here. No one dares to intervene with the High Magistracy of Argentum. No amount of money would’ve made a difference. If you were willing to spend this money back then, why didn’t you just give it to Kameron and Jocelynn?”
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In truth, Geoffrey’s “connections” weren’t as extensive as Prudence believed,
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