Chapter 80 Persuasion

Curtis adjusted his sitting posture and looked at Barry. He understood all too well what went on in the mind of a gambler. Paying off the debt today made them believe they could turn things around tomorrow. If they won, they would feel that there were many more chances of winning. If they lost, they believed that they could turn the tide in their favor tomorrow. In any case, they believed they could conquer anything, that they were invincible and capable of overcoming any obstacle. Dealing with a gambler like Barry required more than just external intervention. Without Barry's own internal resolve to change, no external assistance could extract him from this predicament. Curtis calmly looked at Barry and said, "What I mean is, the money for your grandpa's medical treatment came from me. Sabrina probably didn't mention this to you. But if we sell this house now, the 100,000 dollars will be your last asset. If you lose it all, you need to consider what will happen to your sister, where she will live, and how it will affect our marriage." This statement made Barry's resolve waver. He had ended up on this path unintentionally, and he never wanted to see his family lead a miserable life. After all, his initial goal was to provide a better life for them. "I work at a tech company. I have a decent salary, and my year-end bonuses are substantial. But I have my pride to take care of. If my wife's family becomes involved in such a scandal, I'll probably divorce her and reclaim all the assets I had given her. I believe you understand what I'm referring to." Curtis was referring to the 100,000 dollars that he had given Sabrina for her grandpa's treatment. Barry was currently burdened with the 100,000-dollar interest he still owed. How could he afford to pay Curtis another 100,000 dollars? Barry grew anxious. If Sabrina and Curtis divorced, Sabrina would be left with a significant debt to bear. Seeing the conflict in Barry's eyes, Curtis was satisfied to know his plan was working, and Barry wasn't a completely lost case. "Which is why I'm asking you, do you think 100,000 dollars is enough?" Of course, it was far from enough, especially since Barry still held hopes of turning his luck around. If he could win back the initial 100,000 dollars, his sister's marriage would be saved. "What exactly are you trying to tell me? If I don't pay off the loan sharks today, the amount will double tomorrow." Curtis was well aware of how loan sharks functioned. "Of course, I understand that I can offer you the house in exchange for 100,000 dollars. You can't use it to gamble, because if you do, Sabrina's future will be ruined. However, if you use the money to repay your debts, then you won't have any capital left to gamble and possibly turn the tide in your favor." Barry hadn't considered this, and he looked at Curtis, expecting him to say more. "Earning money at the gambling table is quite foolish. You may win today, but you'll likely lose it all tomorrow. Moreover, think about this: if you keep winning, what will others think of you?" "They will certainly think I'm cheating and will do everything to make me lose everything." At that moment, Barry's mind became exceptionally clear. He was no longer as foggy-headed as he had been about the Ada discussion earlier. Curtis nodded in agreement, "You're right. Making money quickly can be done with money, but you don't have the initial capital. If you had the capital, you could figure out ways to make more money." That made sense and all, but then came the million-dollar question: How does one make money work for you if they don't have an initial capital? Curtis continued, "I'll loan you 100,000 dollars, and you can use it to repay your debt. Additionally, I'll give you an extra 40,000 dollars." Barry was shocked by Curtis's offer. "But there are conditions for the extra 40,000 dollars," Curtis said. "I heard you studied Computer Science. Coincidentally, there's a company working on a game targeted at the female demographic. If it succeeds, the market potential is enormous. However, if it fails, it's a dead end." Barry was a little confused by the offer. "Are you asking me to take this 40,000 dollars and apply for a job there? Or are you asking me to invest in the game? But then, how would I be putting my skills to use?" "This company has done some research and found that there are very few games in the market that are targeted at female groups. The original intention of this game is to cater to a wider female group. If it is a success, the pioneers will be rolling in money. The only thing missing right now is investor money and a reliable programmer,” Curtis explained. After processing this information, Barry began to comprehend the offer. "So, you want me to invest this 40,000 and get involved as an employee to make this game successful and take it public, is that what you mean?" Curtis nodded. "I've reviewed your profile. After your sister got into university, you managed to enter yourself and earned a full scholarship with substantial annual awards. You used the money from the scholarship to create a game that you later sold for 600,00 dollars to a game company. Would you like to know what happened to that company?" Barry had only created that game on a whim, and he hadn't considered its long-term prospects, so he was unaware of the game company's current status. "That company used your game as a foundation and developed more diversified games. It's now a leading player in the gaming market." This revelation left Barry speechless. What had been a simple game he'd created on a whim had turned into something of such tremendous value. "The game you created may have been somewhat rudimentary because you lacked the funds. But now, with sufficient capital and a solid platform, I believe the games you create can surpass your previous work," Curtis said, acknowledging Barry's skills. "Moreover, this platform is nearly ready, so you don't need to worry about the initial investment. Your primary concern will be how to make the game a success. By entering the company as a technical partner. When the game has been successfully developed, you won't have to worry about the branding, packaging, and advertising stuff. Your job will be to invest, sit back, and await the returns."