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Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Right. The CCTV cameras.

Of course she didn't forget. She probably memorized every inch of his office like the back of her hand. She was observant as much as she was hardworking, meticulous, and creative.

Talented. Nice. Caring. Intelligent. Beautiful.

Damn. Why was she still single? Sometimes it boggled his mind but it was none of his business, so he didn't pry.

Once she left, he would check the camera that was pointed towards the doorway. Just to make sure that it was still on standby mode, not actually recording any real-time footage. Jessi didn't know that. Good thing he didn't tell her yet.

"Safe flight." As they stood beside his work desk, Jessi leaned forward to hug him.

He froze while her arm wrapped around his back. It wasn't an intimate embrace, but it still surprised him, leaving him speechless in her arms.

It wasn't the first time she hugged him. But she never hugged him goodbye before leaving his office. Her distinct scent still gave off some hints of anxiety and doubts, although she seemed mostly relaxed now.

"Go home. Get some sleep." Jessi gave his arm a light squeeze before pulling away.

Although she might end up calling the authorities even after he told her to keep it all a secret, her behavior and gesture reassured him she would not tell anyone about the incident with Darren.

Jenson gave her a quick nod in reply.

"Is he really quitting the show?" she whispered, squinting at him now. She grabbed her handbag on his desk after glancing at the door.

He sat in his swivel chair and shook his head. The awkwardness he felt just ebbed away. He wasn't even sure why he was feeling awkward. "He'll be fine," he calmly muttered amid a sigh, hoping he sounded convincing enough.

"Okay."

"It'll blow over." Like the last time, hopefully.

"I'm counting on it. His fans would be seriously disappointed." Jessi stared at the locked door leading to the changing room where Darren was currently resting.

"Yeah." He scratched his forehead. The show's fans would definitely react if ever the big execs decided to fire Darren and if they killed off his character. "Can't afford to lose him."

"Call me if you need anything."

"I'll check up on him tomorrow."

"Likewise. Go home. Get some sleep." Jessi smiled at him briefly before walking out the door. "Safe trip."

× 12:39AM ×

"Yes?"

"Hey. You back in LA? I'll be in New York tomorrow." Jenson sat back in his swivel chair and plugged in his headset, waiting for an affirmative response on the other end.

It might be morning or afternoon wherever Magnus was at the moment, wherever he and Evie might be. "No. We're headed to another town. Evie wants to visit a monks' temple."

"Oh." Soul-searching mode, still, apparently. Jenson kept a comment to himself and listened for any background noises. Not much except for some faint outdoor and traffic noises. "Can I call you anytime tomorrow?"

"Yeah. You need anything?" Magnus sighed on the other line, obviously not in the mood for small talk. Like always.

"Nothing. Just curious about something."

"About?"

Okay. Just cut to the chase.

Maybe Magnus had definite answers; he was one of the shareholders of the pharmaceutical company that manufactured their wolfsbane medication. He should know a thing or two besides what the labels said.

"DJ came over, drunk out of his mind again. Caused a scene and all that. Tried to calm him down, but he just kept yelling things. My assistant saw and heard all of it."

"That makeup artist?"

"Yeah," Jenson muttered, unsure whether Magnus found out from the other producers that he hired Jessiah to be his new personal assistant just months ago. "Who told you by the way?"

"Not important. What did he do?"

"Something he shouldn't."

"Where is he now?" Magnus asked, his deep voice still muted.

"Sleeping in his bed. Drove him home half an hour ago. He wasn't taking his meds again."

During the drive to his place, Darren also reiterated he wanted to quit the show, but Jenson knew it was just his depression and grief talking.

Darren seemed to be grieving, still. He even said he wanted to talk to Ramona's parents to personally apologize for what happened. Of course Jenson discouraged it, like Magnus.

"How many days now?"

"A couple. A week tops. Might take him to rehab when I get back. Somewhere remote. That okay?"

"Do what you gotta do."

"Alright," Jenson sighed. Although he wasn't that worried about Darren anymore, his brain was still busy contemplating the other stuff.

Actually he felt somewhat guilty now for what he just did to Jessiah, besides manipulating her every chance he could get. Now he couldn't stop imagining the pill's possible side effects.

200 milligrams might be toxic enough for an ordinary human. As far as he remembered, Jessi didn't even weigh 110 pounds.

"Any footage?"

"No recordings. I just checked the cam." Jenson muffled a sigh. His eyelids feeling heavy now but the unwanted anxiety kept him alert and awake. "She didn't record anything but she heard too much. I had to fix up a dose."

"How much?" Magnus replied shortly, his tone hushed and actually curious.

"Half a dose. Mixed it with juice. She's around 108 pounds. Would it work?"

Instead of answering his question, Magnus chuckled and tsk-ed. Silence filled the line for a moment.

He found it funny? Why? Jenson pulled a face.

"You're beyond help now, I'm afraid."

Beyond help? He scoffed at the remark, clueless on what it exactly meant. "What d'you mean?"

"I warned you, didn't I?"

"We're just friends," he said in his defense.

But what did Magnus really mean by he was "beyond help now"?

"How's Charmaine?"

"Busy. In Beijing."

"She met the girl yet?"

"Yeah." Jenson frowned, minding the implications of his uncle's rather irrelevant questions. "I'm just tryna help her pay the bills. It's not like, I hired her so I could...sleep with her."

"Delayed gratification." Magnus restrained another laugh and didn't bother to elaborate. "That's all I'm gonna say," was the last thing he said before hanging up.

"Great. Thanks a bunch." Jenson sighed and scowled at his phone screen. The vague answers he got didn't help but at least Magnus didn't react negatively to what he did to Jessiah.

Maybe that meant she'd be fine for now?

While he lay alone under the covers, Jenson stared at the cold and empty side of the bed, his mind helplessly stuck in overdrive as the darkness around him consumed his thoughts.

It had been weeks since he and Charmaine last had a long and serious conversation. Lately, it was becoming their reality. Sometimes it didn't even feel like they were in a relationship and engaged to be married.

More like longtime roommates who hung out from time to time. It sent him down some annoying guilt trips most nights especially now that he was all alone in their house, patiently waiting for her to come back home.

Was she sick of him already? Sick of their arrangement? Tired of him and his job? Did she honestly want him to try a different career now?

He knew she wanted him to quit show business before he reached 40. But what would he do after that?

He didn't have a plan B outside of Hollywood. Not yet at least. He didn't have a reputable college degree to be proud of, unlike her.

She had two, actually. It wasn't an issue before they got serious, but now, he was starting to see things differently. He wasn't much of a businessman like her and her family of tycoons.

What did she expect? That he'd quit his jobs in a heartbeat just so he could be wherever she wanted to be? It was obvious she wanted to migrate and live in China for that promotion she had been waiting for all these years.

But he didn't know anyone in Beijing. He couldn't even speak more than three words in Mandarin. Sighing to himself, Jenson grabbed his phone and quit dillydallying.

He rang Charmaine's number, missing her company and missing her voice, desperate and trapped in a big, lonely house with nothing but his insecurities.

First ring. Second ring.

Three rings.

Four.

Five.

Still no answer.

He dropped the call and scowled. If she was still in Beijing, she should be done clocking in for the day. Sometimes she worked Saturdays. Not unusual for her busy schedule.

Although he was losing patience, he called her work number. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Still no answer.

Shit. Did something happen to her? Was she okay? Or just too busy for him?

He tried her personal number again. Twice. Then another time.

Nada.

"What the heck..." Jenson threw the covers onto the bed and got up, clutching his phone as he approached the balcony.

While his thoughts raced and rushed to unpleasant conclusions, he gripped the balustrade and checked her last social media posts.

She was online half an hour ago. Like he guessed, still in Beijing. Same area where her billionaire employers' corporate headquarters were located.

Why was she not answering his calls?

Losing his grip on his patience, he composed a short text just to get her attention. Maybe then she would stop treating him like a damned inconvenience.

New message

Recipient: Charm VDH

"Let's call it off. Call me if you want me to send your stuff there so you won't have to see my face again."

02:45AM

He sent the text without bothering to include a quick greeting.

She had it coming. It should teach her a lesson.

No surprises. No phone call. Nothing.

Charmaine plainly ignored him and his quick rant via text. It'd been hours now. She didn't even care to return his calls or reply with a short message. Not even a single "OK".

He was sure she read his message already. The green icon and "online" status on her email profile told him so. Like always, he and their relationship weren't a priority.

He shouldn't have expected otherwise. Fine. He would just have to wait. As usual. It pissed him off beyond words, but his pride held him back.

If she wanted to fix things, Charmaine would call him now to talk to him. If not, then he would have to move on and just figure out a way to make the breakup easier for both sides.

Maybe she thought he only wanted to call off their engagement, not kick her to the curb. Well, he broke up with her through text. Most likely she didn't take it seriously.

Stewing in his jealousy-induced frustrations, Jenson snuck under the covers again. It was late. Almost dawn, in fact. He was exhausted. He should get at least five hours of sleep before hopping on a direct flight to New York.

The darkness in the room replaced his thoughts as he lay on his side, eyes and limbs heavy, with only the deafening silence keeping him company. He slammed his phone onto the other pillow. Charmaine's pillow.

Before he could try to shut his brain off, a familiar beep beside his head distracted him. Jenson grabbed his phone again. He swore inwardly. He almost forgot; he should check up on Jessi. But he didn't want to disturb her sleep.

There was a red blob on the Email app icon. He scoffed. Another work email this late?

He opened it, then frowned at his phone when it showed his assistant's full name on the screen.

1 new email

From: Jessiah Marionne Kinley

Subject: Travel Reqts UPDATED

Heck. Why was she still up?

Was it the pill's fault?

The thought stirred his senses awake again, forcing him to keep his eyes open as he read through her new email. Jenson sat up on the bed, leaning against the wall and reading through the rest of Jessi's latest email.

Even at this ungodly hour, and despite the alarming unbridled violence she witnessed back in his office, she was eagerly doing non-essential, non-urgent work for him. She wouldn't even charge him a single cent for it, like always.

Perhaps she thought he forgot to look up the updated travel requirements. As he'd planned, he would have to get swabbed and get his lab test results first thing before he could proceed to the airport. But why was she up and busy sending emails again?

If the pill worked on her, it should've erased some of her memories of the previous night. Long shot, but, he hoped his haphazard plan worked. He hesitated for a moment, and then rang his assistant's number after reading the rest of her email.

Jessi picked up after the second ring. "Hey."

"Hey. I'll leave before lunch, after I get my test results. Is that fine?" He got up from the bed, frowning at his own words. He sounded like a guy asking for permission from his wife. Funny.

"Yeah," Jessi muttered, her hushed voice sounding pinched on the other line. "What time did you go to bed?"

"Don't remember. You?"

"Same."

"Why are you up so early doing overtime again?"

"I'm not." She snickered, sounding giggly and groggy, like she just smoked weed.

It sounded like a flirty giggle but why would she flirt with him? She thought he and Charmaine were getting married soon. Besides, Jessi wasn't the I'm-down-with-being-a-side-chick type.

Or at least he thought so. "You did a bit?"

"What?" she murmured on the other end.

"You sound like...you smoked a joint."

"I didn't." Jessi laughed again. "Wait. Do I sound high?"

"A bit. What're you doing?"

"I'm on my laptop."

"Oh. But you do hash sometimes? Or you had a drink?"

"No." She chuckled. "Just woke up."

"Oh. Okay." He grinned to himself, pressing his phone onto his ear. Her dazed voice just sounded oddly relaxing, distracting him from his anger-fueled thoughts earlier.

She sounded pretty normal, though. Maybe the pill helped her fall asleep early. Maybe it was still doing its job. If it actually erased or blocked off some of her memories, he should be able to tell.

"I just thought, you sounded a bit off."

"Sorry," she murmured. "Just...feeling kinda weird."

"Why?" He stood still against the cold wall beside the nightstand and waited for her explanation. Was she alone in bed? Bored to tears like he was?

"Honestly?" she mumbled after a lengthy silence, giggling again afterwards. "I thought you were out cold. Didn't expect you'd call."

"Why're you feeling weird?" Was she still thinking of what Darren did to him and the scandalous things she heard earlier?

"I was laughing 'cause, I felt like you just busted me when your name popped up on my screen."

"Busted?"

"Yeah." Jessi chuckled. "You called right before I was about to watch some smut."

Oh. He just disturbed her "me time". He shouldn't have called her up at this hour. What she said still made him laugh, though. Twice. Damn. He hadn't laughed this much in a while. "Go back to bed. Sleep some more."

"You think I smoked some?"

"Yeah. But what kind of smut do you like? Just out of curiosity," he muttered casually, just to keep the conversation light. He grinned again when she failed to hold back another laugh. "What kind?"

"Just...the basic." She snickered after another awkward silence. "Hetero. Sometimes, not so basic or hetero." She giggled again. "Sorry. It's just how I deal with stress sometimes."

"Hey. No judgment here. You do you." He smirked. Then for some strange reason, he recalled that day he basically rescued her from that corporate douchebag who liked to string along and assault women as a pastime. "Pun intended."

"G'night!" She muffled another laugh. "No more R-rated talk. Go back to bed. Just text or call if you need anything later. Keep me posted."

"Yeah." Jenson sighed in relief.

She didn't mention a thing about Darren. So the pill worked? Or it sedated her anxious thoughts at the very least.

"You goin' back to bed now?"

"Yeah. How's DJ?" Jessi asked before he could say goodbye.

He held in a sigh. He swore in his head and checked the time. The pill didn't work at all.

Her memories of last night stayed intact even eight hours after she drank half a dose. On the other hand, nothing bad happened to her, which gave him some comfort and eased some of his anxiety. She sounded totally fine. For now.

"He's fine. Snoring in bed, probably. Goodnight."

"Okay. Talk to you later."

× 8:39AM ×

Breakfast. Done.

Packing. Done.

Swabbing and sample collection. Done.

"We will send you an automated notification through email and text in a few hours confirming whether you tested positive or negative. Thank you."

That's what the hazmat-wearing medical staff said before he walked out of the diagnostic clinic. If his swab sample test results came back negative, then he would be allowed to travel to New York today.

The public health emergency warnings had been broadcasted all over the affected countries the past few months. The rising number of detected positive and active cases had also been making rounds on local and international news channels. On the daily.

Thousands of confirmed cases in the US now. Rising detection rates as of late. But not enough testing globally especially in poorer nations. No strict travel bans yet all over the country.

Jenson pulled a face and sat on his bike. Looks like the epidemic would continue for another couple of months. Or even an entire year if people didn't care to be cautious all the time.

Contact tracing, masking in public places, immediate isolation and voluntary quarantining weren't being strictly observed or mandated in all affected countries according to the news. So far, here in California, stringent quarantine and contact tracing protocols had been implemented since the number of active cases hit the 1,000+ mark.

Like Jessi and most of their co-workers, he masked up whenever he stepped out of the house. Especially in crowded public places. Just following the rules...not because he didn't like getting recognized on the street by total strangers.

He didn't have underlying health issues besides the faulty werewolf genes and non-human blood running through his veins. But he wasn't invincible or immune to human diseases. He wasn't born a pureblood alpha.

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