Chapter 57: Chapter 57

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"Chino. Right?"

"Yeah. Chino," Jenson replied to the person on the other line.

"That kid you put in that new facility?"

"Yeah." He sat still in the driver's seat, recognizing the hint of surprise in his uncle's gruff voice.

Surprise mixed with confusion. As if the last thing Magnus expected to hear today was that poor kid's name. "So you're asking me to keep paying for the bills until he gets better." Magnus chuckled.

"Yes."

"What makes you so sure he will?"

"I'm not." Jenson sat back. "But, he's got no one else left."

Helplessly sick. Alone. Penniless and unquestionably traumatized beyond words.

To be blunt, he didn't expect his uncle to foot all of the treatment expenses. He just wanted to make sure that the orphaned teen would be taken care of, until the medical staff deemed his mental illness more manageable. That could mean another few months in that expensive facility. A year. Or even a decade.

Still, the kid should have proper medical attention—not chucked into prison to rot for what he did to his own parents. It wasn't his fault he was born with a sickness he couldn't control.

"I'll pay off half of the bills. I'm just waitin' for some paychecks." Jenson clutched the steering wheel. "The ratings look good. The big guys want two more seasons. The paperwork's gonna be done in a month or so."

"Good to hear," Magnus muttered, his tone more pleasant. Relief outweighed the surprise tenfold, though.

"So? What about Chino?"

Magnus let out a lengthy sigh. "You're getting too involved with this kid. Hit too close to home?"

"He just needs continuous treatment." A chance to get better. To be better. Especially since his parents couldn't provide his needs for years. Jenson stared at the sunless sky. The kid still reminded him of his past, but it wasn't the only reason he wanted to help. "We have the means. He doesn't need to die."

"Sure. For now," his uncle said after a quiet few seconds, as if he needed much time to weigh the pros and cons.

"Wait. So, you'll pay for it?"

"He's lucky I used to play golf with the police chief. Otherwise he'd be rotting in an unmarked grave by now. Or in solitary confinement in some nuthouse, just going more insane by the day."

"Thanks." Jenson almost breathed a sigh of relief. But he wasn't totally relieved yet—his uncle didn't hand out favors. Most especially when they concerned money and having to use his influence and connections.

Someone like Magnus treated almost everything like a business deal. Only a matter of time before he collected other outstanding debts. "How's it going with Charm?"

"Better." Jenson feigned a pleasant tone, hoping his uncle would be convinced by the lie.

"Meaning?"

"She's enjoying her promotion and her new office."

"Are you planning on moving to Beijing permanently after the show?"

"Not really. Why?"

"When's the wedding?" Magnus asked, his tone full of interest. "Did you get to talk about that before she flew back to Beijing?"

"Yeah. Sure." Jenson ground his teeth until his jaw ached.

Shit. Maybe he should just come clean. Lying about his relationship with Charmaine wouldn't do him any good, anyway. He smothered a sigh with his fist. Something in his core pulsated as he kept staring at his uncle's name on the screen. He should just break the news. Then no more stupid excuses in the future.

No use hiding the truth from the man. Magnus always figured things out, anyway. "What did Charmaine say?"

"We called it off," Jenson sighed. "We're over."

"And why's that?" Magnus chuckled.

"She cheated again."

"When? You got proof?"

"She confessed," Jenson murmured, trying not to scowl. "Coughed up the guy's name third time I asked." In fact he didn't even need to pay his hacker contact to do more digging. It had been quite a relief that Charmaine still respected him enough to tell him the whole truth, without him having to beg for answers.

"Where's this guy from?"

"Doesn't matter. We talked it over, and we're not hostile or anything. But I'm done tolerating it."

"I see." Magnus briefly cleared his throat. "I'm guessing that's why you've been spending too much time with your assistant?"

"No." Jenson scoffed. "Why d'you keep insisting I cheated? We were over months ago. Jessi's got nothing to do with it."

"You know Charmaine's parents would hate to hear you two called it off just because of some guy and a girl you met on the job." Magnus sighed on the other line and didn't give him time to respond. "I just had dinner with Bram and Mila van den Hoven. They asked about the funeral, and they send their condolences."

Charmaine's parents asked about his mother?

"Why'd you meet up with them?" Jenson pulled a face. "You're in Eindhoven?"

"I'm looking to partner with them."

What in the... "Partner? What's that mean?"

"Just pitched two proposals. We need their money and connections to fund our research."

"Hold on." Jenson held back a sigh, pinching his temple till the pain radiated to the top of his skull. The confusion only made him grip the steering wheel tighter. "You mean, your team's workin' on a new batch of wolfsbane meds?"

"No. More on vaccine development. Worldwide distribution. This epidemic's only getting worse. We need to speed up our R&D team."

Huh. Meaning: Magnus needed more millions—if not billions—to make his new business plans a reality.

"You sure they'll just hand you their money?" Jenson smirked. A ball of heat lingered behind his temples when his uncle didn't reply. "Without knowing for sure if your team's good enough to make the cut?"

"We just started Phase II. The initial data sets look promising. Mila's family owns two hospitals. We'll get more volunteers there."

"Good for you." Jenson turned off the engine and sat back, unsure of where their conversation was headed. "But, you'll still pay for Chino's bills? For now, I mean."

"If you talk to Charm again, and fix things up. Sure."

He grinned and shook his head. There it was. The terms. Of course it was going to be quid pro quo. Why did he even think otherwise?

"And you still haven't convinced Mykaela to go to Belgrade. I need her there soon. Ilya's getting sicker and way more impatient." Magnus sighed on the other end. "If you've done that months ago, I wouldn't be asking for money from Charmaine's folks."

"Why can't you just get a—"

"I'm not getting another bank loan."

"Fine." Jenson bumped his forehead onto the steering wheel. He was tempted to say he didn't really care about Ilya or what he wanted from his daughter, but he'd rather not comment on their ongoing family drama. He had his own list of problems to deal with at the moment, and he wasn't even sure where or how to begin. "I'll go back to New York this month. Then I'll call Charm."

"Good. You know Ilya hates waiting," his uncle murmured. "Are you home?"

"No."

"You on a date with Jessiah again?"

"No." Jenson clenched his fist. He just parked behind the apartment complex where Jessi was staying, but his nosey uncle didn't need to know how he ended up here. "She's leaving."

"Leaving California?"

"She's going back to Minnesota. Says it's safer there."

"Too bad." Magnus clicked his tongue. "You make a good team."

Actually they made a great team at work, and their relationship could be more than that. Unfortunately, Jessiah had other plans for herself.

The fact still stang his feelings, but, it was the least of his problems right now. "Yeah. I guess." Jenson frowned, the thick feeling in his throat only growing.

"How much does she know about the girl?"

"What girl?" He craned his neck. He eyed the windows in Jessiah's apartment unit, squinting at them through his tinted windshield. No movements so far. "Sure this line's secure?"

"You think I'd use it if it wasn't?" Magnus said with a forced laugh.

Well, fair point.

"Did Darren say anything to her?"

"She heard enough..." Jenson sighed. "That night he just barged into my office drunk and high on some shit."

"And?"

"I explained to her what happened to Ramona. Didn't tell her much else. Jess didn't ask a lot of questions."

"You made her sign an NDA?"

"Why?" Jenson scowled.

Now his uncle wanted him to convince Jessiah to sign a non-disclosure agreement before leaving California—which was tonight.

Shit. Jenson glared at his phone. After that fight with Jessi, he seriously doubted she'd want to talk to him again. Much less hash out an NDA signing. Or perhaps his uncle wanted him to do the whole thing via email. "Don't worry about it. She likes DJ. And I told her to keep quiet."

"Sure you did," Magnus replied. "But you know money talks."

Money?  Did they really think Jessiah's a gold-digger?  "She's not that kinda person."

"Can't be so sure. You just met her."

"I trust her."

"Yeah. I know. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Nice." Jenson nearly laughed. "You're quoting Taylor Swift now. Did you take your meds today?"

"Hilarious," his uncle muttered. "Tried to offer her a raise?"

"Yeah. She said her parents keep worrying."

"As they should."

"They want her home ASAP, before the numbers get much worse."

"I'm sure they will."

Shit. This global public health crisis was already gravely affecting the entertainment business, among other industries. Another year of this nightmare would only make things even harder for the masses. "I still hope not." Jenson glanced at the windows again.

Still no sign of Jessiah. Was she taking a nap? Or was she with someone?

"Can I ask you something?"

Magnus sighed and took a moment to respond. "Why do I have a feeling it's about that vision?"

"What?"

"That thing I warned you about—more than once," he stressed.

"Maybe." Jenson swore in his head. Whether it was his uncle's visions coming true or not, it didn't really matter. What concerned him right now was the worst possible consequences of what he just did to Jessiah.

Last night, he just lost control with her. Shit. He even tried to mark her. He was tipsy, but he could still recall he bit her on the neck during sex—not hard enough to draw blood, though.

Much to his disappointment, Jessi thought it was just a mindless one-night stand. She probably thought he was just a philandering freak. Just another two-timing asshole like that rich guy she used to work for.

Jenson sucked in a breath. Clearly, she didn't want anything serious with him. A relationship was out of the question. She wouldn't even give him her complete address in Minnesota. He had to let her go—but he should keep an eye on her.

Jessi could get sick in a few hours. Or days. She could even end up bedridden. Or dead—like what happened to Ramona.

Shit.

Although Jessi looked perfectly fine just minutes ago, he should go back in there to check up on her again. Just to make sure. But his bruised ego was dictating a different plan.

Yes, he could've stopped it before things escalated last night.  But he really didn't want to.  And she didn't exactly tell him to stop, either.

"I'm listening," his uncle murmured on the other end, cutting off his musings.

"Is there a..." Jenson cleared his throat, curbing the urge to slap himself. "A new medication—for human consumption—that can effectively neutralize the bacteria? From a bite?"

Magnus sighed out loud. "Where'd you bite her? And when?"

"Just on her neck. But I didn't hurt her. No open wounds or blood." Jenson rubbed his hand onto his head. What he said just sounded so defensive. And pathetic.

"When?"

"Last night."

"First time? Last night?"

"Yes." He winced.

"If you make sure she takes those Plan B pills now, then you're all good. Levonorgestrel systemic, ulipristal, ethinyl estradiol..." Magnus droned on.

"How many?"

"The usual dosage," his uncle replied flatly. "Twice wouldn't hurt. What, you never had this talk with Charm?"

"No—I... I dunno. Maybe." Jenson clasped his hair. Since Jessiah bought more than two emergency contraception pills, he was pretty sure she had taken one by now.

Of course she didn't want to end up pregnant. That would've ruined all of her plans for herself. And he didn't want her to feel obligated to stay just because of his selfish desire to keep her here.

The less rational part of him wished for and wanted something permanent with her, but, of course he didn't tell her that. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off. But, maybe he already had. "Do you know anyone in Minnesota?"

"Why?" Magnus chuckled. "You wanna spy on her? You just said you trust her."

"If you know a cop there or... Could you tell them to keep track of her? I mean, without mentioning my name."

"Where's your hacker friend? Too busy?"

"I guess. D'you know someone near Rosenville?"

"Minnesota? No," Magnus replied. "But I can make some calls."

"Thanks."

"Stop stalking her."

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