Dear Patrick Storm,
Brother, no matter how many letters you send me, my feelings on this matter will not change.
I do not need your help. I will never give Therese to you. I will make sure to return all the money that you’ve lent to me over the years. It is impossible for me right now, but I will make sure to do it, even if it takes me the rest of my life.
So, please do not send me any more letters. We will solve this as a family, both Therese’s situation and my own.
Up until now, I have always been indebted to you, brother. You have helped me many times. I truly am grateful for that. I owe where I am today to your help, brother. I will never forget that.
However, brother… I can’t forgive you for trying to take Therese away when I was away from home. Since then, she hasn’t eaten any food, and has been crying in her room all this time.
I know that you took this action for Therese’s sake.
Therefore, I will not hate you for what you’ve done. I am sure that you consider your ideas to be a kindness.
That being said, brother, allow me to be blunt.
It is none of your business.
We will solve our own problems as a family.
Neither Therese’s guilt or remorse have anything to do with you, brother. It is something for us to bear on our own. So, please accept that this is the current situation.
I will manage both my current work and the debts I owe by myself. I will also be leaving this home in the near future, so I will not be receiving anymore of your letters. I will make sure to send the money I owe you through a middle man.
Never involve yourself with our daughter ever again.
Up until now, I have been in your care, brother. So, I am very sorry that things have come to this.
I won’t ask you to forgive this heartless brother of yours.
However, in the future, I sincerely hope that you will someday find happiness, brother.
Philip Neumann
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To my friend, Philip Neumann,
Hey, what was with that letter the other day?
Closing down your business, attaching some money, telling me about finding some new job and then just telling me to take care of your place? What is going on?
You do know I’m not some sort of massive operation, right? Even if we’re friends, you could’ve been at least a little more reserved about all this? This is why I can’t stand nobles.
God damn it. After all, you couldn’t give up on Therese, huh? I heard you even cut off connections with your own brother. Just what do you plan on doing for money?
I’m sorry I cut you off so suddenly before as well. I’m regretting it. But, you had to understand just what kind of position I was in, right?
If you ask me, I’ll lend you some money. But, it won’t be me as a friend lending it, it would be the Joachim Kean Company.
Don’t deal with merchants naively. We’re always after profit, after all.
First, we’ll discuss interest rates. Then we can talk about just what you plan on doing in the future.
Don’t quit your work. You’re the only one with such a talented ear around here, if you just change up your practice a little but I am certain you’ll turn a tidy profit. Use this loan as the first rung on the ladder to starting again.
Then, we will definitely display the products that you recommend at my store. Of course, labelling them with ‘Neumann’ is completely out. We’ll find you a proper pseudonym to use.
Of course, we’ll have a chat about contracts as well. If I leave you to handle clients on your own again, you’ll stay destitute. Whenever you find someone, make sure to let me handle the negotiations. You’ll make money, so I won’t let you object.
If you don’t meet these conditions, I can’t lend you money or offer you a place to live.
Make sure to get back to me soon. We don’t want the Storm family to find out about this, do we? When you flee in the night, make sure not to leave a trail.
Your friend,
Joachim Kean
P.S.
To be honest, I’m still a little pissed.
I don’t want to bad mouth your brother too much, but… From the outside looking in, I always felt like you were the one getting lowballed.
I’m sure that, right now, you’re feeling responsible for everything. It must be tough to go from nobility to this, I’m sure.
But, anyway, make sure to reply to me quickly. We’re gonna be busy from now on.