Chapter 32: A Breakup and a Half-Blood

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 while squinting at him. 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."

× 12:39 AM ×

"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. I 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. Still in Beijing. The same area where their corporate headquarters was 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 so you won't have to see my face again."

02:45 AM

-

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

She had it coming. Should teach her a lesson.