At that point, the confused Hazel looked at him in trepidation, and wondered why he doubted her. Meanwhile, the excited Alfred ignored the fear on her face, and proceeded with the next question, “Now, tell me, what did you use to make your perfume that made it different from mine?”
Alfred's recovery of his organ of smell was the best thing that could happen to him. Before he met the dogged perfumery, he had contacted many rhinologists in, and outside, the United States of America, but they had not lived up to their professions. At a point, he gave up on his quest for a cure, and resorted to his fate. Then, in reply to his question, Hazel smiled with a sense of accomplishment, and said, “That is my secret.”
Nevertheless, she fixed her gaze into his eyes, and waited for his next question. As she expected, the desperate CEO asked, “How did you learn your perfumery skills?”
Now, she gave an honest answer which was void of her business tricks, “I am partly from a French linage. My mother is from France, and a Seasoned Perfumer, and her father was an old Indian Herbal Doctor.”
Nevertheless, the overbearing billionaire, found Hazel's visit useful for his health, and business as well. So, he pressed on, hoping to get a clue to her business secrets.
“That is good. Are you saying that you learned your dexterity with fragrance from your grandfather and mother?”
“You are right, Mr. Walter.”
Now, she picked up the bottle of the fragrance which he had dropped on the center table, fastened the cork, and attempted to put it back into her purse. Meanwhile, Alfred felt that she was about to leave, and decided to keep her longer by engaging her with another question.
“Miss Martin, can you tell me more about your product?”
Now, his question had raised Hazel's sense of worth, so, she dropped the bottle back on the center table. Thereafter, she adjusted her sitting position by resting her back on the chair, and explained, “What I have in the bottle is the result of my numerous experiments with different organic plants. It has the capability of treating nasal, and sinus disorder faster than you can imagine.”
She paused, and looked at the haughty Chief Executive Officer, and observed that he had come down from his high horse. Then he picked up the bottle of the fragrance, admired it again, and exclaimed, “Wow! How come I am just hearing this?”
She ignored his question, smiled, and continued with her explanation, “You may wish to know that the signs of the disorder may still be there because the healing process is gradual. But, with time, the ailment will disappear completely.”
Meanwhile, Alfred, had classified her as someone with a low intelligent quotient, and concluded that he could trick her into divulging her secret. Likewise, he sat forward in his chair, and cunningly asked, “Do you mind if I volunteer to contribute to the expansion of your business by supplying you with the organic plants for your production? Just mention their names, and I will supply them.”
Then, Hazel, who was smarter than he could imagine, declined politely, “That is very thoughtful of you, Mr. Walter, but never mind with the supply. I will be fine.”
Now, the defeated, and disappointed business mogul, who would not give up, pressed further by trying to make an offer which he felt that she would not resist, “Do you mind if I offer you a job in my organization? I am certain that my father would not mind employing you, even though you have little or no qualification.”
“Well, Mr. Walter, thank you for the offer, but I am afraid to disappoint you. I don't wish to be employed by your organization.”
Now, Alfred was gob smacked at her refusal. Every youth in any part of the Bahamas, especially in Nassau, would have jumped up at the offer. He was surprised to see that she turned down his offer.
'Who does she think she is?' He thought, but kept his expression unreadable. Then he presented another proposal which was his last option to her, “I see. What if I give you the opportunity to be my partner? I know you would be glad to ride on my coattail by using my brand to boost your micro business.”
Now, Hazel, understood what he was up to, and politely turned his offer down, “That is impressive, and I must commend your business acumen, but to me, it is no,” she said with finality. Meanwhile, Alfred was beginning to find her presence nauseating because he could not imagine that he could spare a minute out of his time for such a low-class, and ugly woman. However, to send her on her way, he asked a question in a harsh tone which he believed would make her to leave faster than a lightening. “So, why did you take the risk to see me? What do you want?”
Now, the die had been cast. Then, she gave Alfred a cynical look, and made the request that he thought was only heard in fairy tales or romantic movies.
“Be my husband, Alfred,” she demanded fearlessly, and fixed her gaze on him.
Although, she had made her request before, but, the bewildered Alfred, just heard it. He looked around the empty VVIP Lounge to ensure that no one was within earshot before he glared at the composed girl, and asked, “What did you just say?”
With her eyes confidently fixed on him, she repeated, “Marry me, and you will never regret that you did.”
Now, the young CEO laughed softly, and sized her up, before he asked, “What made you think that you are qualified to be my wife?”
His question, and the bitter look on his face, deflated Hazel's confidence, and she looked down in shame. After a while, she put herself together, and spoke, “Well, you should count yourself lucky to have such an opportunity at your disposal because I don't lack suitors. I just escaped from a good number of them, which my stepmother arranged for me.”
Now, the ridges on Alfred's forehead multiplied, and he furrowed it. Then, Hazel, who just realized the gravity of her request, reprimanded herself, “I hope I have not overstepped my bounds?”
Likewise, Alfred sneered, and reminded her, “You have not answered my question.”
“Oh! Kindly pardon me. I was motivated by the survival teachings which my mother gave to me, before her death. In her teaching, she said if I must succeed in the Martin's family, I must keep my survival secrets within my limits, and make myself as scarce as possible. I tried as much as I could to live up to my mother's teaching, but I was thrown out by the Martin's family today. They maligned, and disparaged me, which vilified me at last.”
Although, she had veered away from Alfred's question, but her unsolicited information captured his interest. When she was convinced that she was not bothering him with her story, she continued, “Due to my dented reputation, my school sent me away. They gave my father, Sir Benjamin Martin, a negative impression of me, and he hated me more than he used to. Not only that, my stepmother, Lady Michelle Martin, dug up my late mother's grave, and gave my precious dog a harsh treatment. Afterward, she anesthetized me, and forced me to a bar, where she invited more than a dozen men, to use me as the object of their pleasure…”
Now, Hazel's voice was husky, and she clenched her left fist hard in anxiety, which left her nails enclosed in her palm due to pressure. She fought hard to abate the tears which had gathered in her eyes, and continued. “… Thank goodness, I was able to escape thereafter.”
Hazel could still remember the evil intent of those dirty looking men, who wanted to hold her with their irritating hands.
'What an unpleasant experience!' She mumbled when she remembered the ugly incident at the Hilltop Bar. If not for the timely arrival of Alfred and his men, who came around, and forced all the guests to leave, it would have been impossible for her to escape from the hands of those voracious wolves.