Chapter 58: Chapter 58

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The plane just took off. Roughly five minutes ago. Jenson scowled. He could only imagine how Jessi felt right now.

The cab she'd paid for had driven her straight to the airport. No detours. For the past three hours while he stalked them, he didn't see anyone else with her. Not that he expected some random guy would pop up outside her apartment to kiss her goodbye, and then personally take her to the airport.

As far as he knew, Jessi didn't have any close guy friends apart from him and Darren. Was she feeling okay? Sitting alone in her aisle? Did the management beef up their airport security this week? Did she have to get tested again?

Masked up and wearing a new baseball cap, he looked one last time at the large screen displaying the flights today. Another boarding announcement chimed from the PA system. Jenson walked off. Before reaching the exit, he checked his phone again.

No texts or calls. Not even a simple "bye". Or a half-meant "take care". She might be preoccupied. Or just officially done with him. More than eager to leave. She just wanted to move on with her life.

While the thought made him feel like a bigger hunk of shit by the hour, Jenson shook it off and drove out of the airport. He reached his house in an hour.

All by himself. Tired. Sore. A little sleep-deprived.

"Delayed gratification," his uncle would reiterate. If Magnus saw him right now, no doubt he'd be hurling another variation of his poker-faced "I told you so".

Jenson sighed, parking his Ducati in the garage. Just past the doorway, a familiar scent hit his nostrils. Too strong to be just some leftover perfume.

Rose. Musky tones. Hints of amber. A delicate spiciness and some herbal accents. Undeniably Charmaine's scent.

The walls of his stomach clenched. "Charm?"

Somebody left the kitchen lights on, but the rest of the house stayed dim. His ex stood next to the large island counter, alone and smiling at him. Pretty floral blouse. White pencil skirt. Her Louboutin pumps outshone her wavy locks. Her lush brown hair framed her oval face, her lips blood-red tonight.

Something tugged at his chest. "Hey."

"Hi, Superstar."

"I thought you flew out."

"Tomorrow." Charm uncrossed her slim arms when he approached her, looking classy as always. Graceful. Elegant. Beautiful.

Unattainable.

For years, he believed she was the definition of perfect. Gracious and faultless in every way. Down-to-earth. The opposite of her parents. Ultra-rich like Magnus and his paternal family, Bram and Mila van den Hoven were only approachable and generous whenever it benefited them.

But not Charm. She didn't grow up a bratty snob. "Where you been?" Her smile bared half of her perfect teeth.

"Airport."

She nodded faintly. "You going somewhere? Or dropped someone off?"

"New York. Soon."

"For a guesting? Promo? Or that thing Magnus wanted you to finish up?"

"Both." Jenson cleared his throat. He stood next to her. Their arms and elbows on the dark granite counter almost touched. "No flights to Beijing today?"

"Leaving first thing."

"Ah."

"Just forgot some stuff in the old room," Charmaine said, her smile timid.

He glanced at the dim hall leading to the guest room. "Your old gowns and some shoes."

"Yeah." She placed her palm on his forearm. "Anyway, Papa and Mama wanted to be here for the funeral. But the travel restrictions and some management problems came up. So, Papa told her to stay. To fill in for him."

"Why? Where's he going?"

"He's too busy with the expansion. With his team."

"Right." Jenson looked away and crossed his arms. "It's fine. I know they're busy." Like all the damned time.

"Had dinner yet?"

"Just a sandwich. You?"

"Were you on a date?" Charm smirked when he scoffed, her soft voice murmuring the words.

He stared back at her when she stepped closer, not breaking eye contact. A dull, tingling heat spread in his chest down to his abdomen.

For years, he thought there wasn't anything about her to dislike. That she was beautiful inside and out. And her voice... Just soft and gentle, like liquid silk. The most soothing, relaxing, angelic voice he'd ever heard.

Why did she wait for him? Maybe she hadn't left for Beijing yet because she wanted a proper closure. Did she think that last talk they had wasn't enough closure?

"Want me to drive you to the airport tomorrow?

"No need, darling. The hotel shuttle will take me there."

"Ah. You going back to the hotel now?"

"You want me to leave?" Charm pouted, her brows wrinkling.

"No. Just asking if..." Jenson looked around.

No suitcases. No bags. Even her favorite Hermès Birkin was nowhere to be found.

He could only guess the real reason she hadn't returned to Beijing yet. "Where's your purse?"

"Living room. Coffee table." Charm stared into his eyes. Her smile turned somber before she leaned in to kiss his forehead. "Sorry." She hugged him.

Sorry for what? Surprise and confusion had him gritting his teeth. Although reluctant, Jenson put his arm around her back, stroking her hair to seem appreciative.

The daze and hours of functioning on mere impulse just blurred his common sense. He just spent almost two days with Jessiah—surely Charmaine could smell Jessi's scent on him.

Yet Charm didn't seem to mind. Or was she only pretending not to notice? Did she really feel bad for not being here for him that night his mother died?

He cleared his throat. "Why?"

"For not being here sooner," she murmured, her chin perched on his shoulder, her cold and smooth cheek touching his ear.

The edge of the counter pressed on his hip while she hugged him tight. An urge to scowl kept him from pulling away. "Don't worry about it."

"I could've been here the day after. Or— Why didn't you call me that night?"

Right. So it was all his fault she couldn't be here much sooner?

"If you just told me earlier..." Charm sighed. "I wish I could make you feel better." She palmed the back of his head, her careful fingers stroking his hair. "Losing her that way is just..."

Well, considering his mother's poor health the past two decades, he'd lost her long ago—her mental condition deteriorated to the point that she couldn't even hold a proper conversation with him whenever he'd visit her in the facility.

"I wish I could've visited her one last time before I left."

"It's fine," was his half-hearted lie.

Was it just her guilt talking? She and his mother never really became close. "Magnus and Evonne seem to be faring okay." Charmaine let go of him, the look on her pale face quite unconvinced. A pinch of curiosity mildly deepened her voice. "They just found out the day before the funeral?"

"Darren called Evie the morning after I told him."

"Oh." Charm nodded slightly. Her dark brows furrowed.

"And, er..." Jenson itched the side of his head. "Magnus still thinks we'll get back together."

"Oh?"

"Fix things and..."

"And?"

He stared at her designer shoes and heaved a sigh. "Then I'll move to Beijing with you, or something."

"Really."

He grinned when she wrinkled her nose. His throat tensed up at the quizzical look narrowing her bright blue eyes. "Beats me."

"I know why." Her manicured fingers rapped on the counter.

"Your Mama told you he met up with them? In Eindhoven?"

Charm giggled, shaking her head weakly. "Few hours ago." Her smile turned jaunty.

"So you know? About his new proposal?"

Charmaine rolled her eyes. "I told you he's always up to no good."

No good? Finding a cure for a new and fatal disease ravaging the global population offended her?

"He doesn't care for anything else but more money," she muttered, her arms crossed again. Her head pressed onto his arm as they leaned against the counter. "I don't get why Evonne just won't divorce him. She's better off. She'll do absolutely fine without him."

Jenson covered his mouth to muffle a defeated sigh. "You know they share archaic views on marriage and relationships."

"Couldn't have said it better." Charm snickered.

"DJ said she still wants a kid with Magnus."

"Best of luck to her." Charmaine let out a scornful laugh. "With him pushing for that new vaccine, I doubt he'd even have time to get it up."

He laughed. The sound vibrated through all of him. Cazzo.

Even though there was absolutely no chance he could change her mind about staying, he still missed their banters. Her bluntness.

They didn't really see eye-to-eye the past two years, but the breakup had made him realize that he was as much at fault as she was. Their relationship wasn't exactly a one-sided mess all throughout. And her infidelity wasn't the sole reason they didn't make it to the finish line.

"Sorry."

"Hmm?" She tilted her chin to squint at him under her dark lashes.

"Sorry we didn't make it."

"Make it to what?"

"Church."

A cheeky grin stretched her red lips.

Jenson looked away while a comfortable silence replaced the nostalgic thoughts going through his mind.

"Why're you saying sorry now?"

He sighed.

"Mm-kay. Go on."

"'Cause I always put work first."

"And?" Charmaine raised a brow, restraining a laugh, her tone more teasing than challenging.

"I convinced myself that, we should stay together and get married. Sooner or later. 'Cause that's how we always saw us."

"Always?"

He chuckled at her meaningful grin.

"You thought I should stay, not because it's what the clan expected, and not 'cause you wanna protect your rep and mine?"

Well, of course they were also part of his reasons. Apparently she never really believed they'd get past their issues and finally move on to marriage.

"I mean, that, too." Jenson shrugged.

Charm smiled again, but it didn't look rooted from sheer amusement. "Can you believe we almost made it past ten?"

"No."

"Sometimes I really don't feel like we've been together that long."

"Wonder why." He scoffed. It earned him another giggle from her.

"I really missed this." Her arm hung onto the back of his shirt, her fingers clasping the hem. "I love that we're still okay."

Okay? As in back to being cordial? Back to being real with each other? At the moment, he wouldn't trade it for anything else, too.

"D'you still think, if we hadn't met that night, we would've met each other some other way a year or sometime later?"

"You mean, on another full moon?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. Sure." He shrugged. An impulse to smile paused his thought process. The heaviness in his chest weighing him down all day felt much lighter now. "Far as I know, mates tend to do that."

"Do you really believe in that voodoo crap? Still?" Charmaine pinched the side of his hip.

"You still don't?"

"Nope." She chuckled. "It just sounds so antiquated."

Mates falling in love at first sight. Staying together for a lifetime. Clan rules. Living with having to answer to their leader all their lives.

In retrospect, the centuries-old curse, in one way or another, somehow brought them together, despite Charm hailing from a vastly different background and belonging to a highly exclusive social circle. Some would call it fate, destiny, supreme forces, or whatever. But as per his uncle and the other senior members of their clan, they mostly believed in witches and spells. Angels, demons, and so on.

Plus the fact that he and Darren grew up in a religious, superstitious family. Like the van den Hovens.

Charmaine shook her head. "And actually cult-ish, like Vanessa and Ollie said."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Sometimes it feels like that."

"Sorry I've been selfish."

Wait. Back to breakup talk?

"And for lying. Again." Charm hugged him to her side, her arm snug around his waist.

He gently kissed her forehead. "You could've just told me you like hanging out with him, and you've been seeing him."

"I know. I know. It just didn't..."

"You know I can't stay mad at you." Jenson sighed.

"It just wasn't working out anymore. For either of us. And like last time, part of me just wanted to sabotage it."

He caressed her arm. The honesty in her words made him feel better somehow. Like that night when she finally came clean about her new love interest: a co-worker based in Beijing. "Yeah. I get it."

Forgetting the good times they shared would be a big challenge. Then again he didn't really want to forget. About her. Their ups and downs. The struggles and companionship...

What they had and everything they shared would always matter, despite how shitty it ended. Their love for each other was nowhere near perfect or unconditional. But that's life. Sometimes things just didn't work out.

Charm sniveled. She hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek. "You've been so strong your whole life. It's okay to not be okay, darling." She wiped the tears off her cheeks while her other hand gripped his shoulder, their hips still touching.

"Yeah."

She kissed his cheek. "I hope you and Jess work things out."

Jenson looked away. While his chest and gut tightened, he clamped down the urge to tell her what just happened between him and Jessiah.

"Hey. If you think she's a keeper, do what you think you should." Charmaine shrugged. "I hope it works out." She gave him another smile. It looked forced, but somewhat sincere, too.

"What? Why're you looking at me like that?"

She squinted at him. "When exactly did you meet her? The very first time?"

"Er..." The very first time he saw Jessi? Not that day they first met at work? "The week before you left for that VP meeting."

"Where?"

"There's this convenience store, corner of Avery and Hayward."

"Sure. But when exactly?"

Jenson checked his phone. It took him another few seconds to give her the exact date.

"Oh. Wait." Charmaine grabbed his phone to browse for a more detailed calendar. The loud gasp she made afterwards made him hold his breath. "That was a full moon!" She beamed.

So what? "Pfft. Why d'you look so excited?"

"Jenson!  It's definitely a sign. Come on..."

"What d'you mean?" Sign of what? He made a face and shook his head.

"Tsk. What? You never thought of it?"

"She's a hundred percent not from any known bloodline. I mean, you've met her."

"Tsk." Charm propped a hand on her hip. "There you go again with your silly fertility gods and witch curses..."

He snickered.

"Fine. Let's just put it this way. What if, somehow, time and inconsistent genetics weakened the curse. Significantly."

"Meaning?"

"And now, with modern tech and all, the curse just lost potency, or something."

"Interesting. But, she's still not like us."

"So is Daniella! Look at her and Cary now. Married ten years. With twins. Still going strong."

A bit of an anomaly. Sure. But that didn't mean anything substantial. "Maybe they're just lucky. Or they secretly paid for a surrogate."

"No. No. Samara and Davey, too." Charm gripped his forearms.

"What about 'em?"

"He doesn't have our genetic condition. They still got pregnant. Triplets! I mean, come on..."

"Really. I thought it was just a rumor."

"No. I ran into them the other day." Charmaine let go of his arm but couldn't stop grinning. "So cute."

Well, good for them. But that didn't mean he and Jessiah could have that future, too. Or that there was any possibility of them being "mates". Jessi didn't even know anything about werewolves and their clan.

"Hey." Smiling again, Charmaine stepped in front of him, her arms still wrapped around him.

"What?"

"I'm really glad we tried."

"Yeah."

"And we kept trying."

He looked down and nodded.

"Sorry I didn't try harder."

"I know."

"Promise we'll always have each other's back?"

"No promises needed."

Charm pinched his cheek before hugging him again. "Sorry about Mamma."

"Sorry, too." He hugged her back. One last time. Old times' sake. "Be safe."

"I'll miss you, darling."

"Yeah? I hope so." He tried to match her smile. A surge of relief and contentment momentarily calmed his anxious thoughts. "Safe flight." Jenson kissed her cheek.

"Get some sleep."

"You, too."

"Drink lots of water. Your lips are dry."

He glanced away and chuckled. "Copy, Ma'am."

"Bye."

A stab of loneliness sank in the pit of his stomach as she walked away. His first love. The woman he was supposed to marry. His first mate. And first everything.

If moving out of Cali was really the only thing that would make her happier, he would not dare argue anymore. It was her choice to make. It was her life. He didn't own her. Never did.

He sighed.

The women in his life...

Why did they always end up leaving?

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