Chapter 33: Chapter 33

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Ammo? Don't aim for the head or torso? Ankles and hands first?

What in the...

Was it a joke? Was her boss rehearsing some lines from a script? Reading them out loud for fun? Or he could be talking to someone on the phone.

"Maybe. Maybe not..." Jessi sat still on the cold floor and leaned against the door, imagining the more believable scenarios.

Maybe she just wasn't used to it but Jenson kept getting phone calls in the middle of the night lately. It didn't sound like he was talking to Charmaine, though.

Must be Darren. Or Magnus—Jenson's mysterious boss and uncle. Apparently one of the head honchos. One of those rich executives who invested millions in Hollywood movies and TV shows they deemed would be a big hit.

All she knew about the man was that he was a Californian businessman with the same last name as Jenson. His real surname. Therefore, Magnus could be the brother of Jenson's father. Also Italian by birth?

"His dad died in prison years ago. Mob boss tyin' up loose ends, that kinda thing," was what Darren mentioned when they were still filming the show's latest season, with her as Darren's makeup artist.

She didn't ask for more details. That day, she thought Darren was only exaggerating and cracking jokes. It was just his personality to act like a class clown and prankster whenever there's people around. But maybe it was all true?

"Magnus Roiz" — she should look up the man's name again to learn more about Jenson's family.

The first time she tried, nothing relevant surfaced apart from the older businessman's profession, his previous position in a big-name production company, an old office address, and some business articles mentioning him being affiliated with a pharmaceutical company.

Turns out, Magnus was also the husband of Evonne "Evie" Jablonsky, Darren's older sister. Jessi grabbed her phone. Like Jenson, her boredom and the loneliness during quarantine hit their peak that she ended up passing the time researching his background, and digging up on Charmaine van den Hoven.

Jessi frowned at her phone, disappointed that she didn't uncover much. Jenson wasn't even in Charmaine's social media posts, which were mostly just variations of "Look at my perfect life!" and the "I'm so blessed and gorgeous" humble-brags.

Typical. But it was weird that Jenson wasn't in any of her public posts. Almost like...Charmaine didn't want to be known as his significant other. Darren also didn't disclose much about his personal life during interviews.

Indeed those guys liked their private lives to stay private. After that Ramona incident, a gut feeling told her there were other things—maybe even bigger secrets—to unravel about their past.

But it was none of her business. She should just stay focused on her situation right now, her health and recovery first and foremost. Jessi glanced around the small room, sitting alone in the darkness with her phone.

For the past three days, she and Jenson had been stuck here in his office 24/7. The employees who had direct contact with the five people who also tested positive had shown mild to moderate symptoms within 24 hours. Those people got placed in the military-run isolation facility just outside of the city. The ones who developed moderate to severe symptoms must have been brought to the nearest hospital.

Hopefully she wouldn't end up the same way. While her thoughts took on a darker tone, Jessi stared at her feet and legs under her phone's bright flashlight.

The itchy, pinkish spots on her toes and limbs seemed to have doubled. Shit. Her nose and taste buds stopped working hours ago, too.

The anxiety dulled her ability to concentrate now that she couldn't smell a single thing. But at least she wasn't battling terrible flu symptoms. No high grade fever, body pains, or shortness of breath. Not yet, anyway.

Should she call up her parents now? Probably a good idea.

"Please, God, protect them and keep them safe all the time..." Jessi sighed, praying in murmured words, sitting beside herself in the dark. "And me and everyone else. I don't wanna die."

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× 4:39AM ×

Faint footsteps. A few muted rings. Someone mumbling swearwords.

Someone just opened and closed the door to his office. Then the ringing paused. A guy sighed out loud after murmuring something about someone named "Zeke" and Magnus.

It was just Jenson. Thank God. But where was he while she was asleep?

Sheer curiosity gradually replaced the grogginess that was making her lightheaded. Jessi frowned and stood behind the other door, which she'd left ajar after she took a cold drink out of the fridge.

Where did he go? He'd been gone for a while. Give or take four hours. Now he wore different clothes and carried a duffel bag. Jenson dumped it on the couch and sighed.

If she hadn't recognized his voice, she would've thought a total stranger was sneaking into his office at the crack of dawn, with her all alone and blindly going back to bed. She crouched on the floor, peeking at him through the narrow opening.

The office was almost pitch-dark but she could see enough. Jenson stood by the couch a couple meters away, his back facing her while he took off his jacket. When his phone rang again, he grabbed it and stared at the screen for a while, then tossed it on the couch like his duffel bag.

Who was calling him at this hour? Charm?

Jessi watched him from afar. She kept still and made guesses in her head, intrigued and confused at the same time.

Why did he have to leave past midnight? So, the security staff on duty just let him out the doors and then let him stroll back into the building. Just because he tested negative the second time?

Jenson took off his shirt and pants, then shoved them both into his black bag. Now his boxer briefs were the only thing covering his nudity. His slouching half-naked figure held her attention as she stared at him, the darkness hiding her attempt to snoop.

Was he okay? He seemed stressed about something. He flumped down on the couch with a quick groan, his intakes of breath audible. His fingers massaged his temples while he stared down at his dark socks. Then he just grabbed and dropped the duffel bag onto the floor.

She almost gasped, but she stayed quiet and still. Keeping up her stealthy moves, Jessi sat on the floor behind the door several feet away from the divan. She watched him in silence and waited. And then waited some more.

A minute ticked by. It turned into long minutes of total silence.

When he stayed lying on his back, quiet and motionless as if he was taking a nap, her heartbeat accelerated. Some nervousness and a tinge of excitement just livened up her thoughts.

She put on her face mask and carefully stepped out from where she was hiding. Barefoot and keeping her steps noiseless, she walked towards him and the couch, clamping her mouth shut. Her heart started beating harder in her chest.

He must be asleep now. His breathing had calmed down minutes ago and his eyes stayed closed.

For a moment, she just stood before him, clad in an old shirt dress with half of her face covered up by a mask that almost made it hard for her to breathe. She stared at him, hesitating. She didn't want to disturb his sleep, but something in her gut told her she should check up on him.

Then his duffel bag on the floor caught her attention. He'd left it open.

With kid gloves, she turned to her right and leaned over to take a closer look inside his backpack. She knelt on the floor and touched his long-sleeved shirt.

The sleeves and the hem felt damp. Just sweat? Probably.

Frowning at his shirt, she put it back inside his bag before turning to face him again. "What the fu—" A blinding light made her back off and cover her eyes with her hand. Oh shit.  No.  Caught right in the act!

"Sorry." Jenson chuckled. He was sitting on the couch now. "You good?"

"Yeah," she muttered after her heart felt like it jumped into her throat. "Where were you?"

"Just grabbed some air," he murmured before glancing away. The brightness of his phone screen cast shadows on his bearded face, his bare chest, and his abs.

She knew he worked out as often as he could but she hadn't seen him this unclothed up-close.

His physique reminded her of an athlete's body. He looked more jacked than she imagined—not that she liked to imagine him naked. When she stopped staring at his body, Jenson got up from the couch and stood in front of her. Now his sock was touching her bare foot. "How you feeling?"

"Fine."

"You sure?" He squinted at her. "Why are you up so early?"

"Um... I-I was just in the kitchen." She tugged at the ends of her mask to fasten it tightly onto her nose and mouth, worried she might be spreading the virus right now just by being out of her temporary bedroom. She certainly didn't want to make him sick. "Then I heard you walk in."

"You thought I was someone else?"

She backed off and gave a few nods in reply.

Did he catch her snooping around his stuff?

Shit. She hoped he didn’t think so. As her anxiety grew into instant panic, she recalled the things he said earlier when she was in the other room, isolating herself. "He brought ammo" and "don't aim for the head or torso"...

What the heck was that all about?

It could just be some lines off a script but where was he while she slept in the other room? Was it blood on his clothes? The tips of her fingers looked pinkish now. Or maybe it was just his sweat and raindrops.

"Is it still raining?" she asked when he just stood before her with his hands on his hips and him just staring at her face.

"Not anymore." Jenson stepped away from her to switch on the wall lights.

"Sorry. I should go back in there," she sighed, backing away from the couch. Weakass exit strategy, but she shouldn't be near him right now. "I'm still contagious."

"Hey."

"Yeah?" Jessi halted in her steps and turned to look at him again. Her face and neck grew warmer in embarrassment. Her intrusion definitely startled him awake.

His tired eyes regarded her as he took a few steps closer, his brows and mouth wrinkled by a mild frown.

"Sorry. I-I didn't mean to—"

"You smell different." His unwavering gaze scanned her from head to toe. A scowl deepened the creases above his thick brows and the faint lines on his forehead. When she stayed speechless, he stepped closer till his nose touched her hair. He sniffed her head.

The surprise made her step backwards. She held her breath when he suddenly held her arms to keep her still.

His grip wasn't painfully tight, but it felt firm, keeping her in place.

Why was he sniffing her?  "What're you doing?"

"You feel hot. Body pains?" Jenson placed the back of his hand on the side of her neck, then touched the skin beside her right eye. "Your eyes feel hot, too?"

"A little." She pulled away. Her cheeks and nape felt like they were burning up now. Their physical closeness alone distracted her thought process, confusing her more.

He let go of her arms, but he still stood too close that she could feel the warmth of his breath and his entire body.

"Sorry I disturbed your sleep," she muttered, avoiding his attentive eyes.

"You didn't.  Worry about yourself. I'm fine." He grinned for a second. Then his gaze dropped to her feet. "How's the rashes? Still itchy?"

"A bit. Yeah." She took another step backwards and glanced at the door. "What d'you mean I smell different?"

Why was his nose so sensitive practically all the time?

"You smell sick." Jenson leaned in again to sniff her face. The tip of his nose touched the side of her cheek. When he pulled away, his frown deepened again. "Lift your shirt for a sec. Just wanna check something."

Lift her shirt? She wasn't wearing a bra underneath. She blinked at him and tried not to scowl even though her mask fully concealed her mouth. "Why?"

"Your rashes are spreading." His brows furrowed as he stared at her bare feet and legs.

"My...  Y-Yeah. I noticed."

"Anything else bothering you?"

"Just...the itchiness and the fever."

“You sure?” He knelt on the floor now on one knee. He examined the pinkish spots on her toes and her legs, his warm fingers gently touching her skin.

Her breath hitched. She couldn't even think of what to say. Well, if somebody saw them right now—

"What about breathing issues?"

"No. Nothing like that." Slowly and timidly, she hiked up her shirt dress to show him her upper body.

"Shit." Jenson gawked at her bare thighs and lower abdomen. "It's all over you."

Oh no. "Seriously?" Jessi glanced down at her exposed underwear, her heartbeat ratcheting up again. The rashes had spread all over her legs and her stomach. "Oh shit."

"Does it hurt?" He pressed his fingers onto the side of her waist, where a large clump of pinkish spots dotted her pale skin. "This one?"

"Not really." She gripped his forearm. "Joss..."

"Okay." He let out a sigh. "I get that you don't wanna go to the hospital, but..." Jenson knelt on both knees now. He sniffed the rashes on her waist and thighs. His hand held her shirt up to bare her midsection. "I think it's best I take you to the ER now."

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