The Real First Step

After that night, Eve was really determined to have a relationship with Arthur secretly. She also regularly provided information related to the Great Food Company, although so far it wasn't something that was really useful to Arthur. It was just information so that Arthur could get a construction project without going through a tender again.

Meanwhile, it's been more than two weeks since Arthur has been living as Arthur Wang. Apart from communicating intensely with Eve and following the game created by the woman, in the past few days Arthur has also met with several prospective clients to discuss big projects. From the few people Arthur met, he finally got a promising project.

Interestingly, the person who signed the contract with Arthur was Joe Philips, the owner of the food company that became his rival during his time as Arthur Greens. An idea came to Arthur's mind, which was to use Joe to bring Dave down. Isn't it his half-brother who is currently taking over the Great Food Company? Joe doesn't care who becomes the head of the company. The most important thing for him was to bring his rival company down, so that he would no longer have a meaningful rival.

'I miss you, Artha. Let's meet tonight.' A text message arrived on Arthur's cell phone. Who else could it be but Eve.

Arthur sighed rather rudely, then threw his phone unceremoniously onto the bed. He really felt tired today, it was lazy to have to face Eve too.

Just as Arthur was about to lay down on the bed, his cell phone rang. Eve was calling because Arthur wasn't answering her messages.

"Ah, shit!" Arthur swore somewhat under his breath before finally picking up the call.

"Yes, hello." Arthur tried to greet as gently as possible even though he wasn't in the best mood.

"Why do you only read my messages, Artha?" Eve asked without caring about Arthur's greeting. The woman's voice sounded annoyed.

"Sorry, I just finished talking to a client, so I haven't had time to reply to your message," Arthur lied.

"Oh, I thought you were avoiding me," Eve said, her tone instantly turning soft.

Arthur rolled his eyes lazily. The nature that Eve showed him now was in stark contrast to when he was Arthur Greens. As Arthur remembered, the Eve he knew back then was mature, graceful and very understanding. That's why he was so comfortable and trusting of her. It was a little hard to guess if Eve's original nature was what it was now. Or maybe the two opposing traits were just role-playing?

"Artha, you don't hear me? You keep ignoring me, huh?" Eve sounded sulking again. Very unbecoming of her current age.

"No, it's not like that. I still have important things to discuss with my other clients right now. Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you." Arthur said his apology half-heartedly, even while scratching his unitchy head.

"Alright, I'll hang up if you're really busy right now. But don't forget to call me when you're done," Eve said.

"Yes, of course."

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the call ended. He put his cell phone back, and then lay down on the bed. For now he could be free of that sickening woman for a while. He should utilize this precious time to rest properly.

By now, Arthur was no longer staying in hotel rooms. He had found a fairly luxurious apartment to stay in for the time being. It wasn't him who rented it, but Eve. I don't know how much money that woman had to spend to make Arthur want to be her illicit lover.

Come to think of it, right now Arthur was really living the life of a mistress. But that was fine with him as long as he could make the most of Eve. Instead of having to take money out of his very limited account to meet all his needs, it was better for him to use Eve, just like she used to use him when he was Arthur Greens.

'Are you back at the apartment now? I ordered a special dinner for you and it was delivered straight to your apartment.' Eve sent another message.

Arthur smiled wryly as he read it. You see, even his dinner had been well taken care of by her. Now he just had to reply to the message with the sweetest possible words to make it seem like he was very happy to get such attention. Yes, of course Arthur was happy because again he did not have to reduce his limited money for a good meal.

"Unexpectedly, there was a time when I even had to use a disgusting woman to survive," Bill muttered while typing a reply message to Eve.

'Thank you for taking care of me. I'll definitely eat well.'

Arthur read over the typed message once more before he finally sent it to Eve. Let her feel herself getting lost in all the attention.

A huge heart emoji replied back to Arthur's message. For the umpteenth time Arthur had to endure the nausea.

"Supplying food for school children across the country, if it's not the Great Food Company that wins the tender, Dave will surely be the target of the shareholders' wrath, right?" Arthur muttered with a lopsided smile.

Arthur recalled his conversation with Joe Philips before they signed the contract. Joe would give any contract to Arthur, as long as Arhur could help him bring down the Great Food Company.

"Eve, you will soon become a very useful girl." Arthur muttered. He already had a reliable tool. Of course Joe's request would be easy for him to fulfill.

It's just that, Arthur never thought that he would cooperate with the man who has been his eternal enemy all this time in order to bring down the company he worked so hard to raise. But that's okay. Arthur would rather see his company destroyed than be ruled by shameless people like Dave and Eve.

"You two will never be able to own the fruits of my labor, let alone enjoy them. Don't dream. I would rather destroy it than give it to shameless people like you." Arthur muttered with a determined look on his face.

Arthur picked up his cell phone and dialed someone.

"Mr. Philips, this year's school-wide lunch procurement tender, is your company also participating?" Arthur asked the person he contacted. The person was none other than Joe Philips, his new ally.

"Of course, but usually the Great Food Company will win the tender as in previous years," said Joe."

"You don't need to feel pessimistic like that. Didn't you say yourself that Great Food Company is currently facing internal problems?"

"True, but they still have competent people." Joe said again.

"But their current leader is not a competent person. No matter how good the subordinates are, if they are under the control of a fool, then they will become fools too," Arthur said.

"How do you know that the person taking over Great Food Company right now is a fool?" asked Joe.

"I know." Arthur said in a half mumble. Of course he knew very well that Dave was a business fool. His half-brother was only good at scheming, but had no skills in anything else. Exactly like his mother.

"I can't explain to you now, Mr. Philips. But if you trust me and do as I say, then your dream of bringing down the Great Food Company will come true." Arthur said with confidence.

"I don't really have a good reason to trust you, Mr. Wang, but I don't know why I want to." Joe said.

Arthur smiled. Even though he knew very well that Joe was a very cautious person and did not easily believe in others, especially in people he had not known for a long time. It was unexpected that he could persuade the man so easily like this.

Arthur ended the phone call after a short conversation. Now he had found the exact steps he would take to destroy Dave and Eve. It was just a matter of getting started.

After he had sufficiently unwound his body and mind, Arthur got up and cleaned himself up for a while. Afterwards, he enjoyed the special dinner Eve had sent him. As he enjoyed his dinner, he kept thinking about many things. It seemed like he had to take even bolder steps with Eve in order for her to truly become his perfect tool.

'Are you asleep?' Arthur texted Eve after finishing dinner.

He didn't wait long. Eve called him immediately.

"Why, did you miss me too?" Eve asked seductively as soon as Arthur received her call.

"Yes, I think so," Arthur replied. He tried his best to make what he said sound convincing to Eve.

"I asked to see you earlier, but you declined," Eve said.

"I didn't refuse, it just didn't seem possible because I was busy. But I think I regret that," Arthur said.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not too late for us to meet, is it? How about I come to your place?" Arthur asked.

"To my place? Isn't that a bit dangerous? I'm afraid Dave will find out if you come here. It's not time for him to know yet." Eve refused.

"But wouldn't it be much more thrilling if we did it there?" This time it was Arthur who sounded like he was teasing Eve.

"Artha... are you... for real?" Eve asked somewhat haltingly. She was worried, but also excited.

"Yes, of course. I just want you so much all of a sudden." Arthur hung up the phone immediately after saying that. He smiled with satisfaction because Eve must have been craving his arrival at this moment.

"Wait, Eve. I will come as you wish," Arthur said as he grabbed his coat and put it on.

Arthur left his apartment and drove to Eve's residence in the luxury car he had gotten from her. This time, he would make Eve completely fall into his trap, without being able to escape again.