She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20. The Storm in the Teacup (2)

“What? Ships, you mean?”

“That’s right, let’s drastically increase the volume of velvet tea we’re importing.”

Thomas’s eyes widened at Evan’s radical instruction.

Wasn’t this the same Evan who had been sighing about losing 3,000 crowns just recently?

Launching a single sailing ship required far more capital than that.

And now he wanted to add two more ships?

Thomas cautiously opened his mouth, trying to temper his excited boss’s enthusiasm.

“Sir. That would require too much capital. Right now, one ship is the appropriate level, and if we overextend ourselves, it could become dangerous…”

“Dangerous? What’s dangerous about it? We have a monopoly on velvet tea. You saw it yourself today. It’s literally worth whatever price we ask.”

“Still…”

“Enough. Do as I say.”

Evan’s tone was firm.

Thomas eventually bowed his head and withdrew.

Watching his retreating figure, Evan clicked his tongue.

‘Tsk, with such a small mindset. That’s why he’ll spend his whole life working under others.’

Soon a smile spread across his lips again.

His face was already full of confidence.

‘The velvet tea business will continue to lay golden eggs for me. There’s absolutely no way it can fail.’

* * *

“Velvet Tea Craze: Growing More Popular with Each Passing Day”

“Noble Ladies Lining Up from Dawn to Buy a Single Tea Leaf”

“Evan Machi Promises to Expand Velvet Tea Supply Volume”

Wendy, who was reading the newspaper in Cecilia’s room, frowned.

Evan doing well ultimately meant that Rosena was also doing well.

From what she heard, thanks to Evan’s success, the Osburn County was also regaining stability by hiring servants again.

Wendy felt sick to her stomach.

“My lady, how can such people prosper? The world is truly unfair!”

Cecilia, who had been sitting at her desk, looked up.

Wendy was fuming with unresolved anger.

Seeing this, Cecilia chuckled softly.

“Wendy, why are you so angry? You’re quite adorable.”

“Of course I’m angry! Those terrible people who tormented you are making enormous amounts of money.”

Wendy made punching motions toward Evan’s portrait in the newspaper.

“How can someone who cheated on his fiancée with his fiancée’s friend…”

Then Wendy trailed off.

And she glanced cautiously at Cecilia.

“I’m sorry, my lady. My mouth runs too much.”

“It’s fine. It’s the truth, after all.”

Cecilia shrugged nonchalantly.

In fact, it went even further than that—she had been murdered.

She couldn’t even imagine what expression Wendy would make if she knew that.

‘She’d probably explode from anger if I told her.’

Wendy was someone who would believe without question even if Cecilia told her she had returned from the past.

‘Who broke this glass! Wendy, was it you?’

‘I’m sorry, Viscountess. I did it by mistake.’

‘Ha, Cecilia, it was you again? Really, what a child with no proper upbringing!’

Wendy, who had come to the Osburn County as a maid at a very young age, often made clumsy mistakes.

Each time, it was Cecilia who took the scolding and beatings in Wendy’s place.

That’s why Wendy always followed Cecilia around like a puppy.

‘Miss Cecilia, I want to become your personal maid. I’ll work exclusively for you, no matter what.’

Because Wendy was like that, she decided to keep the past life a secret until the end.

Cecilia quietly opened a drawer and took something out.

As she began writing something, Wendy approached and peered over with curious eyes.

Wendy’s eyes widened.

“My lady, are you finally going to enter society directly?”

What Cecilia had taken out was a salon invitation.

Moreover, it was for an event held in the name of the Dowager Duchess of Hays.

Finally!

Was Cecilia going to humiliate the Osburn County in society?

Wendy’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Hmm, well.”

But Cecilia’s reaction was lukewarm.

Wendy tilted her head.

“If you’re hosting a salon, you’ll have to meet with the noble ladies.”

“That’s right. …If this salon actually takes place, that is.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

Wendy couldn’t understand at all.

A salon that might or might not happen?

Then why write the invitations?

“You’ll find out soon.”

Cecilia just smiled meaningfully.

In her mind, a plan to bring down the velvet tea craze was already perfectly drawn out.

‘Evan Machi…’

Cecilia glanced down at Evan’s portrait in the newspaper.

He was once a man she had truly loved, but now that she had turned back time, he was nothing but hateful.

Cecilia pressed her lips together tightly.

‘Enjoy it while you can, Evan. There won’t be many more opportunities like this.’

Soon, a fierce storm would blow through the teacups of the Brisen nobility.

* * *

News of the Dowager Duchess of Hays’s salon stirred up Brisen society.

“A salon is being held? Whose salon is it?”

“It’s the Dowager Duchess of Hays. She must finally be ready to reveal herself!”

“Oh my, I wonder if our house will receive an invitation?”

Given how curious everyone had been, all eyes turned to the Hays Ducal House.

The noble ladies craned their necks waiting for invitations to arrive.

The list of families that received invitations was even circulating secretly.

That wasn’t the only thing that became a topic of conversation.

“Did you hear? The Duchess ordered a large quantity of velvet tea for this salon.”

“Oh my, I haven’t tried that yet. Will I be able to taste it thanks to the Duchess?”

“The Hays Ducal House really is impressive. Truly.”

The identity of the Duchess that everyone was curious about, plus the trendy velvet tea.

People eagerly counted the days until the salon would open.

At the same time, the popularity of velvet tea soared to unprecedented heights.

Seeing the pile of orders, Evan was overjoyed.

“Sir! Yesterday’s order volume increased threefold!”

“We’ve secured two more ships as you instructed!”

“We safely delivered the entire shipment to the Duchess yesterday!”

Evan arrogantly put both feet up on his desk as he received reports from his employees.

The moment the Dowager Duchess of Hays was mentioned, the value of velvet tea seemed to multiply several times over.

Evan grinned as he calculated in his head the profits he’d gained thanks to the Duchess.

‘I absolutely have to secure that woman as our customer. Just her name alone is causing this much of a stir…’

Well, he was confident that capturing the Duchess wouldn’t be difficult.

Through his business dealings, Evan had become skilled at pleasing the nobles.

He believed the Duchess would be no different from other nobles when faced with expensive gifts and sweet flattery.

The problem was finding a way to meet her.

The Duchess was still staying secluded in her mansion, and Evan hadn’t received an invitation to the salon.

‘If I could just get to the salon, I’d somehow find an opportunity…’

Still, wasn’t he the distributor of velvet tea?

He felt he was more than qualified to meet the Duchess.

‘I need to build a proper relationship and keep draining that fortune of hers.’

They said the Hays Ducal Family’s assets could buy half the Ristea Empire.

Evan already felt as if all that wealth belonged to him.

Even sitting still, the corners of his mouth naturally turned up, and he even started humming.

He was just lost in such happy fantasies when—

“B-Boss!”

Thomas came in with his face pale as a sheet.

Evan frowned.

“What’s with the sudden fuss? Aren’t you busy? Don’t you have work to do?”

“It’s not that, but I think you need to come out for a moment…”

Thomas trailed off as he pointed toward the doorway.

There, boxes of velvet tea that had been sent to the Hays Ducal House were piled up.

“What? Why is this here! You said you sent it properly!”

Worried that trust with the ducal family might be broken, Evan shouted angrily and rushed to the door.

Just as he was about to tell them to send it again immediately—

“Ah, we meet again, Mr. Evan Machi.”

Harry, who had been standing beside the pile of boxes, greeted him with a smile.

Evan remembered seeing him when they first made the velvet tea contract.

And now he misunderstood that Harry had come personally due to delivery delay issues.

“I’m sorry. There seems to have been an error on our end, but I’ll send it right away—”

“Oh, there’s no need for that. We brought all of this back because we’re returning it.”

“…Excuse me? Returning it?”

Evan doubted his own ears.

But Harry’s next words were shocking.

“Yes, the Duchess collapsed immediately after tasting this tea.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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