Chapter 20: The Ones Who Loves The Most Are The Ones Who Gets Hurt

Finally, Ryan and Michelle decided to have that very meeting that would bring the Life Selling Company to life.

Ryan wasn’t planning on wasting any more time, as he already had his plans mapped out and was waiting for a sole partner to go with him.

There was no specific reason that ignited his decision to choose Michelle. He only saw her as someone he could possibly trust and who could get the job done.

This was why he had brought up the idea of paying for her bought time through working under him.

Ryan didn’t bring up that idea because he wanted her to pay by all means. He simply did it because he had already developed an interest in her personality.

Same Magnificent Bar, but this time they weren’t meeting as strangers but as people who had gotten to know each other a bit.

It was more like Ryan knowing her and what she had been through. Sure, she might not have told him the reason she attempted suicide, but he knew it was definitely related to her so-called fiancé she was dying to get married to.

Because why would someone who desperately wanted to stay alive, get married, and have children of her own suddenly choose to end her life the next moment?

She was already waiting at that same table before Ryan had arrived, and when she noticed him, she stood up and gave him a proper, polite greeting.

They both sat and began their conversation.

Ryan decided to clear the air before going straight into the main topic. He saw that she was expecting him to inquire about what happened, and it was interesting to him.

"Why?" He then asked.

"Why...? What?" Michelle stared a bit confusedly.

"You know what I’m talking about, Miss Michelle," Ryan glared.

Michelle remained silent for a moment as she exhaled deeply. At first, it felt like she didn’t want to talk about it, but at the same time, it was the other way around.

"I saw him..." She paused and shook her head.

The difficulty was clear, sure, but Ryan was patient.

"I saw him on our bed. There, sleeping with another woman," she finally spoke.

"I couldn’t believe my eyes. I never believed he would ever do that to me. I have always loved him. Always done everything for him."

"I was fuming with anger. I screamed. Wanted to do something crazy. But then..."

She paused and sobbed.

"Then? What...?" Ryan felt that it could be a significant detail inside the story.

"He... He... He hit me. Hit me so hard that I lost consciousness," Michelle continued to sob as she explained.

"When I woke up, I was outside the house, my belongings were lying next to me as well. He..."

"You mean you were sent out of your own house?" Ryan asked.

And Michelle gave a clear, embarrassed nod.

Ryan couldn’t help but chuckle. The whole thing appeared surprisingly funny.

Just a few days ago, she was doing everything in her power to make sure she was with him. She had literally been the one carrying the relationship, and for sure was also the provider.

"How disgusting is it for a man to use a woman who loves him dearly?" He shook his head.

"In the end, it’s always those who love the most that end up getting hurt," he added in a mutter, before finally exhaling.

"It’s fine now. At least you are getting yourself back together, and will definitely live a good life without him," Ryan said.

"You think so?" Michelle hesitated and asked.

"I know so," Ryan smiled.

"Now do me a favour. Give me the exact address of your apartment."

Michelle furrowed her brows, blinking confusedly.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I want it. Nothing else," Ryan responded with a calm look.

The first thought that had crossed Michelle’s mind was that he could be planning to help her avenge what Richard had done, but truly, it seemed like it could only be the case.

However, the man sitting across from her was just a young guy who looked to be in his very early twenties.

She wasn’t thinking he would stand a chance to do such, and the only thing she could think of was that he could call the police on him.

That was the problem for Michelle.

"I don’t want him to be arrested and punished. I want to let him be. Please. You don’t need to get to him, sir," Michelle said, bowing slightly.

"And who said anything about the police?" Ryan asked.

"I... Uh..."

"The address. Yeah," Ryan interrupted.

Immediately, she wrote down the address on a small sheet of paper and handed it over.

[What’s on your mind, Brother?]

Soly was the first to ask.

"What do you plan to do, if I may ask?" Michelle also asked.

And Ryan, with a kind of smirk that screamed tension, sighed and spoke.

"You’ll see."

"So now, let’s get straight to business."

A smile appeared on his face as he began to speak.

...

"You mean I’m going to be the Manager of the company. I have no qualities for that position, sir. And I know you clearly know that."

"All my life since I became an adult, I have been working from one mall to another. I didn’t get a proper education, which means I am not qualified for..."

"I know that," Ryan immediately cut her off.

"Trust me, I know all of that. And I’m the one who’s supposed to be complaining, not you, Miss Michelle," he said.

It took him a few deep breaths before he continued.

"What we are building is what requires massive education to be managed. I am a school dropout too, if you may know. But I have the exact confidence I need to get on with my project."

"You don’t have to underestimate yourself, because I already rate you highly, Miss Michelle," Ryan smiled at her.

She hesitated before nodding, though there were still those looks of disbelief on her face.

"So, what exactly am I supposed to manage?" She then asked.

"People."

"People?"

"People who want to live," Ryan said.

"We have millions of people out there who would be willing to do anything to get one more year."

"A time will come when they’ll seek the Time Seller, and we must be there to assess their requests."

Michelle nodded, understanding him bit by bit.

"We are going to build a site, and you would be in charge of hiring staff. We are going to start with a lawyer, an accountant, and a secretary. Like I said, you are the Manager."

"Noted, sir."

"I’m going to update you on the plans we have for the business. The rules. The level of customers. That would begin when you are done with the hirings. And now, I’m advising you to be ready."

"It’s going to be a lot..."

"A lot interesting..."

"And stressing."

The way Ryan made that statement with a dry smile on his face made Michelle understand what she was signing for.

She could understand exactly how busy it could be, and how challenging.

Whatever it is, she was up to the task.

’I owe him my life. And I will do anything in my power to serve him,’ she pledged inwardly.

...

When their meeting ended, Michelle headed straight to the hotel she had been staying in since her ex-boyfriend drove her out of her apartment.

She planned to remain there until she found somewhere better to stay, and with the look of things, there weren’t any significant hopes.

However, she was more worried about what Ryan was up to with the address.

"For someone who has a mysterious power to see and sell time. He could be equally dangerous to take a life," she muttered.

"I don’t want Richards to die..."

******

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The calm footsteps came to a stop at the door, followed by three bold knocks that made Richard Garrison’s face turn red.

"For f**k’s sake, who’s that?!!!"

He said as he rushed towards the door, leaving behind the naked woman on the bed.

"Who the f**k is that?!!! I do hope it’s not that miserable hoe?! Because I’m gonna..."

By the time he opened the door, he fell mute as his eyes landed on a young man who had both hands in his pockets with a smile on his face.

"No, not her."

"It’s me..."

"Your nightmare."