16 Chapter 16 - Bar

Lena and Jon changed, and he teased her as she changed. She changed into a casual cotton dress, instead of shirt and pants. "You look amazing."

She shook her head. "You've got such a sweet mouth."

"Well, let's go grab something to eat?" Jon checked his phone. "We- we took a while to shower."

He winked, and Lena blushed. She also quickly checked her phone, and then texted her husband. She asked him whether he'd be coming back for dinner. It was met with a resounding no.

She sighed, and then looked back at Jon. Momentarily, she wondered why she was loyal to her husband.

Jon wore a set of clean clothes, and then they ate at the cheap noodle place again.

***

Jon needed to know what's the deal with the husband, and based on what he learned, he was fairly sure his husband worked in the city. First stop was the office itself where his husband worked. He wore his best work shirt, to pull off the office worker look, and then managed to reach it's doors before the door closed.

"Mister Laven? Oh. He left work. I think he's usually at the bar around the corner." The receptionist smiled, and Jon thanked her for her help.

"Thank you. Just curious, did you hear anything about him? Any- scandals?"

"No. He's a hardworking, career-driven man."

"Really. Interesting."

***

Jon walked to the bar around the corner, and quickly found her husband. He was fiddling with his phone, and eating some food.

He checked his wallet. Still only $120. But so be it. He went for the seat next to the husband, and then ordered a drink. The izakaya's prices were expensive, he'd probably spend like $30-$40 here. At first, both of them just sat there quietly, but Lena's husband, Wong, began to look slightly tipsy.

Jon then offered him a toast.

"A toast." He held up his beer. "To the fine gentleman next to me?"

"A toast." Wong looked up, and nodded.

"I just got sacked from my job." Jon said. "Figured I celebrate than wallow in it."

"If it's a terrible job, I suppose." Wong smirked.

Jon nodded. "It is. How about you?"

"Ah. Me? I love my job." Jon noticed Wong Laven was really quite good looking, tall, and in many ways, everything he wasn't.

"Oh. That's a surprise. Why?"

"I love projects. I love doing something new, making a change, bringing new products to the market. I love all that stuff. It gives me a thrill and excitement that I don't quite know how to explain."

Jon paused, suddenly getting a better hang on Wong's personality. He was a go-getter. Someone who aspired to make the world different. Someone who would be an elite. "Wow. Has it been smooth so far?"

"It's a struggle." Wong smiled, and Jon felt it looked truly genuine. "But the pleasure I get from overcoming these challenges is just absolutely incredible. It's so much better."

"Wow. Even better than sex?" Jon asked.

"Oh. Way better. Like, sex, you're just making out with this woman who's already given in. But making an entire department agree to what you want them to do. It's amazing."

Jon nodded. Now he understood why her husband loved work. He was addicted to power. It wasn't other women, either. "What about your wife, then? I presume you're married from the ring on your hand."

Jon quickly tapped his phone, and set it to record. He wasn't sure what he'll get, but he had a feeling the husband, who's now partly drunk would spill the beans.

Wong looked back at the ring, and sighed. "Yeah. I feel sorry for her actually. We were childhood sweethearts, you know. She was one of the school beauties, and I coveted her. So I chased her, got her, and married her. I did everything I needed to ensure I captured her."

Jon waited.

Wong sighed. "The truth is, she's just a trophy. I wanted her because it felt like something I needed to get. I thought I loved her, but I realized, I loved the idea of her as this beauty I couldn't reach. Now that I did have her, it pains me as a person to say this, but I no longer desire her. She's just a medal I got for winning the game, and now she's on my cabinet for display."

"Woah, dude." Jon offered his beer. That was a big haul. "That's cold."

"I know, right. I really feel bad for her, but- But I don't know how to tell her without breaking her. She's like this beautiful vase I keep. I really don't want to break her, but keeping her is also terrible."

"Hope I'm not too nosey, but, maybe you should let her go." Jon said with a laugh.

Wong looked back and smiled. "You know, I would let her go if she asked to leave herself. I've held on to her for too long. Now that I know what I love is corporate work, I really want to just go all in. I'd even finally be able to take that overseas assignment."

"Really?" Jon inwardly wondered how the NTR system had such knowledge. The ways of the System were weird. But Jon also admired Wong for knowing what he wanted. He seemed like the kind of person he'd hire to run a company some day. As CEO.

"Yeah."

Jon leaned closer. "Then, my good man, what would you do if I steal your wife?"

Jon partly expected to get punched. Instead, he got a laugh. "My wife's really loyal and she's a good woman. It's a pity that she's with someone like me. Honestly, if you managed to convince her to leave me, you can have her."

"Wow." Jon paused momentarily, and watched Lena's husband slowly drink his beer. "You mean it? How does she look like?"

Wong Laven took out his phone, and showed him a photo. It was when they were both getting married, and Lena looked drop dead gorgeous. "Pretty, isn't she?"

"Dude. Are you- like, do you swing the other way or something? Isn't sex amazing?"

"Funny you should ask. I enjoyed it for the first month or so, but then, I stopped being attracted to her after that." Wong said with a hint of sadness. "It's not even her fault. She works hard to keep herself looking great. I just- I just didn't desire what I already possessed. Instead, what I wanted was always something else, and I found what I really wanted. Work. Achievements. Getting ahead, and showing those upstart 2nd generation assholes what's it all about."

Jon suddenly felt like he was a kindred spirit. He wanted to get back at the elites too. "You know, I wanted to get back at the elites as well. I was sacked because of them."

"Huh. Terrible, isn't it? But don't worry. When you DO actually get over them, that satisfaction is many, many times better than sex. I felt like I was invincible for weeks when I successfully outmaneuvered the company against the giants."

Jon stared at the man, as he ogled the photo on Wong's phone. "Dude. Your wife is hot. You really alright if I steal her?"

Wong returned the glance and sighed. Jon tapped on a few more photos of Wong's wife.

"No take backs? You'll let me take her away?" Jon asked earnestly. He wondered whether this was way too convenient. But this was the NTR system at work. The system arranged for it to happen this way.

He was sure the next targets would not be so easy. Wong sipped his beer. "You sound serious."

"What, you thought I was joking? Your wife's smoking hot. I'd totally steal her." Jon joked and offered Wong another toast.

"If I let you, it means I'm giving her to you." Wong's eyes darted, and seemed to examine Jon from head to toe. "Yeah. But on one condition. I have a strange gut feeling that you'll be powerful one day, and so, I want a favor. One day, I might need help. I might try on a project that I cannot beat on my own, or I might make a mistake. If you have power, I want you to help me."

Jon paused, and laughed. "That's serious."

"This one tries, but even I am not so arrogant to believe I can defeat the elites, all the time, without help."

"You really love power, don't you."

"Oh, you bet. I especially adore the look of defeat in the eyes of my enemies."

Jon looked at Lena's husband, and realized, this was going to be crazy weird.

Jon was certain Wong Laven was super competent and dependable at work. It was just a feeling he got, like someone who reeked technical competence throughout his pores. This was a man who chased after goals, and once he was done, he moved on to the next one.

Lena just happened to be the poor girl who he captured, and then dumped aside like a harem member in a cultivation story. She would never be loved or desired. She was just a trophy.

"Very well. If you're in trouble against a powerful family, I'll help you out."

"Then she's all yours. Make her happy. I know I won't." Wong looked wistful, forlorn. He offered Jon a toast.

Jon's mug clinked against his. "This is strange, but fine."

"Some would say that. But you know, we never quite discover who we actually are until we are older. Do you want me to make the introductions?"

"I think I'll get in touch with her on my own. I'll find a way."

Wong smiled. "Good. It seems the stars have aligned, I'll be heading for an outstation assignment in two days."

"Wait- what?"

"I'll leave town for probably three months. She's all yours."

"Serious?" Jon felt like he got trapped. Wong was leaving town.

"Of course." Wong smirked. "At least, I wouldn't have to entertain her calls every day while I'm away. Keep her busy, will you?"

Jon met Wong's eyes, and then, "Well. If you put it like that, I'll have to work hard."