The Master Programmer-Chapter 124: You Lost a Good Man 2

The air inside the car dealership felt heavy like a brewing storm waiting for the right moment to crack the skies open. Jason Cross stood at the centre of it, an amused smirk curling at his lips. He had always enjoyed a bit of drama, but this—this was something else entirely.

With her blonde waves and sultry figure, Samantha’s little sister, Celine Ellis, was practically glowing with authority. She was the type of woman who could turn heads effortlessly, but right now, her focus was sharpened on Amanda and the cocky man beside her.

"What did you say?" Celine’s voice dripped with icy condescension as she folded her arms across her chest, her tone commanding the attention of everyone in the showroom.

The smug man with Amanda didn’t waver—not yet. His tailored blazer sat a little too tightly on his chest, and how he sneered screamed overconfidence. Jason could tell. This guy was so used to making his money talk for him that he may have lost the ability to talk to people. Idiot.

"I said he got instructions from a premium customer and was just cleaning up some trash," the man replied, a crooked smile on his face. His gaze flicked briefly to Jason, then back to Celine, as if dismissing the situation altogether. "I am that premium customer. I was doing you a favour... You’re welcome."

Amanda, her cold grey eyes darting nervously, tried to regain composure. She clung to the man’s arm like a trophy, but Jason’s presence rattled her. That familiar confidence, the kind she had fallen for years ago, radiated off him in waves. Only now, it was more refined, sharper, more dangerous.

Jason caught her gaze and tilted his head ever so slightly, his smirk deepening. "Still picking up scraps, Amanda? I see some things never change."

Amanda’s face flushed red, but before she could respond, Samantha Ellis swept forward. With a knowing smile, Samantha’s hand landed lightly on Jason’s arm. The gesture was subtle, yet the impact was immediate. Amanda’s eyes narrowed into slits.

"Who is she?" Samantha whispered to Jason, her lips almost brushing against his ear, sending shivers down his spine. This woman was doing it on purpose. She was putting on a show for Amanda. Jason inwardly smirked. He would have to teach her a lesson later on.

Jason chuckled, a deep, low sound that seemed to echo through the showroom. "No one important," he replied smoothly, glancing at Amanda. "Just an ex." Amanda narrowed her eyes after hearing those words. How dare this man say something like that about her?

Samantha’s brows lifted, her smile growing more devious. "Interesting," Jason smirked. She had another target in her midst. Geez… He almost felt bad for Amanda. Almost.

The tension escalated when Celine stepped forward, her gaze fierce and unrelenting. Her curves moved with confident allure, the deep V of her blouse hinting at just enough to distract anyone not paying attention to her razor-sharp words.

"So what’s this chaos in my store?" she asked sharply, her voice slicing through the pretence like a blade. "Doing me a favour? Do I even know you? And how dare you call yourself a premium customer without having anything to show for it."

The man’s smile faltered slightly, but his arrogance wasn’t easily swayed. "I’m here to buy a car, not deal with this nonsense." He shot a pointed look at Jason, his tone condescending. "Not like he could afford to be here anyway. Doesn’t he work at some corner store? I was cleaning it up for you! He can’t afford anything in here. He would have just been wasting time. You should thank me!"

Jason’s smirk returned, this time colder, more calculated. He took a step forward, his presence demanding.

"Is that what you think?" Jason asked, his voice calm, yet dripping with subtle authority. "You know, people like you talk loud to compensate for their insecurities. You insult others because you fear what you lack yourself."

The man blinked, thrown off balance. Jason’s words lingered in the air and by subtly calling out the man’s weaknesses, Jason redirected the attention and planted seeds of doubt in his mind. I am not the problem here, you are. That was what Jason was saying. And it was working wonders. After all, if it wasn’t true, would the man be acting like this?

People who are secure in who they are and what they are doing would never look outside themselves to bring others down. They would work hard to better themselves so they could be of service to those they care about. Insecure people use what they have to hook people to them and force them to stay. Possibly like he might be doing to Amanda.

Jason stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. Since this man loved money, he would harp on about that.

"And trust me, standing here insulting me won’t make you any richer. So why don’t you go ahead and focus on your purchase? Unless you’re just here to talk. After all, the bet still stands. It’s me buying a car, and you buy a car twice as expensive. Come on... you won’t lose too much. If I dont buy one, then you dont either, right? Aren’t I a pauper? You have nothing to worry about."

The man’s face turned crimson. Amanda’s grip on his arm tightened, her desperation clear as she tried to salvage the moment.

"Baby, let’s just step back," Amanda said softly, though her voice wavered. She turned to Jason, her eyes pleading for a moment of his attention. "They’re just jealous. I told you Jason always found ways to get into trouble."

Samantha laughed, a rich, melodic sound. "Trouble? No, darling, he’s been far too busy helping my company thrive. A Director doesn’t have time for petty squabbles."

*Hssss!*

Everyone drew in a sharp breath of air at that moment after hearing those words. So he really was not someone who worked at some convenience store. He was actually the director of some company.

Amanda’s face fell as if someone had slapped her. Her grey eyes widened, and the truth hit her like a freight train. She stared at Jason now, seeing him in a completely new light. The suit, the watch, the confident posture—he wasn’t the same man she had discarded all those years ago.

He belonged here. And seeing that look in his eyes, she knew that she may have underestimated him. But now that she is tough about it... why was he so close to his boss who kept touching him and whispering into his ear like that? Amanda narrowed her eyes at Samantha at that moment. For some reason, she felt like she had been upended somehow. And she did not like it.

Jason watched her reaction with muted satisfaction. He didn’t need to say anything more; his presence was enough.

It was unfortunate. She would be seeing more of him in the circles she normally was a part of soon. When she finally started seeing Jason in the popular culture news, she might find herself utterly defeated. And then imagine if Jason became even bigger than that?

Would she not kill herself?

The smug man, however, was less convinced, clearly having lost all the brain cells he never had in his interaction with this dumb bitch by his side. "If you have money, let’s see it," he challenged, his voice rising. "Go on. Buy a car. Prove it. I’ll join you in this bet!"

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

Amanda felt her heart rate lower, and then as if taken by surprise, she tried to say something, but the man was not taking no for an answer, whipping out a credit card. "Come on. I’m not scared! Let’s do it!"

Celine’s lips curled into a smirk, her interest in Jason growing by the second. She turned to him, her gaze sparkling with mischief. "Well, Jason? Care to indulge him?"

Jason ran a hand over his jaw, feigning contemplation. Then, with deliberate steps, he walked over to the sleek black car displayed prominently in the centre of the showroom. It was a luxury model, polished to perfection, with a price tag that could make most men choke.

Jason stopped in front of it, his fingers brushing along the smooth surface. He turned back to the man and Amanda, his smirk cutting like a blade.

"I’ll take it," Jason said, his voice casual, almost bored. "Wrap it up for me."

The man’s face froze in disbelief, but Jason wasn’t done yet.

"Actually," Jason continued, his gaze flicking to Celine. "Double-check the paperwork. I’d hate for anyone to think I can’t afford something twice as nice. Unlike some people. Think of it as a donation to the store. And a way for me to finally become a valued customer."

The room fell silent. Amanda’s face paled, and the man stammered, searching for a response that didn’t come. Samantha stood nearby, her expression one of quiet pride as she watched Jason effortlessly handle the situation.

Was this really Jason Cross? No way... This can’t be...