The Invincible Arthur Gardner

Chapter 9 - Learning To Believe Again

Edna took a towel from a suitcase and offered to help Arthur clean the stains on his clothes. "Let me help you, sir." she said. 

He nodded, allowing her to do so. "I brought a change of clothes for you," she suggested. "It would be better if you changed into these, since your shirt is wet. It won't be comfortable for you."

She tried to dry the wetness on Arthur's shirt, but that didn't seem to help much. "A person as rich as you should look impeccable under any circumstances," she added.

Edna then took a white shirt and a black suit jacket and placed them beside Arthur.

"Do you mind if I take off my clothes here?" he asked, glancing briefly at Edna.

Edna shook her head quickly and smiled sweetly at Arthur. "I don't mind, sir. What's more, you were also naked in front of me before when you bathed in hot water at the restaurant," she said.

"Is that true?" Arthur thought back to the situation. "Didn't I take my shirt off when you had gone out, and I was in the pool, when you came up and offered to scrub my back?" he asked.

"That's... Hmmm..." Edna averted her eyes, her cheeks blushing. "I stumbled into your room when you were undressing and, feeling embarrassed, I quickly left. I apologize, Master. I hope I haven't incurred your wrath."

In reality, Edna only caught a glimpse of Arthur from behind, which was an extraordinary occurrence for her since she rarely had any interactions with men.

Lifting her gaze again, Edna noticed Arthur smiling at her.

Edna lowered her head, and when she looked back up, Arthur had removed his shirt, revealing his toned physique. She was taken aback by his well-defined muscles, which made him look even fitter than when she had initially seen him.

Edna swallowed hard as she couldn't help but admire his beauty. Trying not to embarrass him, she averted her gaze and said, "I don't mind if you want to see me in the same situation, to repay my mistake, sir."

"That's not necessary," Arthur reassured Edna, gently patting her shoulder as he put his clothes back on. "Remember, I'm paying you to be my assistant, so I would never expect you to do anything inappropriate or exploitative."

Arthur gazed into her eyes, which were soft and flawless. Her delicate skin, beautiful features, and kind demeanor radiated beauty. In addition to her physical beauty, her gracious speech, charming voice, and consideration for others made her all the more attractive.

Edna nodded slowly, her heartbeat racing as she met Arthur's gaze. She felt her heart melt for the first time and was willing to give up anything for him.

"I really appreciate your desire to protect yourself from men, and your ability to bring out the best in others. You've earned my trust in such a short time. I just want you to know that I hope you stay the same. Someone who is admired by many but remains humble and respectful." Arthur said quietly.

Edna could sense Arthur's sincerity; he chose to honor her instead even when presented with opportunities to take advantage of her.

"Mr. Gardner," Edna said, her sincerity evident as she expressed her appreciation for him, "thank you for all the praise and trust you have shown me. I'm at a loss for words to describe how perfect I think you are. I wish you great health and luck, and I promise to do my best not to let you down in the slightest." Her admiration for him was clear in her voice. "I really admire you."

[Edna's attraction to you has reached an impressive 75%.]

[At this point, she is likely to give you anything she has without hesitation.]

[System Comment: You must be a smooth operator - how did you learn such techniques if you've been a Virgin all your life?]

"What the heck, System!" Arthur cursed at the system inside his head.

The system even provided important updates when the interest percentage of people connected to Arthur increased, which made him feel a little more comfortable. He could now better understand when someone was actually interested in him, especially after the experience with Linda; she had abruptly chosen Marco even though she was already engaged to Arthur.

“You look so distinguished and attractive! Do you have a partner, Mr. Gardner?” Edna asked, somewhat timidly. She was drawn to him, yet trying her best to remain respectful and not too forward. After all, she knew that someone as accomplished and handsome as Arthur would have no shortage of admirers. She couldn't help but wonder how fortunate the woman was to have won his heart.

Arthur pondered for a moment, "A partner?" He realized that according to the system, the partner he currently had was Edna, the person who had asked the question. It seemed, however, that this was only based on the girl's interest in him and not an official relationship.

"I've had some unfortunate experiences with women. I was once engaged to someone due to the will of both of our parents. After our parents passed away, though, she ended the engagement and instead chose to be with my own cousin, who was known to be a bit of a playboy."

Arthur nodded and continued. "I am well aware that forming a strong bond of trust and shared interest is crucial for any relationship. I will put in the effort necessary to establish a strong connection that I can truly trust."

After traveling for a few minutes, the taxi halted in front of a sizable car store in the city. Arthur alighted, and from afar, he recognized two familiar figures-- Marco and Linda.

He was astounded to have stumbled across them in this place.

Gently, Arthur paced forward, and Edna trailed him gracefully. "Follow me," he said.

"Honey, you promised to get me the most luxurious car in this place, right?" Linda embraced Marco tightly as they strolled towards the entrance looking like a perfect couple.

"Of course, my darling. You know, my wealth is boundless! I could even buy the whole car store for you!" Marco replied with pride, holding Linda close to him. From a distance, Arthur and Edna noticed Marco squeezing Linda's butt fondly.