About thirty minutes later, the car that went to pick up Mike arrived. It stopped in front of an ordinary-looking building. One probably wouldn't associate it with anything big.
But despite that, Mike trusted his own judgment.
The driver got down to open the car door for him, though Mike wasn't expecting that. But then, the driver had done the same when he was about to enter.
A woman in a sharp office suit was also waiting by the door with a professional smile etched on her face.
"Mr. Micheal Hensley?" She approached.
"That's me."
"Nice to meet you." She reached out her hand for a handshake. "I'm Livia, Mr. James' secretary. I will lead you to his office, please come with me."
Mike nodded.
They took the elevator to the fifth floor, where an office was located.
The secretary knocked, and James' permission came quickly.
"Please go in."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure."
With that, Mike went in.
James was sitting there with a smile. Once he saw him, he quickly stood up. "How was the journey here? It wasn't stressful, was it?"
Sighs.
Why were they treating him as if he were some VIP?
It was a treatment Mike wasn't used to, but he still handled it well.
"No, it wasn't. Thank you."
"Well, how could it be when you're extra careful about his matter?" Mike's attention finally landed on the man whom he had noticed since he entered the room.
The man had such presence that it made him easily noticeable. Bald head with a tattoo whose tail disappeared into his back collar, sharp black suit, and that pair of dark eyes — he looked like someone not to be messed with.
"Mike is my guest, Mr. Simons." James didn't hesitate to stand up for this young man.
Simons scoffed and stood up.
The room went silent as he approached Mike. He was taller, and had this threatening aura. His eyes like a serpent, screaming dangerous.
He eyed Mike. "Are you sure you want to be a volunteer?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, really? Then may I ask... What was it that enticed you? The money? The women? The fame? What?"
Mike met the man's gaze. He could see the latter's thoughts with a glance. His disdain was apparent.
He answered, "None of them."
"Then—"
"It's none of your concern."
"...."
Simons' expression went from scorn to anger, and he grinded his teeth with a dark expression.
Then he turned to James. "He's a feisty one, isn't he?"
Then back to Mike. "I will wish you luck in coming out of that game successfully. You spoiled my plan, Mike? Mike."
With that, he walked out of the room.
A few seconds passed before James finally turned to Mike. "I'm really sorry for that."
"It's okay."
James relaxed. "I'm glad. Please take a seat."
Once seated, James pulled out some documents from his desk. "Here's the Agreement." He handed it over.
"Please go through it. If you have anything that doesn't sit right with you, let me know. And if everything is good, you can sign it and so will I."
Mike nodded and took the flat document. It would probably take some minutes to go through it.
However, he held back his impatience and read through.
There weren't any conditions, but the rewards were many.
For example, if he died, a million dollars would be sent to his next of kin.
"I wished for the money to be given to someone else instead."
"Someone? Who's that? Not your next of kin?" James probed.
"Oh yes, she's a friend. Also, I would like to send a message along. And if anything was to happen to me, I want both of them delivered to her."
Mike explained calmly. He had no living family, or maybe he did, but they probably never remembered him, nor did he remember them.
The only thing he remembered was how he was adopted by a woman when he was 10. That woman showed him love, and treated him like her own.
She was the best mother he could ever ask for.
Unfortunately, life isn't always happy with people. It grinned at some, and fucked up others.
Mike was fucked.
Just when he turned nineteen, ready to go to college, that woman was hit by a drunk truck driver, and sadly lost her life.
It was a day he could never forget. The day he lost someone who was his world.
The world however moved on, he continued working hard, doing several odd jobs to afford living. Fortunately, he was a tech genius, and he even made some popular games that earned him enough to pay for his tuition.
He found a woman that made him happy too. And they were even planning to get married once they were able to get the house of their dreams.
He got a job in one of the biggest tech companies in the world, and his promotion was like a shooting star, even his salary was enormous.
Everything was sweet, and cool.
Until he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
His girlfriend of through 'thick and thin' didn't hesitate to bring a new man home. And even tried guilt-tripping him into handing over his savings.
Why would he?
In fact, when he heard about his death, his first thought was handing over everything to her, but that statement, that scornful gaze as she rode her lover on his bed, brushing her hair aside, that cold voice…
"You're going to die soon anyway, can you bear to see me sad and lonely? Peter is a kind man, he will treat me just as well as you did. So just give us your blessing, and well, your savings so we could live a good life."
Mike could still remember his disbelief of that day. For a moment, he thought he was imagining things.
However, no matter how much he pinched his thigh, or blinked his eyes, the scene was the same.
And no hesitation.
He hated betrayal the most.
So without a second thought, he chased her out, with nothing but her new man and her clothes.
Mike could still remember her words like it happened yesterday. Her angry voice as she stomped her feet on the floor. "You will come to regret it, Mike. You will come to regret treating me this way, you short-lived bastard."