Chapter 19: Investing In A Future Athlete

The guy who bumped into her leaned against the side rail, letting out a loud, mocking laugh. "Watch where you’re landing, heavy! Leave some tread for the rest of us!"

A few people nearby snickered, expecting her to curl up in shame or run out of the gym crying.

Instead, she shot straight up to her feet. Her face was burning bright red with pure anger, but her eyes were burning with something even stronger: unrelenting determination. Without saying a single word to the jerk, she wiped the sweat off her forehead, climbed straight back onto the moving belt, and resumed her run at an even faster pace.

She wasn’t the type to lay down and play the victim. She had grit.

My smirk widened. That raw, unbroken drive was the exact foundation a 9.5 potential was built on.

I stepped right up to the treadmill next to hers, casually hitting the control panel to start the belt without taking my eyes off the guy who had bumped into her.

"You’ve got a big mouth for a guy who works out his jaw more than his legs," I said, my voice cutting cleanly through the gym noise as I glanced at his flimsy form.

The guy’s laughter instantly froze, his face souring as he looked at my dark designer gym fit, the heavy diamond chain gleaming under the overhead lights, and the $50k Swiss watch on my wrist. He opened his mouth to talk back, but the raw aura of money and authority radiate off me made him choke on his own words. He swallowed hard, muttered something under his breath, and slunk off toward the locker rooms with his head down.

I turned back toward the girl running beside me. She was still pushing hard, her breathing heavy, but she glanced sideways at me through her messy hair, stunned that someone like me had just backed her up.

"Ignore the noise," I said smoothly over the hum of the running belts, pacing myself beside her. "Focus on the pace. You’ve got drive... you just need the right system behind you."

She slowed her belt down slightly to catch her breath, looking at me with a mix of suspicion and sheer bewilderment. "Who... who are you?"

"Consider me an investor," I said with a sharp smirk, leaning one arm on the treadmill handle. "And I’m looking at a very high-return asset."

Her face flushed red, and she snapped right back, glaring at me. "Investor? Asset? I’m not some joke or a charity case for rich guys to laugh at!"

"Woah, chill," I said, holding my hands up. "It’s not an insult, I swear. I’m being serious. I actually want to invest in your whole journey."

She slowed the belt down to a walk, wiping her face with a towel and eyeing me up and down like I had two heads. "...Why?"

"Because I see the drive in you," I said smoothly. "Most people would’ve quit after taking a fall like that. You got right back up. That’s rare. So, what’s your name?"

She hesitated for a second before sighing. "May."

The moment she said her name, the system screen popped up in front of my eyes with her custom transformation plan.

[Target: May]

[Investment Roadmap for 30X Cashback Unlock:]

Private Gym Studio Access (Eliminate public distractions & humiliation)

Elite Personal Trainer & Dedicated Nutritionist (Build optimal routine)

Wardrobe Overhaul (Locked until initial weight loss milestone)

The plan was crystal clear. First, get her out of the public eye so she could grind in peace, stack her up with the best trainers and meal plans, and then drop the crazy new wardrobe once she shed the weight.

"Look, May," I said, leaning in slightly. "You don’t have to deal with the snickers or the idiots bumping into you here. I can get you a top-tier private gym space, an elite personal trainer, and a dedicated nutritionist to handle everything. Zero noise, zero disrespect."

May stopped the treadmill completely, staring at me like I was speaking a different language. "Private space? Elite trainers? Do you have any idea how much that costs?"

"Money isn’t a problem," I smirked, tapping my watch. "The only question is... are you ready to work?"

May crossed her arms, giving me a skeptical look. "Nobody does something like this for free. What’s your profit in all this?"

"Depends," I said smoothly with a shrug. "Sometimes the payout is cash, sometimes it’s watching people who doubted you swallow their own teeth. Let’s just say I like high-return investments."

I leaned against the treadmill frame and looked at her. "So why do you actually want to lose the weight? What’s the real end goal here?"

May looked down at her worn running shoes, her tone dropping into something raw and genuine. "I want to be an athlete. I want to run track professionally. But no sponsor, coach, or program will even look at me or give me a real shot because of my size right now. They just see a target for a joke."

"Then let’s change the narrative," I said instantly. "I’ll be your agent. I’ll fund the private studio, the top-tier trainers, and the diet starting today. Once you hit your peak form, I’ll secure your brand partnerships and get you on the track. You bring the grit, I’ll bring the capital."

May stared at me, the disbelief in her eyes slowly turning into a spark of real hope. She took a deep breath and stuck out her hand. "If you’re dead serious... then I’m in."

"I’m always serious about money," I smirked, shaking her hand tightly.

I pulled out my phone and swiped straight to my banking app to kick-start May’s roadmap.

[Transaction: Exclusive Private Studio Rental & Master Trainer Package]

[Transaction: Elite Sports Nutritionist & Meal Prep Delivery]

[Total Expended: $35,000.00]

[Current Liquid Balance: $551,500.00]

[Active Investment: Target ’May’ — 30X Cashback Multiplier Locked]

With May’s private training zone locked in and her new routine starting immediately, I walked back over to Chloe, who was just finishing up her cool-down stretch on the other side of the gym.