The Master Programmer-Chapter 128: Fuck that Arranged Marriage! 2

Jason was about to leave for his "lunch" when he saw her—Celine Ellis—standing outside Samantha’s office. Celine was every bit as striking as her older sister but with a curvier, more voluptuous figure that the fitted pencil dress clung to in all the right places.

Her blonde hair tumbled in loose waves over her shoulders, and her lips curled into a teasing smirk the moment her blue eyes found Jason. "Jason," she said smoothly, as though they were old friends. Jason was not surprised. His charisma was difficult to ignore recently.

He didn’t know why but everyone seemed to be responding to him everywhere he went. It was like they could notice just how different he was. He even felt different. Like there was some power in his body. What the hell was this [Unknown Method]?

Jason chuckled. "Celine. What’s going on here?" He had only last seen her a few hours ago, and there she was again. There was no way she was there for him right? As Jason looked at her, he couldn’t help but notice the ring on her finger.

Damn... He had to break her marriage… This was going to be messed up if she was actually into it. But thinking back to her lacklustre expression as she spoke of it that morning, Jason felt like she was not really into it. If she truly confessed her unwillingness, Jason would help her out.

Celine tilted her head, studying him with a mixture of amusement and intrigue. "How was the car ride this morning?"

Jason’s mind flickered back to Samantha’s body against his, her kisses leaving a lingering heat on his skin. He smirked. "Amazing," he said simply. "The car is simply a beast. I lost myself in there so many times…"

Celine’s brows lifted, her smile widening. "Amazing? I bet it was."

She leaned closer, dropping her voice to a whisper. "You might want to stick around. Dad’s in there. He’s talking to Sam about something… important."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Something important?" Oh no.. was it what he thought it was?

Celine nodded, her teasing tone replaced by one more serious. "James Carter wants to marry Samantha. Dad’s pushing for it. You know what that means."

Jason’s jaw tightened slightly even without him noticing it. James Carter—a man Jason knew all too well—was nothing but a sleazy opportunist. Last Jason saw the man, he was sending roses to Veronica. Now he was messing with another one of his women. This bastard seemed to have a thing for his people.

"Money," Jason realised. "This is about money and power."

Celine turned to him in interest, having heard his voice. This man was more intelligent than she ever imagined… He was so interesting too. But something about his reaction to the news told her that there was more to the relationship between her and Samantha.

Celine’s voice broke into his thoughts. "So," she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "how long have you been screwing my sister?"

Jason turned to her with a faint smirk. "We’re not screwing." Jason thought back to Samantha using his face as a vibrator and felt his heart rate increase. That was not screwing, right? He just lapped her up like a thirsty dog. Totally innocent.

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Celine raised an eyebrow. "Really? That’s not what it looks like."

Jason shrugged. "I just have… interests here in this company. I’m her employee. If something stresses her out, I have to go in and fix it."

Before Celine could respond, the door to Samantha’s office opened. A tall, stern man—Niel Ellis—stepped out. His greying hair and expensive suit screamed authority, and the sharpness of his gaze, as it fell on Jason, was almost palpable.

"Celine," Niel said coldly. "Who is this, and why are you standing so close?"

Celine instantly stepped back, her expression shifting to one of strained obedience. "Just Jason Cross, Dad. A… subordinate of this company."

Niel scoffed lightly before brushing past them, his presence commanding even as he disappeared down the hall. Celine shot Jason an apologetic look, her shoulders drooping as she hurried after her father.

Jason watched them for a moment, his sharp eyes narrowing. So that’s the man trying to marry off his daughters like pawns. Interesting… Well, just from that first impression, Jason was going to make sure his intentions never happened.

Inside Samantha’s office, Jason found her seated at her desk, staring blankly at the ceiling. The sunlight from the window filtered through the blinds, casting striped shadows across the room and a golden glow over her features. It softened the hard lines of her face, making her look almost vulnerable, a stark contrast to her usual impenetrable demeanour.

"Rough morning?" Jason asked, his voice soft but teasing as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He shrugged off his suit jacket, folding it neatly before draping it over the back of a chair.

Samantha shifted slightly, her gaze drifting to him with an edge of sarcasm. The faintest smirk curled her lips, though her eyes were tired. "What do you want, Jason? You here to step on me, too?"

So she just got stepped on... Jason shook his head, his tone gentle but firm. "No. I’m here to take care of you."

His words landed softly but carried weight. Jason gazed at her as he approached her, letting those words linger in the air, a steady pressure that caused her to keep her attention on him. He extended his hand toward her, palm up, fingers relaxed, open.

Give her a choice, Jason thought. Invitation without pressure. Although funnily enough, there was no choice. After all, the mind was geared towards running away from pain and going towards pleasure. And she already knew just how much pleasure Jaosn’s handsome face and hands could give her.

If she stayed in this pained state, what kind of pleasure would she gain?

Samantha blinked, her expression wavering for a moment as she stared at his hand. Her eyes traced the line of his arm, then moved to meet his face, searching. Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out and placed her palm in his. Jason’s grip was strong but gentle as he pulled her up to her feet. Without another word, he guided her across the room to the couch, his movements deliberate and calm.

"Sit here," he murmured, lowering her gently onto the soft cushions. She let herself sink into them, her posture sagging as if she’d been holding up the weight of the world. Jason rolled up his sleeves as he crouched in front of her, forearms flexing slightly with the motion.

"Lay still," he said, his voice low, almost soothing. "Let me take care of it."

Samantha’s lips parted as though she might protest, but she didn’t. Instead, she settled deeper into the couch, closing her eyes briefly as Jason’s hands settled on her shoulders. His strong thumbs found the tension immediately, pressing into the knots she hadn’t realized were there. The slow, deliberate kneading sent relief through her stiff muscles, and a soft groan escaped her lips.

Jason smiled faintly, his touch steady and methodical. "You’ve been holding this tension for a while, haven’t you?"

"How many women do you do this for?" Samantha murmured, her voice quieter now, almost languid, though a playful edge danced in her tone. Despite her fatigue, her words carried a hint of sultry curiosity.

Jason let out a low chuckle, noticing how she had dodged his question. "Only the ones who are worth it." He gazed at her, and like that, she knew what he meant. The way he looked at her sent shivers down her spine, but that created even more conflict in her heart especially with the situation being the way it was.

Something told her not to search for any meaning in those words, but another thing told her she had to find out no matter what. She turned her head slightly, her cheek brushing against the edge of his hand as she studied him. Her expression was softer now, her defences slipping just a little.

"Am I one of them?"

Jason’s hands stilled for half a beat. He looked at her, his eyes holding hers, unwavering. "You always have been."

Something flickered in her gaze then… something raw, unguarded, something she didn’t dare put into words. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, her composure threatening to crack.

"Jason… you..." Samantha sighed in defeat, giving a slow, tense smile. "Your tongue has always been sweet. But things are different now." Her voice trembled slightly, so unlike the woman who usually ruled boardrooms with a single glance.

Her next words were quieter, almost reluctant. "My father…"

Jason’s expression softened, but his attention didn’t waver. He knew what she wanted to say, but he had to hear it from her first. She had to be the one to say it. She had to tell him her problems, to ask him for help. It would be more meaningful that way.

His hands stilled their motion, resting lightly on her shoulders. "What about him?"

Samantha hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as she glanced away. The sunlight glinting through the window caught the tears gathering in her eyes, though she quickly blinked them away.

"He thinks I’m weak," she whispered. "Like I’ll fall apart if I stop moving for even a second. Like I’m nothing without the image I’ve built. He wants to control me. To use me in some business deals. Can you imagine? After everything I’ve built, everything I have managed to become?!"

Jason’s smirk appeared on his face slightly, though his voice remained calm. "And what do you think?"

Her gaze snapped back to his, surprised by the question. For a moment, she was quiet, her brows knitting together as she searched for an answer. Finally, her voice emerged, quiet and vulnerable. "I... don’t know."

Jason shifted closer, his hands sliding gently down her arms until his fingers found hers. He squeezed them softly, grounding her in the moment. "You’re not weak, Sam. You’re human. And there’s strength in admitting that."

Samantha stared at him, her expression unreadable, though her eyes betrayed the whirlwind of emotions inside her. Her fingers tightened around his in response, holding on as though she might slip otherwise.

The office fell into silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. The world outside the window seemed distant and inconsequential like they were caught in a moment suspended in time. For the first time in a long time, Samantha let herself breathe.

"Celine told me about it…" Jason said. "How your dad would take away his investment from your company if you don’t follow his ’advice’, thus leaving you practically bankrupt. What do you say about it?" Jason held her hands like that, and she looked at him, her eyes gazing into his and sometimes flickering down to his mouth.

"I… I dont want to marry James Carter!" Samantha said with finality, the words coming out of her like some flood that had been waiting to come out. Jason smirked.

"What are you prepared to sacrifice to have that happen?" Jason asked, his hands now continuing to run over her back. She felt a shiver run down her body at that moment, her words landing like she was in the Garden of Eden about to eat some apple that would change her life forever.

Her gaze flickered to the wall and as he continued relaxing her body and taking away all the tension, she spoke to him, smirking. "Why? Is Jason Cross willing to help me?"

Jason smirked, looking down at her. "Maybe. But… I don’t do things for free."