The Master Programmer-Chapter 118: Mysterious Contacts 3

Jenny’s eyes flicked over him, widening slightly. "Is it just me, or did he get taller?" she whispered to Sarah.

"It could be insoles to increase height? So that he looks good to people," said Dave, chuckling to himself.

Sarah snorted. "Nah! Must be all that special care from his rich boss. We all know how women like her treat their… ’errand boys.’" The group erupted into laughter.

Jason ignored them, his focus shifting to the cashier as he placed his order. He could feel their eyes on him, their attempts at humiliation bouncing off his unshakable composure.

He was already used to this. After all, this was not the first time he had gotten humiliated by them. They had been doing things like these for a long time now.

They used to be close back in university, but after Jason lost everything, they began visiting his convenience store and humiliating him in any way they wished just to get a pick-me-up. Self-centred, privileged pricks like them never deserved an ounce of anything from Jason, especially not his attention.

"What are you doing here, Jason?" Mark pressed, leaning closer. "Running errands? Picking up dinner for your sugar mommy?"

Jason turned to him, meeting his gaze head-on. He smiled—a slow, deliberate curve of his lips. "Something like that," he said smoothly, his tone dripping with confidence.

Jason mirrored Mark’s assertive energy but re-framed it to imply he was in control. Even leaving it vague was something Mark was never going to get over. After all, that was the reason why it was going to leave him on the edge of his seat. It disarmed Mark, leaving him unsure whether to press further or back down.

And in the next moment as Mark stood there, everyone else frowned. Why was he so confident? He was nothing more than a gigolo now.

As Jason grabbed his order and made to leave, Mark called after him. "We’re having a reunion party soon. You should come. Might be nice to see some familiar faces."

Jason paused. A flicker of interest crossed his face as he remembered Evelyn—the one person from university he had genuinely liked. He turned back, his smirk returning.

"Send me the details," he said before walking out.

They watched him walk out of there with sneers on their faces. "That smile... he was probably thinking about Amanda," Jenny said, her face sour as she watched him leave. She was not willing to admit the fact that he looked good in that suit. That was why she stayed quiet.

Mark was livid though. "Why is he so arrogant just because he’s sucking some old hag’s toes."

"Have you seen that old hag though? She’s hot!" said Dave, getting glares from everyone else. "What?" he said, trying to figure out what he did wrong. Everyone loved sexy older women, right?

"Whatever… Jason’s coming over to the reunion, right? At that place, we will invite Amanda… And then we’ll watch as Jason melts," Mark said with a smirk.

"Hehehe, Mark you’re always so evil…" Dave said, sitting back down.

"I would love to see his face when that happens," Sarah said grabbing some food and putting it in her mouth. Everyone got back to eating, but Jenny, Jenny had a sly smirk on her face.

"Hey, guys… If we spread the news of Jason and Veronica Hall’s relationship… What do you think would happen?"

R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at free𝑤ebnovel.com Only.

Everyone turned to her… Then they understood. With her reach and ability… it was sure to cause a stir. And that was the funny thing about the internet. It didn’t matter if anything was the truth or not. What mattered was the fact that things could be faked with as many engagements as possible. Sensationalism was the power of Social Media.

When Jason arrived at Isabella’s apartment, he was greeted not by Isabella, but by her mother. The older woman, clad in a modest yet elegant dress, eyed him critically before breaking into a smile. Jason noticed her features and smirked. Even her mom was beautiful.

"So, you’re the famous Jason my daughter talks about," she teased, her voice warm but probing.

Jason smiled, stepping forward. He gently took her hand. "And you must be the woman who raised someone so extraordinary. I see where she gets it from. It’s an honour to finally meet you." His tone was sincere, his words carefully chosen to flatter and disarm.

Jason complimented her and her daughter at the same time, using affirming language and a confident but respectful demeanour to win her over. It was very simple, but it worked wonders.

The older woman’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Well, aren’t you a charmer? Come in, come in."

Inside, Isabella appeared, her face lighting up as she saw Jason. She looked radiant, her simple sundress hugging her curves in an effortlessly alluring way. Jason’s eyes lingered on her for a moment, his appreciation evident.

"You look beautiful," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Isabella’s mother watched them with a knowing smile. "You two make such a lovely couple. When’s the wedding?" she teased.

Isabella’s face turned scarlet as she choked on her saliva. Jason laughed, patting her back. "Not yet, but when the time comes, you’ll be the first to know," he said, his tone light but deliberate. This seemed to make Isabella’s choking even worse than before. After all, he had not denied the intent to marry her. He had just left it out in the air like that.

Jason subtly planted the idea of a future together, creating an emotional anchor for both Isabella and her mother. From that moment on, when relating to him, if they wanted a good future, they might look to act in such a way that flattered Jason. This was exactly the effect he wanted to see in the two of them.

The evening unfolded in a relaxed atmosphere. Jason skillfully navigated the conversation, balancing charm and sincerity. Under the table, he occasionally squeezed Isabella’s hand, offering silent reassurances and reactivating the anchor from before, something only Isabella subconsciously understood.

Her mother, thoroughly won over, declared at the end of the meal that she was glad her daughter had found someone like him. Jason was also glad. After all, he could never have found Isabella if her mother had not taken the time and attention to mould her and shape her in her beautiful image.

Isabella’s mother chuckled when she heard this. "Isabella, your Jason is so charming. You better tell him to watch out. If he doesn’t, he might have to marry us both now."

Jason and Isabela laughed about this, and the night turned into something sweet and comforting for everyone. Inwardly Jaosn wanted to chuckle. What the hell was this lady trying to say?!

As the evening came to an end, Isabella walked Jason to the elevator. The dim lighting inside cast a warm glow over her face as she stood close to him, her fingers brushing against his.

"I enjoyed tonight," she said softly. "I wish it didn’t have to end so soon. And the food was so delicious."

"Me too…" Jason said as he tilted her chin up, his eyes locking with hers. "Then let’s make the most of the time we have."

The elevator doors slid shut, leaving them alone. Jason pulled her closer, his hand sliding to the small of her back. Their lips met in a kiss that started slow but quickly deepened. Isabella melted against him, her arms wrapping around his neck as he pressed her against the wall. The intensity of the moment was electric, their chemistry undeniable.

A sudden ding broke the spell as the elevator stopped. They reluctantly pulled apart, straightening their clothes as the doors opened to reveal a bemused older gentleman. Jason’s smirk returned as he stepped aside, gesturing for the man to enter.

"Good evening," Jason said, his tone perfectly composed despite the heat lingering in the air.

The man gave a polite nod, though his curious glance lingered on the couple. Isabella bit her lip to stifle a laugh as Jason took her hand, leading her out of the elevator as they walked out onto the ground floor.

Outside, he turned to her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I’ll see you soon," he promised.

Isabella’s eyes sparkled. "Yeah…" Isabella said, unsure of how to continue. She held his hands and then resolutely met his gaze again. "Jason, I… I love you, Jason."

Jason smiled, leaning down to kiss her hand. "You better keep loving me. Otherwise, I’ll have to do something about it." His teasing tone made her laugh, the sound light and genuine.

As he walked away, Jason’s mind shifted back to the reunion. His smirk grew. This was the perfect opportunity to remind his old "friends" exactly who he was—and who he had become. And with regards to Isabella, he would be mad if she didn’t love him.

He needed her to love him, to need him in her life. He did not know when it happened, but he had realised that he needed her in his life. Even a night like this, with minimal intimacy was something he appreciated a lot. Jason would love to spend some more time with her. He would do so soon.

As Jason’s cab sped through the city streets, his phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen, expecting another message from Isabella. Instead, it was an unknown number. The message was short but chilling:

[You think you’re untouchable. Let’s see how long that lasts.]

Jason’s jaw tightened, his smirk fading as his eyes narrowed. He tapped the screen, dialling the number, but it went straight to voicemail. A cold determination settled over him. Whoever thought they could threaten him had no idea what they were up against.

He leaned back in the seat, his mind already formulating his next move. This wasn’t just about survival anymore… it was about dominance.

He was about to make big plays. And Jason Cross never played to lose.