The Master Programmer-Chapter 34: The Art of Selling Yourself 2

Jason felt like laughing at that moment, but he kept his composure. "Thank you, Ms. Ellis. I promise I won’t let you down." He stood up and held his hand out, waiting for her to shake it. And she did just that with a smile on her face.

Veronica looked Jason up and down, shaking her head, "Samantha got a good one this time."

"What do you mean?" Jason said even though he heard her.

"Nothing." Veronica then glanced at his outfit. "But first, you’ll need better clothes. Speak to our accountant about an advance. And Jason—don’t waste this opportunity." As she said that, she took her wallet out, handing him another 5,000 dollars after the first bit of money she gave him, and he couldn’t help but be taken aback.

"Veronica, you don’t have to act like Samantha to give me this money. I-"

"Shh! First impressions are all about that. They are all about creating the best first impression. Right now, you have your foot in the door. But next, you need to push the door open with your all. Your clothes will help you stand out to others, and make them take you seriously."

Jason knew this too, but still. This was honestly too much. She was so incredible. Sighing, Jason did not know what to say at that moment, and when Veronica saw this, she smiled holding the side of his shoulders and inwardly remarking how firm they felt and how well-built he was. Wait, why was she thinking that?

Turning and then walking away, leaving the words, "I have to go out again. Super busy. I normally have Nina here to cook my meals for the week. And that means you and I are going to be eating well. I know you said you were willing to cook, but that was before when you had time. Now you have a job. Make sure to focus on it. And say hi to Nina before you go get some clothes, okay?"

Jason stared at her as she walked away, and he felt his throat go dry. Another favour. How was he going to repay her? This time, he also sensed something. She had been distant, and even in their handshake, she had not let herself spend too much time in his presence.

Was she realising the way she felt and moving back?

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As she walked away, Jason couldn’t help but notice her commanding presence, her movements precise and purposeful even when nodding at the cook, who practically bowed to her. It seemed she was warm only to him. And that ass…

Focus, Jason.

You will never be worthy of the attention of others if you don’t grow who you are as a person and become more than you are right now. The same goes for Veronica. If you want to become someone worthy of her attention, you have to grow the value you are capable of bringing into her life. There is no other choice in this. You just need to be more than you are right now.

After tingling that far, Jason then moved, heading over to the kitchen where Nina the chef was cooking the food. When Jason approached, she looked up at him, and then when she saw him, she smiled, nodding and almost bowing at him in the same way she bowed at Veronica.

"Good day, Mr Jason. Ms Veronica told me about the fact that you will be staying here with us, and I wanted to ask you if you had any preferences for your diet. Do you have any allergies or anything I should consider when cooking for your weekly needs?"

Jason heard those words even before she got up and when she did he saw a Chinese woman with a pretty face, something that went perfectly well with the sweet voice. TO Jason, it was something interesting and he figured he should probably introduce himself to her.

"Firstly, hello. I’m Jason. I don’t have much need for anything. Maybe I’ll be a bit happier if you put a bit more meat on my plates. Other than that, I think as long as you make them similar to the other ones, I will be fine."

Hearing these words, Nina nodded, smiling and saying, "Okay, I will put more meat on your plate. After all, Ms Veronica told me to take good care of you." As she said that she wiped off the beads of sweat that were forming on her forehead and then unloosened the button on her shirt, continuing to cook the stirfry without any problems.

Hm? What was that?

Jason made a note of her behaviour, feeling some interest. People don’t fix their appearance unless they care about how they look. She cared about how Jason saw her and, as natural as this was, it would be bad if it became anything more than what Jason wanted it to be. And Jason did not want her to form any sort of attraction for him.

Jason would have to nip everything in the bud. And it was possible too. He could do it. After all, he was going to make it seem extremely easy to get those things to that edge.

Looking at the stir-fry she was cooking, Jason realised how good it smelled. She was very impressive. And very professional. He would help Veronica by keeping someone like her loyal to Veronica and nobody else. Just a small favour. Nothing much.

"That meal looks incredible... I understand why Veronica had such a bright smile when she spoke about you. It seems you have a real talent for creating dishes that people don’t just enjoy, but also remember for a long time. I can only imagine how much pride that brings you."

"Thank you! Yeah, it feels great seeing everyone get happy because of my food. And Ms Veronica has been treating me so well. It’s the least I could do," Nina said with a smile that reached her eyes. She was not lying. Jason could tell she was genuinely happy about it.

"I think there’s more though. I’ve been watching you all this time, I can see there’s something real. It’s like you have some instinct for knowing what people need before they even realise it themselves. Where did you learn how to do something like that? Did you always have it?"

Jason was leading with a compliment and then making her engage in some self-reflection. He was building rapport with her, and reinforcing the fact that he could see everything she was and she did. In this way, she would feel okay with opening up to him.

"I guess it’s a mix of experience and passion. I’ve always loved cooking. And I also love making people happy with my cooking," she said looking up as she scraped the pot with her spatula. Jason looked her in the eyes and nodded, acknowledging her words and giving her something good to think about herself.

"It shows. That passion of yours is something really rare. Most people just muddle through life, not doing anything important all the time. But you... You bring a level of care and attention that builds a legacy, you know... Think about it. Having your meals, helps Veronica have a great day. It’s you. It’s all you."

Nina smiled shyly, shaking her head. "No, I don’t believe it. I know just how hard she works. She is a powerful woman. I can see it in her, and I try to support her as best as I can."

After hearing those words, he smirked, leaning forward and getting to her level. "I’m sure she might not have said this, or maybe she has but you didn’t take it seriously... You have something in you. An artistry. It’s honestly something that if taken away, would have an incredibly negative impact on her work. Honestly, she might not know this, but she might not be able to imagine her food being the way it is without you."

Jason was making her feel like she was an indispensable part of the vision, of this place, and there was an importance to that. People loved being seen. If Jason made her feel like she was seen, she might forever hold this place important in her heart.

"Really? Do you think so? Thank you so much! I enjoy doing what I do here," Nina said with a smile as she put the pot aside, wiping her hands and smiling at Jason as she cleaned herself up.

"I think so. Actually. I wanted to talk to Veronica about something, but I hoped to get your view on it first," Jason said, leaning forward almost too secretively. "I want to make sure you have everything you need to keep thriving. After all, your growth is just as important as her business growth as I have already explained to you before."

Nina nodded, saying, "I see. What do you need from me?"

"I believe you’re incredibly important to Veronica. And I’m sure you understand by now that none of this would be possible without you. I think she needs people like you, who are talented, dedicated, and passionate. You will have endless opportunities in the future, but right now, there is nobody Veronica needs more than you to help her take things to the next level. She tends to overwork herself sometimes. Please help her."

After hearing these words, Nina nodded, saying, "Thanks. I appreciate your words. I want to keep doing my best here as long as you guys will have me."

You guys? No. This was about Veronica.

Jason chuckled, walking away, and saying, "Well, then Nina. It’s nice to meet you. Let’s get along from now on."

As Jason walked away, Nina stared at him from behind, wondering why he had a faint scent of female hair product to him. Hm... Maybe it was just her imagination?

Anyway... Her boss Veronica had really good taste in boy toys! What a handsome guy! Oh my god!