CHAPTER 6: I NEED YOUR GUIDANCE

Steven must devise a strategy to remove Ethan from his position, and he recognizes that only one individual can assist him in carrying out his nefarious scheme: his elder sister, Jane. He contacts her and shares the recent developments at his workplace.

"Hello big sis," Steven greets.

"Hi little bro, how's your day going?" Jane asks.

"I'm not doing well," Steven replies.

"Why aren't you well, what's bothering you?" Jane inquires.

"It's about work," Steven responds.

"Hmm, what about work?" Jane questions, intrigued.

"Remember that new guy Ethan who got promoted recently?" Steven asks.

"Yes, I remember him, what's going on?" Jane queries.

"Unfortunately, he got another promotion, while I'm still stuck in my old role. I haven't even been promoted once, and if this keeps up, he'll soon be my manager, making my life difficult," Steven explains.

"My goodness, that's troubling. This is a serious matter; what do you need from me?" Jane asks.

"I need your guidance. I recall you were once in my situation and managed to resolve it, so I need you to help me figure this out too, as I can't remain stagnant forever," Steven clarifies.

"Alright, the way I got promoted is a secret, but I’ll share it with you since you're my brother. Today is your day off, so why not come over to my place for a private chat?" Jane insists.

"Okay, I'll be there shortly," Steven says as he drives to Jane's house without hesitation.

When he arrives, Jane is already sitting and waiting for him. She quickly explains how she maneuvered her way past a colleague to attain her current position, and then she tells him what he should do in his situation.

"Now, pay attention; you need to frame him," Jane advises.

"What! Are you serious? He'll find out it was me!" Steven retorts.

"He won’t know unless you choose to tell him," Jane replies.

"What do you mean?" Steven quickly asks.

"It's simple; just act nice to him and get close, maybe even pretend to be friends. That's the only way to set him up and remove him from your path," Jane explains.

"But I don't want to associate with him," Steven protests.

"I'm not suggesting you become genuine friends; it's just part of the plan, so you won't be suspected when the framing occurs. He won't think of you as a threat because he’ll see you as a friend," Jane clarifies.

After a brief silence, Steven considers the idea and finds it appealing. He says, "Wow, I think I like this plan. So when should I start befriending him, and what should I frame him for?"

"Start being friends as soon as you get to work. As for what to frame him for, that’s up to you, and you shouldn’t ask me that when you work in the bank. Take my advice: use what you have to get what you want," Jane advises.

"I like the sound of that, but I hope this works," Steven responds.

"Trust me, my plans always succeed. Just ensure it's not obvious when you're getting close so he won't suspect anything; just act natural around him," Jane advises.

"Of course, I won't make it obvious. Trust me, that’s why I say you're the best sister in the world," Steven says as he hugs Jane.

"I know, right? Just stop flattering me," Jane laughs.

"Haha, but you enjoy it when I do," Steven chuckles.

"Yeah, still, you need to be sincere with him. Share something about yourself so he knows you're serious about the friendship," Jane instructs.

"Alright, and actually, I’ve been a bit of a nuisance to him at work, but for the last two weeks, I haven’t bothered him because I was tired of it all. Yet, he keeps progressing while I remain stagnant, so I figured I needed a strategy and you were my only option, big sister," Steven expresses.

"That’s enough already. Just follow my instructions, and let him know you haven’t been bothering him lately because you’ve changed. If possible, apologize for being jealous and immature, then you'll see, you'll be on top," Jane advises.

"Wow, you're a great sister! I will follow your advice, but I should head off now," Steven says.

"Oh come on, stay for dinner; I made your favorite dish," Jane invites.

Steven smiles, nods, and says, "Alright, I’ll stay."

Meanwhile, Angela and Ethan are on another date, but Angela feels uneasy because he hasn't asked her to be his girlfriend, even though she feels it's been long enough. Many thoughts race through her mind.

"Why won't he just ask me to be his girlfriend already? I've liked him for ages, but nothing has happened. Could he just be playing me as Cynthia said? Oh, Ethan, you occupy my thoughts," Angela ponders.

Noticing her change in mood, Ethan asks, "Angela, are you alright?"

She clears her throat and replies, "Of course, I’m fine."

"However, you've been quiet since we arrived. You haven't even ordered anything," Ethan observes.

"Um, I just don’t feel like eating right now. I have too much on my mind; I just came out with you for some fresh air," Angela responds.

"Alright, if that's what you say," Ethan replied.

He then lifted her spirits with a story, making her laugh. Once again, Angela enjoyed a delightful date with her crush.

"It's getting late, Ethan; I really need to go home now," Angela said.

"Sure, I should drive you back," Ethan responded quickly.

Ethan took her home, and they exchanged goodbyes. As soon as Angela stepped into her apartment, she remembered that she hadn't spoken to her best friend Cynthia since her first date with Ethan, so she called to share how it went. Cynthia answered right away, as if she had been waiting for the call.

"Hey, girlfriend," Angela greeted.

"Hi, Angie, you finally decided to call after disappearing on me for about two weeks," Cynthia said with a hint of disappointment.