Chapter 3 The Wager

• All happiness and beauty stem from material wealth.
• Simply put, material wealth was all about money!
• No matter how heartbreaking it was to divorce Josephine, Maverick ultimately had to consider his future.
• To make Josephine change her mind, he had to show her his changes first.
• Being broke and even in debt wouldn't lead to any happiness.
• He had to find a way to make money!
• It was only at this moment that Maverick noticed the car accident in the distance.
• The kind-hearted driver was not at the scene. Upon inquiry, there were no casualties, which allowed Maverick to breathe a sigh of relief.
• The driver must have remembered what he said after the accident, which allowed him to save his life.
• This also confirmed that his predictions about the future were accurate!
• Maverick didn't care how he got the ability to “predict the future.” what he wanted most now was to use this ability to make money quickly, pay off his debts, and prevent Josephine from being affected.
• Just as he was thinking about his debts, his phone rang.
• He checked it and saw “Howard Finance” on the caller ID, his creditor for the hefty eight hundred and twenty thousand loan.
• “Maverick, you have three days left. Have you prepared the money?” Howard's voice came from the other end.
• “Mr. Lemmon, I'm preparing it now. Please give me a few more days,” Maverick said.
• “Mave, you know, we're just trying to make a living, and I'm not asking for high interest from you. Isn't it tough for everyone nowadays?”
• Howard feigned a sigh. “You've been dragging this on for almost a month now, and now there are only three days left of the time you promised. You can't expect me to cover for you, can you?”
• “Give me another week, and I'll find a way to repay the money!” Maverick said firmly.
• “Okay, I'll give you another week. I know you've lost money gambling again and are even going through a divorce, but that's your business. If you don't pay back the money after a week, I'll have to come and collect it myself!”
• Although Howard ran a private lending company, Maverick thought Howard was a decent guy.
• From what he knew, there were several times when Howard's partners wanted to come and collect money from him, but Howard stopped them.
• He must have investigated Maverick, understood his situation, and didn't kick him when he was down.
• It was because of Howard's good reputation that Maverick chose to borrow money from him in the first place.
• Of course, it was also due to the favorable national policies.
• Howard was about to end the call after saying that.
• Just then, Maverick suddenly said, “Hold on a moment, Mr. Lemmon.”
• “Is there something else?”
• Maverick thought for a moment and said, “Five minutes later, someone will come to you for a loan of about five million. They'll say it's to fill the company's funding gap. You better not lend them the money as you might not get it back.”
• “Well, you sure sound convincing. Is this a trap you set up for me?”
• Howard obviously didn't believe him and continued, “Young man, our loans go through thorough investigation and screening. We only release the funds after confirming everything is in order. Do you think I'm useless?”
• “I'm only helping you because you've treated me well. If you trust me, don't lend to him. If you don't, then forget I said anything.” Maverick was too lazy to explain more.
• “Young people these days have quite the temper. Don't you like to gamble? How about we make a bet?” Howard suggested enthusiastically.
• Maverick narrowed his eyes. “What are we betting on?”
• “If you're right I'll knock off a hundred grand from your loan. But if you're wrong, it's as if you've borrowed an extra hundred grand from me. Deal?” Howard proposed.
• Howard wasn't talking about whether someone went to him for a loan but whether the other party had the ability to make him burn his finger.
• In truth, Howard was merely jesting. To him, a hundred thousand was nothing significant, but for Maverick, it was a considerable sum. He was confident that Maverick wouldn't dare to gamble with him.
• “Sure!”
• Unexpectedly, Maverick agreed directly and added, “But I have a condition. If you lose, you have to give me one hundred grand first, and the debt will still be due in a week.”
• As the saying goes, “One cannot make bricks without straw.”
• Even with the ability to foresee the future, it would be pointless without startup capital!
• “Are you sure about this, young man? One hundred thousand is not a small amount for you. Are you sure you've thought this through?” Howard teased.
• Nobody would ever complain about having too much money. If a simple bet could net an extra hundred grand, why wouldn't one be game?
• He had absolute confidence in his company's screening ability.
• “Time's almost up. Are you in?” Maverick asked.
• “Yes!”
• In an office on one of the floors in Millennium Tower, Howard sat leisurely in his chair, with a hint of anticipation on his face.
• Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
• “Come in,” Howard said.
• Two figures entered the room. One was dressed in a suit, donning gold-rimmed glasses, exuding an air of sophistication.
• The other one was the receptionist of his company.
• “Mr. Lemmon, this is Mr. Charles Zink from Oceanic Network. He wants to discuss a loan with you,” the receptionist said.
• Looking at the visitor, Howard was momentarily stunned.
• It wasn't due to Charles' identity, but rather because of Maverick's “prediction.”
• “So soon?” Howard was extremely surprised.
• He had heard of Oceanic Network, which was apparently a very promising company.
• Therefore, when he saw Charles, Howard immediately dismissed the idea that Charles would collude with Maverick to trick him.
• A person of Charles's caliber was completely beyond the reach of a minor figure like Maverick.
• Perhaps... it's just a coincidence?
• “Hello, Mr. Zink.”
• “Hello, Mr. Lemmon.”
• Howard stood up, and the two politely shook hands.
• “Please, have a seat.”
• Howard gestured, then said, “Mr. Zink, are you looking for a loan? I thought Oceanic Network is doing well financially.”
• “Let's get straight to the point. The company indeed has enough money, but we are planning a significant move soon, which has temporarily tied up our funds. So, we're considering borrowing from Mr. Lemmon for the time being,” Charles revealed.
• “How much do you intend to borrow?” Howard poured him a cup of coffee.
• “Five million!”
• Howard's eyelids twitched vigorously when he heard the amount.
• It wasn't just a small difference from what Maverick had said; it was exactly the same!
• Is that kid really a fortune teller? Howard furrowed his brow.
• Charles coming five minutes after Maverick's prediction was one thing, but the loan amount was exactly the same as Maverick had mentioned. How could that be a coincidence?
• “Mr. Lemmon, is there a problem?”
• Thinking that Howard was hesitating, Charles confidently said, “Five million for three months. After three months, we'll return the principal plus interest, totaling six million!”
• Howard's company was a private loan company, but it wasn't a loan shark. One million in interest for three months was already a large sum. If it weren't for Charles saying it himself, Howard wouldn't dare to ask for such a large sum.
• Without a doubt, this was a big client!
• But the more it was like this, the more uneasy Howard felt.
• Looking at Charles' confident appearance, Howard couldn't help but recall Maverick's words again.
• “Mr. Zink, five million is no small figure, and the company isn't solely mine. For such a substantial loan, I'm afraid I'll need to consult with the other executives,” Howard said, taking a sip of his coffee.
• Howard Finance was just a small company. One or two million was okay, but five million was already a large part of the company's operating funds. Even if Charles offered a high interest rate, Howard still had to think carefully.
• “It seems I overestimated your company. Everyone's time is valuable. If you’re in a dilemma, then let's forget it,” Charles said as he stood up and headed out, catching Howard off guard.
• Howard wanted to retain such a big client instinctively, but Maverick's warning kept lingering in his mind.
• Even until Charles disappeared from sight, Howard didn't speak up to stop him.
• “Am I going crazy? How could I believe that kid's nonsense?” Howard cursed, lighting a cigarette.
• In the past, he would have never let such a major client slip away, especially not someone as reputable as Charles. Given the promising prospects of Oceanic Network, it was highly unlikely that they would incur any losses.
• Taking out his phone, Howard called Maverick.
• “You little brat, you actually hit the nail on the head!” Howard gritted his teeth.
• On the other end of the phone, Maverick let out a soft chuckle.
• “It seems you have made the right choice.”
• “That guy was so arrogant, so I couldn't be bothered to keep trying to win his favor,” Howard added.
• “Don't worry, Mr. Lemmon. By tomorrow, we'll know the outcome,” Maverick told him, his eyes gleaming.
• “I hope you're not playing me. The interest he offered is one million for three months!”
• After ending the call, a disgruntled Howard summoned his assistant once again.
• “From now on, pay close attention to Oceanic Network. Report any signs of activity to me immediately!”