"The condition is very simple, I want you to fire the girl right now.
If she worked here then I would never invest in the business!"
The eyes of both the girl and the owner widened but the one who was most affected by it was the attendant. She could not believe that she had lost her job just like that? Wasn't it an apology that was normally asked!?
"I knew that the girl calculated everything with money and had disrespected you, but isn't the punishment a bit harsh, my lady?" asked the owner in a soft voice with a bit of pleading to let the girl go off the hook with small punishment.
Hazel raised a brow and Richard shook his head that made Hazel turn to look at him.
"Did you see that too?" she asked in astonishment as he had his eyes closed all this time while he was leaning on the wall with his one foot on the wall and other on the floor.
Due to his laid back attitude, she had thought that he was not paying any attention to it.
"I heard it too!" he replied as he tilted his head and looked into her eyes.
"......." 'Alright she was a fool to ask those foolish questions to a beast! He must have keen senses like animals.'
"My lady" the attendant kneeled and fell on the floor with a thug as she tried to hold the thighs of hazel to plead to her but before she could even touch them, richard held hazel and dragged her back.
"Do not touch her with your filthy hands." he demanded with such a strong aura that the attendant did not even dare to take breaths loudly.
But soon tears started to well from her eyes. She was looking devastated as her face lost all colors.
"My lord, my lady. Please forgive me. I have been strayed by the false rumors that the lady had run away from her house with a messenger. As a righteous person, I felt bad for the family and anger towards her.
If I had known that it was not ture and the lady had married a strong and higher noble like you, then I would have never dared to open my mouth this way.
Please! Please be kind and forgive this poor girl. My whole family is dependent on me and our family is running only through this job. If I am fired then we will not be able to pay rent or feed my family." more tears started to gush out of her eyes and she bit her lips as she raised her head and looked at the couple.
But to her surprise, the couple did not even have a change in reactions, as if they did not hear her at all. As if she was a fool or not talking to them. She felt insulted but knew that she had to suck up to them to save her job, she didn't let her irritation visible on her face.
She folded her hands in front of them as she looked at them with a tear stricken face. Even the owner felt pity for their girl. She did not want to fire her but at the same time, she wanted to shop to extend and grow more so that she did not suffer lack of money in future.
"That.. if you will tell her what is needed to be changed. I am sure that she would improve herself. So, if you could reconsider your decision.`` She decided to give one more try before making a final decision when Hazel raised a brow.
"Since your shop is so popular. I wonder why you need investment from the outside of the shop? Do you not earn enough profit?" Though the question was out of the blue and completely different from the topic, it was a valid question for everyone who would invest in the business.
"That! Though the shop is very popular and many nobles buy footwear from us, we charge very less and have even given discounts to the needy. So we did not have enough earning, and my husband have a bit extravagant lifestyles. So I did not have much savings to invest in home either.
But I assure you that the shop runs well enough, if we both would plan a big rise in the price, we would be rich soon." she assured as she was sure that she had earned enough respect and goodwill in the market.
Listening to her words, Hazel was assured of her thoughts and shook her head, but she did not feel pity for the owner who was still taking the side of the attendant. Even when the proof was in front of her eyes, she was still not taking the right decision and opening her eyes.
"You are a fool, and I did not work with a fool. Though the offer is lucrative, I did not want to be part of the business that was bound to fail.`` Hazel replied in a cold tone as she mobbed forward towards the girl who was still kneeling on the floor and looking at them with stunned eyes.
"What do you mean? Are you calling me a fool?" the lady felt angry as the girl that was younger to her for a few years had insulted her as if she was a naive girl! "I have been handling this shop since I was young and have made a lot of names for myself. If not for my kids, and my husband handling the business, it would have been the best shop in this area.
It is your wish if you want to participate or not. I have given you an offer and you have the complete right to reject it. But you have no right to insult me!" replied the owner in an indignant voice as she decided to end the matter right here.
Since Hazel was not interested in investing too then she would not even fire the needy attendant, she would only give her an ultimatum and ask her husband to keep an eye on her for a while. She was sure that the stern gaze of her husband would keep the girl in check.
But before she could vocalize her thoughts, she saw that Hazel had bent her head and looked into the eyes of the attendant with intensity. Even she felt a bit hesitant when she looked at the cold eyes of hazel.
"My husband did not want me to touch filthy things. But it looks like I have no choice!" muttered hazel as she smirked coldly looking at the scared face of the attendant who still had not realized her mistake.
"Since that is the case, let's end it fast so that I can leave this place faster." with that she held the elbow of the attendant in a thigh grip that widened the eyes of the attendant and the owner.
"My lady, you can not beat her. It is against the…" before the owner could complete her lime and try to free the attendant, Hazel moved and put her another hand on the pocket of the struggling girl.
"What are you doing? Let me go! You.. you can not do that..'' the attendant continued to shout and struggle as she finally realized what the girl was trying to do, but it was too late.
Hazel had already taken the hold of the gold coin that the girl had stolen and hid it under her dress.
She took out the coin abruptly and let the struggling girl go that fell on the floor , but due to the impact of the strength she was using to get rid of Hazel's grip.
But she was not the least bit worried about that. Her face had turned ashen as she thought what would be her result now?
"My lady.. That.. I can explain it.. It must have fallen in my pocket when I was trying to check if the coin was real or not!" she started with a bit of uncertainty, but the more she spoke, her thoughts started getting stronger, "yes, this is the case! I swear to my lord," she pinched her neck as she looked at them with a solemn face and her voice turning righteous.
"I have not stolen it. Trust me, my lady." instead of targeting hazel this time, her whole attention was on the owner who was the decision maker of this type.
The owner looked at them with a stunned face. Not even in her thoughts had she thought that the worker who was working here for so long had stolen gold in front of her and yet she was not able to realize that.
"Just for your knowledge, not a single piece in your shop is at affordable rates.. It is one of the most expensive shops in the town. Now do I need to inform you how you are earning less?"