Rino stepped out of his room, walking down the pathway that led to Josh's chamber.
In his mind, he still thought about the trades he had just executed as he walked with a slow, collected pace—until his eyes set on him.
Madling?
Having reached Josh's chamber door, he saw Madling standing before it, his arms crossed beneath the T-shirt he wore. As usual, his eyes were unreadable, always casting trust but the reality of his being was beyond trust.
His presence was totally... unexpected.
Rino paused a few feet behind him, but didn't call on him.
What was he doing here?
What business could he possibly have with my brother?
The questions couldn't solve themselves as Rino was sure that, if things were going as they were in his former life timeline, Madling shouldn't have been a character at the moment.
He joined the Carter Group, but that was six months after their current month.
Or, did things also change because this is a new timeline?
He was still in thought when Madling, who had turned in his direction gave a slight bow to him. Then, without a word, he slid the door open to let Rino in.
Entering the chamber, Rino made his way to Josh's sitting room.
That was the correct place Josh could be waiting for him at the moment as per courtesy's demands.
In his sitting room, Josh sat comfortably on his couch behind an average glass desk that was sitting between the array of cushions in the room.
In his hands, he held a glass of amber liquid, sipping it momentarily.
Seeing Rino, he dropped the glass cup on the table in front and offered that Rino should make himself comfortable on the seat.
"You've finally come," Josh said, motioning his hands toward the seat in front of Rino.
"Of course, I should come," Rino replied, reclining into the plush leather cushion. "You're still my elder brother, so, I should pay heed to your call. Don't you think?"
Rino asked, putting up a smile.
Josh smirked, leaning forward, his expression changing to seriousness just as expected by Rino.
If only you were fun to be with, tsk.
With his fingers crossed between each other, Josh got straight to the point of why he called Rino.
"I called to remind you that you will soon be back to school," Josh said.
"Excuse me?"
"You're well aware of that, so don't act in pretense," Josh claimed.
However, Rino didn't respond further. He leaned forward, reaching his hand over to the jug which contained the amber juice liquid, and collecting a tumbler from the tray on which they were set.
"You should have at least served me something to drink before the matter," Rino said calmly. "I'm still your visitor."
But that didn't bother Josh. He remained adamant about the point he was trying to make.
"You know the contract signed between the school will be ending after this academic session, and you need money to resume the next session," Josh explained.
What? The contract?
Immediately, memories of what the contract Josh talked about surfaced in Rino's mind.
The agreement was between his family, and Ratzh University of Science and Technology (RUST). The best university in the whole of Esme.
According to the contract, it stated that Rino was allowed the total remaining days of his current semester to recover fully from his accident and resume the next session, with his classmates.
The contract was signed while he was in the hospital bed, some days after being absent from school due to his accident.
But what baffled him the most was that he wasn't even mandated to take the semester exams that were supposed to cover up for his promotion to the next level at school.
He was currently in his 300 level as a Computer Science student and had one more year to complete this course. And even without the exams they were mandated to take, to help place them for their I.T. training, he was just allowed to jump into the final level, just like that.
Nice.
However, the school didn't reach the agreement easily.
They had cross-checked Rino's academic performance and thought he was also going to make the exam since he remained unbeaten as the best student in his department.
But that was not the only determinant.
Cash was involved.
And this cash was pulled out from Rino's account as well.
Having paid the lump sum to the school, kind of buying over his promotion and even, taking care of his hospital bills.
Yes, the time he spent in the hospital was made possible because he had made some savings from the tokens his father showered him while he was still alive.
And since his father was dead, other family members wished him dead too.
Thanks to Ribby, he knew of his bank savings account and had access to it. So, it was possible to take care of Rino's medication since the savings he had was luckily enough.
But, after that, Rino decided to cut off all ties he had with any bank that operated like in medieval times.
And that was how he got his digital wallet, SimCoin Wallet.
So, Josh was not wrong in asking him to prepare enough money to resume school, since everyone knew there was no cash in his bank account.
Rino leaned back, brows furrowed. "I did say you bit around the bush, Josh. What are you getting at exactly?"
Josh stood and paced to the window, swirling the tumbler in his hand.
"Now, you've asked questions like the smart child you are," he said, sipping some liquids. "You don't have money to cover your resumption expenses, do you?"
"I see where this is getting at," Rino said. "But I did like you to correct the impression that I'm still a child. Eighteen years of age is not an easy feat anyway."
"Let's get serious, Rino. No time to joke around."
"More like you."
Josh turned towards Rino, pointing at the sealed envelope at the center of the table.
"You are brilliant, Rino and should complete your education. But, brilliance without capital is like a ship without wind. That's why I'm offering you this opportunity."
Rino collected the envelope from the table and unsealed it. After which, he read through the contents of what was contained in the paper.
Having read through the content, he picked up the pen that was placed beside the envelope, and watched the dirty smile that spread on Josh's chin...then hesitated.
"Go on, sign the contract," Josh encouraged.
Rino opened the paper he had folded once again, and read carefully.
"So this is what this clause states," he said, glancing at a particular point on the paper.
"After the $150 million has been deposited into the other party's account, he ceases to be the owner of Silverstream Resort."
"It's good you can read, Rino," Josh cleared his throat, coming over the table. "I prepared the document so that you could hand me over one of your properties as a means of getting funds for school."
"This is my special assistance as a brother to you, since, no other investor will be willing to invest in a falling company."
"I will wire $150 million into your account in exchange for the rights to ownership over the account. You will have education, freedom and money."
Rino's gaze fell to the paper as he dropped it gently on the table, the pen still in his grip.
He remained silent for a moment, holding up the pen for Josh to observe too.
"They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, right?" Rino asked.
Josh chuckled.
"I'm asking because I've been curious. If the pen and the sword can be wielded by the same person, why then is the pen mightier? Don't the might of the pen or the sword depend on who wields any of them?"
Josh dropped the tumbler he held in his hands, and folded them, leaning back to the softness of the cushion.
"You should know the answer already, so, can I say this question is rhetorical?" Josh replied.
Rino smiled and looked at the contract paper one more time.
"No."
Josh blinked. "No?"
"This contract is a leash, dressed as a lifeline. So, I've failed to acknowledge it exists."
Josh's brow furrowed. "Is that your way of declining this special assistance offer?"
Rino shook his head, affirming that Josh was right. He had declined the offer.
"Rino, you still remember what happens when the duck decides to play with the cat right?" Josh asked.
"You mean the movie? Was there a meaning beyond that? It's just a fiction, you know? And I was just a child when I watched the movie."
Josh opened his mouth to talk but Rino interrupted him.
"But, what if this contract is modified according to my terms and conditions?" Rino inquired.
Josh raised a brow, intrigued. "What terms and conditions?"
"Instead of offering money as assistance, let's make a different deal."
Rino had been thinking about how best to modify the contract after reading what it contained.
He knew the possibility of Josh falling for this new modification was still high, so, decided to give it a shot.
And since the Resort's booming time was around the corner, having a shareholder from Carter Group invest in it was going to boost its credibility for the public to trust its services.
"You can stake 20% of your Pharmaceutical shares to me, in return, I will hand over Silverstream Resort temporarily to you, and we will have two months of gambling."
"What do you mean?" Josh asked.
"We are reaching the end of this month tomorrow, so, the bet starts counting from July. If at the end of August, Silverstream Resort booms—"
Josh's eyes widened, he hoped Rino was about to say what he wished for.
Rino, on his part, knew what he was doing. For Josh to seek the Resort, it only meant one thing—Josh had somehow become aware that the Resort was going to start booming by the end of August.
So, he hoped Josh had not turned smart enough to understand he was setting a trap.
"If the Resort booms, I will lose both the company and the 20% shares. But if it doesn't, the reverse will become the case," Rino clarified.
"That's a smart decision to make," Josh confirmed. "I will get the documents prepared right away so that you can input your signature."
Rino sat and watched while Josh rushed his phone out of his pocket, calling his lawyer to prepare the document as soon as possible, affecting the necessary changes.
He had gotten what he wanted. Josh had jumped at the offer without a second thought.
Greed.
Those who are blinded by greed can't differentiate between prey and bait.
They set their crisis.
A knock came at the door as Rino was busy meditating.
A young man opened it after Josh had approved him to come in, with another sealed envelope in his hands.
It was the modified contract.
When the document was placed before Rino, he read through it again to be sure his changes had been affected accurately, but before he signed, he turned to Josh.
"And, I've thought about what will happen if the duck decides to play with the cat," Rino said, twirling the pen in his hands.
"But..." Rino smiled. "What if the supposed cat becomes the duck, while the duck becomes the cat?"
Josh got confused, "What are you getting at?"
Rino tapped the pen on the paper and signed appropriately.
"Nothing special, I was just thinking," he said and stood up to leave. "I'll be taking my leave now."
As he made his way to the door, the system's voice chimed in his mind.
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«↓ 3¡3 Goal Achieved ↑»
«↓ 3¡3: Find and Invest in any thriving Company | Completed ↑»
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Woah, that was unexpected.