Chapter 208 Don't Brood Alone
"Really?" Mark gazed at him with an inquiring look, his unadorned eyes softening his expression.
Jesse kept a cool demeanor, "Yeah."
"All right then," Mark didn't question any further, only leaving Jesse with a piece of advice, "If you're still feeling bad later on, come find me. Don't brood alone."
"Okay," Jesse's words were as succinct as ever.
He didn’t linger there and took his phone before leaving the hotel.
Not long after his departure, Mark watched the door close, and a slight smile carved his lips.
Oh Jesse, does he think that Mark didn't know he was trying to draw him out?
Mark didn't get out of bed, just rubbed his still-foggy head and pulled over the blanket to continue sleeping. Jesse had called in sick for him; it was better to just rest well.
Lying there, his thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous night.
He had been drunk, but not completely gone.
Mark clearly remembered when he had asked Jesse about the chat he'd had with him, and how Jesse had deftly avoided giving away any details. If it had been anyone else, Mark wouldn't have uttered a single word. But this was Jesse, someone he'd known since his youth.
Besides, Mark didn't want to keep all the details of Charles's and Miss Murphy's situation to himself. If Jesse wanted to know, he'd tell him, and whether he chose to share it with Miss Murphy was up to him. If Charles was going to blame him, so be it. With those thoughts receding, Mark drifted off to sleep.
Jesse had already headed over to Frontier Capital Group, and by the time he arrived, it was eleven o'clock. Daphne had just finished up her work and was about to head out when she saw Jesse. "Aren't you supposed to be on leave today?" she asked. He had submitted a leave request that morning, which she had promptly approved.
"It's taken care of," Jesse replied, his gaze lingering on Daphne with more intensity than usual. He was pondering over whether to disclose to Daphne what he knew. The night before, emboldened by alcohol, he had freely spoken his mind. But now, faced with Daphne, he realized he couldn't lie to her without feeling the weight of guilt.
"What's up?" Daphne asked when she noticed his unusual demeanor. "If you're still feeling the effects of the alcohol, you can head back and rest a bit. It's also fine to return to work tomorrow."
Jesse didn't respond but instead called out her name, "Charles."
"Yes?"
"Do you really want to know what Charles and Murphy discussed?" Jesse asked, his face still cool and expressionless.
"I can't say I'm dying to know, but yes, I'm curious," Daphne didn't hide her thoughts from Jesse. "Did you not get it out of Mark?"
Jesse stayed silent.
Daphne didn't mind, "Even if you didn't find out, it's okay. I've thought it over, and since you and Mark are friends, it wouldn't be right for me to put you in a position to betray him for my personal matters." She always thought well of Mark; he had been nice to her.
If he revealed Charles's situation in a drunken state, there was a possibility Mark could face financial penalties.
"I got it out of him," Jesse admitted, unable to lie to her.
Daphne raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. She scrutinized Jesse's expression and asked, "You seem troubled, is there something on your mind?"
She couldn't help but wonder. Jesse had always been someone who handled things efficiently, rarely showing fluctuations in emotion, his demeanor was normally balanced. But at that moment, she perceived his internal struggle.
"I know what Charles and Murphy discussed," Jesse said after careful consideration, the rational part of him dictating his next statement, "But I don't want to tell you."
If it had been anyone else, Daphne might have been upset. Why bring it up if you don't want to share, but this was Jesse.
From the very founding of Frontier Capital Group, he had been by Daphne's side, devoting all their energy to both the company and her. Such an earnest person, he had his reasons if he said he didn't want to tell her something.
"Then don't say it," Daphne stated with little fluctuation in her mood, "We can talk about it when you feel like sharing. But if there's any trouble with the matters they discussed, you'll have to help me handle it."
"You aren't mad at me?" Jesse's emotions were high. After all, this was the first time in many years he hadn't acted according to her wishes. He was ready to face all the consequences.
"There's no reason to be upset. You have your reasons for not telling me," Daphne said with an open mind, "Besides, now that you know what it is, you'll tell me when I need to know, won’t you?"
"Yes," Jesse nodded, affirming that he would tell her if she truly desired to know, but until then, he preferred not to. The things Charles had done were pointless, and speaking of them would only add to Charles's worries and unhappiness.
"Then it's all good," Daphne trusted Jesse profoundly, "Take a little break before you get back to work."
"Okay," Jesse nodded, his words in agreement but his actions speaking otherwise. As soon as Daphne was occupied with other tasks, he started dealing with other important but minor issues.
By noon, Jesse brought over the meal he had ordered for Daphne. Just as she was about to eat, Mark's call appeared. Instinctively, she glanced at Jesse before sliding to answer.
"Miss Murphy," Mark spoke.
"It's me," Daphne answered.
"Did Jesse make it back to the company?" he asked.
"He's back," she confirmed.
After Daphne’s reply, there was a long silence from Mark's end. Remembering how Jesse had gotten someone drunk to extract information, she asked, "Is there something you need from him?"
Meanwhile, Jesse was getting water and looked at Daphne curiously.
Mark was hesitant for a moment before speaking. Reflecting on the previous night’s events, he suspected that the setup might have been orchestrated by Jesse to extract information. But considering how Jesse had acted, he believed the story about Jesse having an unrequited love affair was true since the Jesse he knew wasn't that good of an actor.
Daphne, looking at her assistant's profile, "Then I'll hand the phone to him."
Even so, she couldn't help but wonder, why didn't Mark call Jesse, directly? Could it be that they had an unpleasant encounter the night before?
"No, no, no, it's not him I need, it's you," Mark quickly corrected himself, attributing his mistake to the lingering effects of the alcohol.
Daphne was confused, momentarily by him.
Before she could ask, Mark chimed in, "Can you maybe give Jesse a lighter workload for a while? He doesn't seem to be doing too well lately."
Daphne was confused and startled. Usually, she was someone who kept her emotions in check, but at this moment, her mind raced with possibilities. What had happened between them last night, that Jesse's condition was suddenly a topic of concern? Could it be...?
The thought momentarily surfaced, but Daphne immediately suppressed it. No, that wasn't likely; the idea of something happening between two grown men after a night of drinking seemed far-fetched.
"What happened?" she finally asked.
"It's just... he's taken a hit in his personal life, a bit of a setback," Mark said, unsure how to explain Jesse's troubles, given his typically reserved nature. "If it's possible, could you assign him less work? If there's a need for a salary cut, I can cover it."
"Of course, just don't tell him about this," Mark quickly added.
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