Chereads / Sapphire Noblesse Oblige / Chapter 21 - Queen Of Commerce

Chapter 21 - Queen Of Commerce

Too much on my mind. Stupid ex-husband! Why did he have to do this to me? Ugh, I'm so tired of thinking about him. Wait, who's knocking? Oh, it's the Duke's representative. I hope the Duke isn't like the rest of the nobility I've met. I'll just wait here, I'm too busy to go out and greet him.

Finally, the Duke comes in, and I can't help but feel nervous. I know this is going to be a tricky meeting. What does he want from me? What's his angle? I wish I could just focus on what he's saying, but my mind keeps wandering back to my ex-husband. How could he just leave us like that?

The Duke seems polite enough, but I can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something. Why won't he just get to the point? I have so much to do, and I don't have time for this. I'm tired of dealing with nobility who only care about their own power.

The Duke's representative began, "Good morning, Lady Lily. I am here on behalf of His Grace, the Duke of Wellington, to discuss a matter of great importance."

Lily replied, "Good morning. Please, do tell me what this matter is."

The Duke, "I have heard of your recent endeavors in the field of luxury retail and I'm most impressed. I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend a symposium on the subject, where you will have the opportunity to present your findings and engage in discourse with other entrepreneurs in the field."

Lily smiled, "I am honored by the invitation, but I must ask, what is your interest in luxury retail? It is not a subject often discussed in the circles of nobility."

The Duke replied, "I am simply a man of many interests, Lady Lily. I believe that the study of luxury retail has much to offer in the fields of economics, marketing, and design. I am eager to learn more about the subject and to promote its study among the nobility."

Lily nodded, "I see. Well, I would be delighted to attend the symposium and share my findings with other entrepreneurs. However, I must ask, what is your stance on the current political climate?"

The Duke hesitated, "I'm afraid I cannot speak on that matter, Lady Lily. I prefer to keep my political views private."

Lily arched an eyebrow, "I see. Well, I must say, I find it curious that a man of such influence should remain silent on matters of such importance. It is my belief that those in positions of power have a responsibility to speak out against injustice and to take action to promote the welfare of the people they serve."

The Duke replied, "I understand your position, Lady Lily, but I must remind you that my primary concern is the promotion of knowledge and entrepreneurship. I believe that the pursuit of knowledge is the key to progress and prosperity."

He is an idiot, Lily thought to herself.

Lily leaned forward, "And yet, knowledge alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by action. It is not enough to simply observe the world and study its workings. We must also strive to make it a better place for all who inhabit it."

The Duke countered, "But what good is action without knowledge? How can we hope to make the world a better place if we do not understand its workings?"

"Lily received the duke's introduction at the embassy and expressed her gratitude for his visit. She then conveyed her concerns regarding the economic state of his country, highlighting the lack of spending by the affluent class, which had resulted in a domino effect that had left the commoners without work or only free labor, leading to a surge in slave labor. Lily had been dispatched by her queen to address these economic issues, and she requested that the duke furnish her with the necessary resources to facilitate this process.

The duke initially tried to argue with Lily, but she remained composed and professional. She explained that she was there to help and that she needed his cooperation. The duke eventually apologized for his rudeness and promised to have the leaders of the merchant guilds visit her by the end of the day. He also agreed to provide her with the resources she needed to address the economic issues.

Lily thanked the duke for his cooperation and declined his invitation to an event, citing her demanding schedule. She promised to delegate a representative to speak on their behalf about their luxury designs."

Finally, the meeting is over, and the Duke leaves. I'm left alone with my thoughts once again. I can't believe how frustrating that was. I have so much to do, and I can't waste any more time on this. I need to focus on what's important and move forward. By the gods, that duke is an imbecile only worried about the finer things in life instead of focusing on the collapsing infrastructure of the government and the failing economics of the country.

"Hello, my name is John and I am the new regional COO," said John, extending his hand to Lily. "I have over 20 years of experience working with large-scale businesses, including several Eurigold companies. My expertise lies in streamlining operations and optimizing processes to maximize efficiency and profitability."

"Nice to meet you, John," said Lily, shaking his hand. "And you?" she asked, turning to the CFO.

"I'm Sarah, the new CFO," said Sarah, extending her hand as well. "I have 15 years of experience in finance, including working for a multinational corporation. My focus is on ensuring financial stability and growth for the company."

"Great to have you both on board," said Lily. "I'm excited to see what we can achieve together. Let's get started by reviewing the current financial reports and identifying areas for improvement."

John and Sarah nodded in agreement, and the three of them spent the next few hours discussing the company's financials and strategizing ways to increase revenue and reduce costs. By the end of the meeting, they had come up with a comprehensive plan that they were all confident would lead to significant improvements in the company's financial performance.

"Excellent work, John and Sarah," said Lily, smiling. "I'm impressed with your expertise and enthusiasm. Let's put this plan into action and see what we can achieve."

"Before we adjourn this meeting, I have an announcement to make," said Lily. "As some of you may know, I recently went through a divorce from my husband. As a result, I've decided to change the name of the corporation to Noblesse Oblige."

John and Sarah exchanged surprised looks, but remained silent as Lily continued.

"I chose this name because it represents the idea that those who are privileged have a moral obligation to help those who are less fortunate," said Lily. "It's a reminder to all of us that we have a responsibility to use our resources and expertise to make a positive impact on the world."

John and Sarah nodded in agreement, impressed by Lily's commitment to social responsibility.

"I'm proud to be a part of this company, and I'm excited to see how we can continue to make a difference," said John.

"Me too," said Sarah. "It's inspiring to work for a company that values more than just profits."

"Thank you both for your support," said Lily. "Now, let's get to work and make Noblesse Oblige the best it can be."

After leaving the embassy, Lily, John, and Sarah headed to the first location on their list. As they walked into the store, Lily introduced herself to the store manager and employees, and asked about their experiences working for the company.

"I'm Lily, the CEO of Noblesse Oblige," said Lily, extending her hand to the store manager. "I wanted to stop by and introduce myself, and hear how things are going here."

The store manager, a woman named Maria, shook Lily's hand and smiled. "It's an honor to meet you, Lily," she said. "Things are going well here. We've been busy with the new product launch, and sales have been strong."

"That's great to hear," said Lily. "And how about your team? Are they enjoying their work?"

Maria nodded. "Yes, they are. We have a great group of employees here, and they're all very committed to providing excellent customer service."

Lily smiled. "That's wonderful to hear. Please let me know if there's anything we can do to support you and your team."

After spending a few minutes chatting with Maria and the other employees, Lily, John, and Sarah headed to the next location on their list. They repeated this process at every store they visited, taking the time to introduce themselves to each store manager and employee, and learn more about the day-to-day operations of the business.

By the end of the day, Lily was exhausted but also energized by the experience. She felt a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the company, and was grateful for the opportunity to connect with her employees in such a meaningful way.

As Lily walked away from the group, she couldn't help but think about the bigger picture. She knew that her company was doing ok, but it wasn't enough to simply be doing well compared to the competition. In Lily's mind, true success meant making a positive impact on the world, and helping to create a better future for everyone.

"None of these people know or understand what success is," she thought to herself. "If we're just doing as well as the competition, then we're failing. We need to be doing better, and we need to be doing more."

Lily was determined to bring about a golden age for her company, and for the country as a whole. She knew that she had the skills and expertise to make a real difference, and she was eager to put them to use.

"I'm going to show the world what true success really looks like,I'm going to show him!" she thought, a smile spreading across her face. "And my employees, and everyone else, will be a part of it."