After Henry finished his two songs, Jason finally waved him off.
Henry, his face flushed with humiliation, quickly gathered his bodyguard with the slicked-back hair and the man walking the green pit bull. He left in silence.
Jason knew well enough—people like Henry weren't fit to hold even a regional office. Their hands stretched too far, their arrogance unchecked. But this wasn't Jason's battle to chase. The State Commerce Commission would surely hear of it, and how they dealt with him was their business.
Once Henry was gone, Lewis's attitude toward Jason shifted completely.
At this moment, Lewis silently thanked his luck. Even if it meant breaking ties with his previous investors, he had to pull Jason into New Vision Media. With Jason's reach, the company would be unstoppable.
Lewis wanted to exchange more polite words, but Jason had already pulled Grace into the crowd of employees. He cracked a few jokes, mingled with them naturally—and before long, he was even joining their games.
Lewis was dumbstruck.This is what they mean by knowing when to tighten and when to release…?
At first, the employees were nervous. After all, Jason was the boss. But as they saw how approachable he was, the tension melted. Soon, they were laughing, relaxed, and treating him like one of their own.
Then someone shouted:"Let's play the card pass game!"
It was a silly party game where everyone formed a circle, using only their mouths to suck a card and pass it to the next person. If someone failed, the card could slip—leading to an accidental kiss.
The circle formed quickly. Grace stood on one side of Jason, Zoe on the other. Normally, this game was more thrilling between men and women, but Grace—who was technically Jason's employee—kept a polite distance. Zoe, a popular streamer, also drew a line; the male staff knew better than to risk rumors with her.
But then, with complete confidence, Agela slid to Jason's other side and even pulled her assistant to fill the gap on her far end.
Grace noticed but said nothing. She understood clearly—this wasn't her place to interfere.
The game began. The first round passed smoothly. In the second round, the card reached Agela. She leaned in to hand it to Jason. At the last second, the card slipped from her lips.
Her face rushed forward—straight toward Jason's mouth.
The room gasped.
But Jason reacted in an instant. With surprising agility, he leaned back, caught her by the arm, and steadied her before the accident could happen.
Crisis avoided.
Agela blinked at him, stunned. A flush rose to her cheeks.
Our new boss… not only handsome, rich, and protective… but also a true gentleman?
Agela: Affection +5.
But was Jason really being gentlemanly?
Not exactly. Ever since receiving the system, Jason had been guided to draw out the affections of women—but also warned to guard himself carefully. The truth was, he was no saint. He'd already taken his first steps away from innocence and toward a scoundrel's path.
He also knew the risks. The news was full of it—STDs spreading faster than ever, with HIV infections now hitting nearly one in a thousand. Without the system, it would be hard to judge, so might go with it like before.
But with the system, Jason had a safety net. As long as a woman's affection rating hadn't crossed 80, he would never touch her. Once it did, the system could scan and confirm she was completely safe.
That way, Jason could protect himself absolutely—while still reaping the benefits.
Agela didn't know what Jason was truly thinking. At that moment, because of his gentlemanly restraint, her gaze toward him grew softer and more affectionate.
So, in the next two rounds of the card game, she "accidentally" dropped the card again. This time it was closer—so close that Jason had almost no time to react.
Almost.
Jason's reflexes, honed by the system and enhanced after taking three rounds of the tempering pills, were razor sharp. His reaction speed easily surpassed professional athletes—F1 drivers would look slow compared to him.
He shifted back in the blink of an eye, catching her shoulder lightly to steady her without letting their lips meet.
The watching employees chuckled knowingly.
Once might be a mistake. Twice? That's intentional.
No one could blame Agela, though. Who wouldn't want to get close to such a perfect boss? But Jason's rejections were quick, clean, and left no room for misunderstanding. His counter to her little tricks was so smooth it almost looked like a performance.
Grace, watching from the side, felt a quiet warmth bloom in her chest. Jason had just refused Agela, and although Grace knew she had no real claim over him, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of relief. She wasn't ready to see another woman take his favor so soon.
Agela might be more glamorous than me, Grace thought, but Jason still refused her. Is he… taking my feelings into account?
Grace: Affection +1.
Later, during a round of board games, Agela didn't give up. She leaned close against Jason, her shoulder brushing his. He didn't push her away. After all, physical closeness without crossing the line wasn't dangerous—and didn't risk any infections.
Agela, who moments before had felt a stab of resentment, brightened into a smile.
Alice, however, grew more restless. She watched Agela's every move with growing irritation. She wanted to sit beside Jason too, but she was stuck with Zoe at her side, and Jason already had Grace on one side and Agela on the other. There was simply no room for her.
When the evening finally wound down, people began leaving in pairs. Zoe left with Lewis, the two chatting as if they'd already planned it.
Alice seized her chance. She slipped in quickly, right as Agela stepped away for a moment, and said with a sweet smile:
"Jason, where are you headed next? Mind if I tag along?"
Agela instantly regretted letting her guard down, her annoyance bubbling up. Of course Alice would try to wedge herself in at the first opportunity.
But Jason only smiled faintly and sidestepped. "Not tonight. We're heading home."
Alice froze.
Agela's eyes lit up. Earlier, when she had "almost kissed" Jason, he had avoided her, but it wasn't rejection—just gentlemanly restraint. Later, when she leaned close, he hadn't pulled away.
But now, as Alice drew near, Jason dodged outright, his body language almost… disgusted.
Agela quickly slipped back into the spot Jason had vacated, shutting Alice out.
The truth was simple: Jason just didn't like Alice. He'd seen her clinging to other men before, and now, no matter how she tried, he couldn't take her seriously. At best, she was a tool to brush system points from—not someone he'd let too close.
Alice noticed the flicker of distaste in his eyes. Her face flushed red with embarrassment, her chest tightening with regret.
Last time, when I hugged Jason, he didn't mind at all… and I threw that chance away. If I hadn't chosen wrong then, I might've been in Grace's place tonight. Instead, I've fallen behind—even to Agela, who only showed up later.
The realization hit her like a stone.
Grace was secure in Jason's favor. Agela still had opportunities to win his appreciation.
But Alice… Alice felt her last chance slipping away entirely.
There are 60 chapters ahead in my Patreon, with 2 daily chapters. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439