Eva

“It does not look good,” said Cara as we walked out of our suites.

“The city had fought two battles. I say it is looking better than I had imagined,” I replied as I looked at the port.

The last time, I had come here was a little over six months ago; at the legacy’s party.

At that time, the city was growing with a lot of people and ships at its port. Currently, the number is half, which is better than I had expected.

Though there are a lot more ships sailing through the river than before. Which isn’t surprising given what is happening in the empire.

I had seen, the cities of this size getting ruined by a single battle. It destroyed their economies, and it took them years for them to recover; some were never able to.

Here it had been less than six months and the city seemed to be doing well. It is especially remarkable considering this is a wasteland with no natural resources.

“Mom, please think about it. Investing here is a risk; we have already suffered enough losses in the empire. We should focus on stores we have in safe places and expand there,”

“Instead of investing in places like which could be conquered at any time and cause us great reputational damage,” said Cara. It is not the first time; she has tried to dissuade me from it.

“It is the opportunity of a lifetime, darling. We are getting a space in the legacy,” I said, but the girl just shook her head.

“We are not getting a space in the legacy, Mother. We are getting space in the same building as the legacy. There is a vast difference between the two,” she corrected, using mother instead of ‘mom’.

She does that when she is frustrated with me.

“Besides, the contract clearly states that he could remove us any time he wants. So, there is no chance of our store being part of legacy after it advances to Grade II and Grade III,” she added, displeased.

“Be that it may be, but I see a clear potential in the city,” I stated, and she just shook her head.

“We have to take the risks, dear daughter; everybody is moving to Namdar, and more stores are popping up, giving competition to established businesses like ours. If we don’t take risks, we will regress and I refuse to let that happen,” I said.

I understand her worries, but I feel like this is a wise choice.

The competition in the Namdar is heating up. Every business in the empire is moving there, giving us tough competition.

I am confident in our ability to compete, but that is not enough. We need to expand, and there aren’t many places we could expand into the empire.

Greltheaven had many risks, but it had enormous potential because of its close proximity to the merchant state and having our store in the same building as a legacy, which will give us recognition.

“Fine, mother,” she said.

A few minutes later, the ship docked in the port, and we walked out. There was already a familiar woman waiting for us.

“Welcome to Greltheaven, Miss Eva, Miss Cara,” said the woman. “Miss Cain, you didn’t have to come to get us,” I said to the pretty redhead.

“I wanted to,” she said and took us to the carriage.

Soon, stepped inside and it began moving through the port, which looked more orderly than before. It is not because of the smaller crowd I have been to sparse ports than this and there is always chaos.

The best ports are those who could manage the chaos and they seemed to be doing that.

“How was the journey? Was there any trouble?” asked Miss Cain. “It was a smooth. Though, every moment, I was worried about undead jumping on us from the water,” I said, smiling nervously.

“I know. We are living in the same fear, here,” replied Miss Cain.

“Yet, you are still here and investing so much, despite the risks?” asked Cara. The woman smiled.

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“The city had given me everything, I have. I was nothing before coming here and I want to return the favor. As for the risk, it is everywhere, and I rather die a success, than live poor,” Miss Cain replied.

I like this woman. She seemed pretty and fragile, but the woman had steel.

Soon, the carriage passed through the gates and entered the city.

“The city has changed a lot since I had been here, last time,” I said, and the woman nodded.

“It has,” she replied.

Ten minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of the five-story building. It is a standard office building, with more security presence than average.

Which isn’t surprising, since it belongs to the lord of the city.

We stepped out and walked toward the door.

“Miss Charles, Miss Cain, please follow me,” said a beautiful blond woman in her early twenties waiting for us at the door. We followed her, and she took us to the elevator, which stopped on the fourth floor.

We stepped out of the elevator and walked into the floor, before stopping at the white door.

Click!

“Please,” said the woman as she opened the door, and we entered the conference room, where there were already people waiting inside.

One side had six people, while the other side had three. Of the six, I instantly recognize four.

First is Carla Salt, who is responsible for Remus Silvers's businesses, including the Legacy, the second is Madam Caena, the madam of Legacy, and the third woman Headmistress Margaux.

The fourth man, I had known the longest. He was Silver Senior’s assistant, and now working for his son.

The other two are likely their lawyers.

“Miss Charles, Miss Cain,” greeted Sabastian, our lawyer. He had been here in the city for a few days, negotiating the contract, which he finished.

“Sabastian,” I said as I sat down.

“Thank you for coming personally, Eva. It means a lot to us,” said Carla as she looked at me and Cara. “There is no need to thank me, Carla. It is business; I never depend on others for it,” I replied.

“Miss Charles, Miss Cain. We have finished the negotiating; these are the contracts,” he said, motioning to two sets of contracts in front of us.

The first contract is about the store space; the second is about our partnership with the velvet garden. Cara had reservations about the first; she had a little less about the second one, which I think is far riskier.

The second contract is about us providing all the clothing, jewelry, shoes, and other things to the velvet garden.

It took quite an effort to make Remus agree to it, and he agreed, only after the condition of non-exclusiveness was added.

He could choose other stores along with ours.

He is such a control freak. Many would have accepted the offer immediately, seeing the deal was saving them a massive amount of money. He would have needed to spend on those items, which we will loan him for free.

He is signing with us, but I heard he is also negotiating with three other stores from the merchant state.

Though they may sign the contract, I am the one, getting the store in the building.

I read through the contract of the store. Cara and Miss Cain beside me are doing the same.

Miss is my partner in the store. It is why, I got the whole damn floor; I am the only one to get that.

Remus put a condition in front of me. I could get an entire floor if I partnered with Miss Cain. If I didn’t. I will get the small part of the floor of around ten thousand square feet.

Which is enough for a city of this size, and I would have accepted it. If not for Miss Cain being a partner.

I have been selling her designs for the past few months, and they have become bestsellers. She is the fastest designer to reach it in my stores and I don’t want to lose her, which I could.

I know, the other store had approached her, including my direct competitors in Namdar and stores in merchant states.

Her contract would end in a few months, and she had hinted that she would stay with me if I partnered with her for the store.

Cara didn’t think it was worth it, but I do. I have seen the evolution in her designs and am confident, that she could produce multiple bestsellers.

I finished reading the first contract and signed it, before turning to the second contract.

With this contract, nearly everything in our stores will be available to Silver without any cost. The things will be on loan and will be returned to us after a fixed time.

It is a risk, considering I would be associating myself with the brothel, with the things I sell would be worn by the whores.

It could damage the store's reputation that, I might need years to recover from, but if worked in our favor, it will also provide tremendous benefits to me and the company.

There is one entertainment type-legacy in the Namdar, and I have been trying to get a contract with them for decades, but it is damn hard. That is why, I decided to take the take the risk with Velvet Garden.

Currently, the legacy is only in Grade 1, but I believe in Remus enough that, I am sure, in a decade or two, he will be able to take his legacy to Grade II and Grade III.

That will be the time to reap the tremendous benefits of this partnership.

I am so invested in it that I am designing a new collection of jewelry inspired by the velvet garden. It had been a long while since I had designed a complete collection.

I planned to make the ladies of Velvet Garden wear it first, before bringing it to the stores.

I brought the designs, which I will be showing to the Angestel in the evening with my meeting with him.

He is the head stylist and the man responsible for the wardrobe. From what I heard, even Silver didn’t interfere with the department, handling him the complete responsibilities.

Scratch!

I read the contract and signed it. Felt their strong bindings before they vanished.

“I hope we will have great cooperation, Miss Charles, Miss Cain,” said Carla as we finished.

“We will, Miss Salt,” I said and shook her hands.

Half an hour later, I walked out of the building with Cara and Miss Cain.

Our destination is the tower; there will meet with Miss Rolgath. She is responsible for the interior of the whole tower, including the legacy and my store.

I have my own interior designer, but Remus asked me to use her as the primary. Mine is coming tomorrow and he will work with Miss Rolgath, in creating an interior that has the essence of both the Velvet Garden and Charles stores.

As I had said, the man is a control freak. He is not giving me the freedom to decide my own store's interior.