Sweet like Wine: Love Your Dimples Even More-Chapter 109 - 60: Saying It Is the Same as Saying Nothing

Gordon Sterling glanced at Artie Vaughn. Why did this girl still irk him as much as the first time they met?

Why so skinny yet so proud?

Who gave her this confidence?

Leo Vaughn spoke up before his partner could lose his temper: "Mr. Sterling, if you think we’ve done anything wrong, please don’t hesitate to enlighten us."

The humble attitude of the Nation’s Gentleman was what Gordon Sterling liked.

Gordo, the iron-willed straight-shooter, decided with magnanimity not to stoop to the level of a girl like Artie Vaughn, who seemed to have her brain cells misplaced: "On the contrary. You’ve done a fantastic job."

Artie Vaughn also glanced at Gordon Sterling, not turning her head, just moving her eyes, sending The Pouting Siren’s unseen eye-roll to Gordo.

What does it mean by ’done a fantastic job’?

Is there a distillery that dislikes selling too much of its spirits?

But Artie Vaughn was a well-mannered girl.

Knowing her brother had just covered for her, she refrained from adding fuel to the fire.

Why so chubby and still so haughty?

Courage from fat?

The Whiskey and Brandy represented by Winters Spirits are mostly under the Pernod Ricard Group. Pernod Ricard is only the second-largest spirits group worldwide, with a gap in size compared to The Diageo Group, which acquired Port Aelen Distillery.

Gordon Sterling began to offer his opinion: "Yet you’ve managed to make Pernod Ricard’s foreign spirits market share in Celestar number one, far exceeding the market share of various brands under the Diageo Group. It would be more surprising if they weren’t concerned."

Leo Vaughn, knowing there was more Gordon Sterling wanted to say, gave him a look that said "please continue."

"You, as a new wave drowning the old guard, are now approaching them saying, come on, let’s ride the wave together. If you were the old guard, how would you feel?"

Originally defiant, Artie Vaughn suddenly found herself convinced after listening to Gordon Sterling.

The reason she was convinced was that she didn’t understand what Gordon Sterling was saying at all.

That sense of awe without understanding was exactly how Artie Vaughn looked at that moment.

"No wonder, despite me offering such great terms, their marketing manager was hesitant. Are they perhaps considering another option? Or do they think they can find a better agency in The Greater Sinian Region than Winters Spirits?"

"Indeed, that’s exactly what they think, and in fact, they already have," Gordon Sterling said, pausing multiple times.

Leo Vaughn quickly grasped the subtext of Gordon Sterling’s words: "Mr. Sterling, do you perhaps know some insider information?"

"Yes, but I don’t intend to tell you that Port Aelen’s preferred distributor for The Greater Sinian Region is Lowe-Fairmont Tipples Fashionable Spirits Co., Ltd." Although claiming not to tell, Gordon Sterling ended up laying bare Port Aelen’s plans.

The Pouting Siren, who just moments ago was in a state of awe without understanding, now understood Gordon Sterling’s words and was even angrier.

What is this?

Stealing clients?

Unfair competition?

Just as Artie Vaughn was about to speak, her brother reacted in the opposite way: "Thank you, Mr. Sterling."

Thank... thank you? Why thank? What is there to thank?

Artie Vaughn glanced at Leo Vaughn, realizing her brother wasn’t joking, and suppressed her initial thoughts just a second before she was about to lose her temper, sliding back into a state of awe without understanding.

"You’re welcome. We’ll give them a little time, and see what terms they bring to the table."

"Thanks again. This way, Winters Spirits doesn’t need to establish a new agency to deal with the issues of competition law."

Winters Spirits actively sought to represent Port Aelen Distillery’s new spirits, which means the conditions might now be set by the other party.

Lowe-Fairmont Tipples took a stance of keeping an ambiguous distance with Port Aelen Distillery.

When setting terms, the leverage would have to switch.

This way, it would allow for negotiating more advantageous terms and policies for the agency.

Essentially, it’s the difference between a buyer’s market and a seller’s market.

Lowe-Fairmont Tipples Fashionable Spirits Co., Ltd. looks like an agency primarily marketing strong spirits, but in reality, it’s genuinely a "distillery" and has never worked as a spirits agent even for a second.

Even though saying this might not convince many, the soul of Lowe-Fairmont Tipples has always been in the art of distilling.

Leo Vaughn has collaborated with Gordon Sterling for five years, clearly understanding what Gordon Sterling is thinking.

He knows Gordon Sterling has yet to finalize cooperation with Port Aelen and also knows that eventually, Gordon Sterling will close a deal with Port Aelen, prioritizing securing as many favorable agency terms as possible.