Chapter 3

Friday night came. It was the same restaurant and the same private room.

The only difference was that Shane had brought someone with him this time.

He was a stocky man in his fifties with a thick gold chain around his neck and a face mapped with smile lines.

Shane quickly introduced him. "Bro, this is Mr. Warthorn. He's a major investor. He's interested in our project."

Samuel narrowed his eyes as he looked me up and down before nodding. "Mr. Cameron, I've heard a lot about you. Shane has had nothing but good things to say. You're quite the man."

I smiled and shook his hand without being overly deferential.

"You're too kind, Mr. Warthorn."

After a few rounds of drinks and some small talk, Shane suddenly changed the subject. He pulled out a stack of papers from his bag and pushed them toward me. "Bro, there's only one reason I asked you here tonight.

"Let's work on this project together. I'll lead the project, you'll provide the manpower, and we'll split the equity fifty-fifty.

"I've already drawn up the contract. Sign it today and we can start work tomorrow."

Samuel chimed in. "Mr. Cameron, this project is a gold mine. Plenty of people want a piece of it, but they don't have the connections.

"You're Shane's friend, so I'm giving you this opportunity."

The two of them worked together, pressuring me from every angle to sign on the spot.

I didn't rush to respond. I picked up my glass, took a slow sip, and said, "I'll look at the contract first."

Shane looked a little annoyed before he immediately forced another smile. "What is there to look at? We're friends. Do you really think I'd screw you over?

"Come on, sign it. Opportunities like this don't come again."

I ignored him. I picked up the stack of contracts and slowly flipped through them from beginning to end.

The first two pages were beautifully written. There were terms like joint venture, a win-win situation, and friends united as one. Everything seemed reassuring.

Once I reached the third page, my gaze turned cold.

The third page stated everything in plain black and white.

[Party B, Isaac Cameron, agrees to acquire all equity in Party A, Shane Lawson's company, and assume full liability for all of the company's debts.]

[This includes, but is not limited to, outstanding construction payments, unpaid workers' wages, material costs, external loans, and interest.]

[Upon completion of the equity transfer, Party B, Isaac Cameron, will become the company's legal representative.]

I stared at those lines as the blood slowly rushed to my head.

This wasn't a partnership at all.

They were trying to make me the legal representative and dump all the debt on me.

I kept my expression neutral. I gently closed the contract, looked up, and smiled. "This contract is pretty thorough. I'll take it home and study it carefully. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

Shane panicked. "What is there to study? It's a great opportunity. We have to decide tonight!"

Samuel also applied pressure from the side. His expression turned dark. "Mr. Cameron, the biggest taboo in business is hesitation.

"Everyone is fighting for a piece of this project. If you don't sign, I'll have to give it to someone else."

I smiled and gently placed the contract back on the table. "Mr. Warthorn, that's a bit much.

"When it comes to something involving money, I have to read everything carefully before signing. That's how I show respect for you."

I spoke slowly, but my tone was steady. Shane and Samuel exchanged a glance. In the end, neither of them dared to push me any harder.

Before leaving, I quietly took photos of every page of the contract with my phone.

When I got home, I spent the entire night digging deeper into Shane's background. Everything lined up.

The debt assumption and change of legal representative on the third page were specifically designed to dump the unfinished project's debts onto me, and Samuel wasn't an investor at all. He was Shane's creditor.

He was a loan shark.

Shane owed Samuel over 300 grand and had been driven into a corner. That was why he'd come up with this scheme.

He planned to dump the company on me, collect whatever money he could, and run.

I discovered that Shane had already bought a ticket to leave town.

I stared at the screenshot of the ticket for a long time. Whatever was holding me back snapped right then and there.

Early the next morning, I organized all the evidence and called Shane.

"Shane, let's meet tomorrow afternoon at the same place. I'll sign the contract."

There was a brief silence on the other end. Shane then burst into laughter. "Bud, I knew you'd come around eventually! Don't worry. Stick with me and you'll be living the good life!"

I hung up. My gaze was ice-cold.

'Sign the contract?' I thought.

I was going there to slam that contract right back in Shane's face.