23 I Will Pay

"Who said about investing?" Anoi asked cannily, "I merely want you to join."

Her words caused a turmoil in the two "business-partners".

"You can't be serious??" Jackie cried out in shock, "This doesn't even make sense, if we aren't going to pay any money, why would you even want us to join your company?"

It was understandable that she was surprised. Even friends split money evenly. Why Anoi wants them to join, if not for them to contribute financially?

"Clearly, it's because I see your talent." Anoi smirked.

Such explanation was ridiculous, so she added,

"In future, I won't be able to manage everything by myself. I will need trustful allies, someone who will have the same interest in mind. In the whole world, you, Jackie, are the only one I can trust with my first ever project. As for Shadd, he is the one you trust, so I believe him to be reliable as well. Moreover, as I said, he's already in this industry, and thus can advise me on some matters. I do not intent to take any money from you, since I can't guarantee the profit from it. Neither can I tell you the exact sum needed, so it's much better to use my own savings."

"What savings??" Jackie shouted at her.

Anoi was a money spender. It was a wonder she was still able to eat and rent a flat. There's no way she would have enough to launch a company that targeted wealthy people.

"Don't worry, if I don't have any savings, I will just have to make some money." Anoi shrugged her shoulders.

Sure, the most difficult part is to make enough money to be able to launch the company. But if she played her cards right, the investment would return in no time.

The reason she didn't want to take money from either of those two, is because she knew that neither Shadd nor Jackie had any. Jackie's family had recently lost their house to the forest fire, so all the spare money was invested in their recovery. Since Jackie had just payed off her tuition, she had to borrow money from her acquaintances, including Shadd. Anoi knew this because she also lent some money to Jackie.

Since she's aware of the situation, she will rather shoulder all of the expenses by herself. Anoi didn't want to be a bother. This was something she had carried over from her past lifetime. Never trouble others.

Some say it's a weakness, because humans are social creatures and work better together. In her mind, it was an advantage. Never troubling others meant being distant. But it also meant never being troubled by others.

Of course, Jackie was an exclusion – Anoi felt indebted to her. Shadd, on the other hand, was a business partner. Those two is the closest thing she will ever have to friends.

Never hurting others, and never to be hurt by others's presence, or their absence as it was with Jackie.

In this lifetime, Anoi is willing to be alone. She's living for herself, after all.