The higher the rise...

As they were thinking of what to say, Harry took the step to get closer to the seemingly battered Jason and he put a hand on his shoulder before taking a seat by his side. The rest looked on with anxious stares as he spoke to Jason. "How are you holding up? Is there anything we can do for you? We are a bit concerned about you." Without looking in Harry's direction, Jason answered with lifeless eyes. "They say it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, but I wish to let those people feel the pain I am feeling right now and see if they would still be willing to say the same." Those words came in hard, making a lump appear in the throats of everyone present. Harry squeezed the shoulder he was holding and said, "I'm sorry man." They sat there for a while, before everyone made their ways back home. Leaving Jason alone in that room that he had shared with Jenny just a little over a day ago.

The next few days Jason's state became worse. They don't say for nothing that the higher the rise, the higher the fall. With each passing day, the hope of finding Jenny became smaller, which of course took its toll on Jason. Affecting him more than any other person involved. His heart had been fully broken by Jenny's actions and he didn't seem to want to pick up the pieces and mend it. Instead he wallowed in his pain as if he was trying to punish himself. Lack of sleep made him look pale and had made dark circles appear underneath his eyes, the whites of his eyes looking bloodshot. Catching the bare minimum of about four hours each night. Most of the time with the help of sleeping pills. He would sleep on the sofa as he couldn't sleep in the bed anymore. Every time he did, he would relive the night that Jenny left him and he would wake up in a pool of sweat.

The restless nights had also affected his mood and had made him feel agitated, making his short fuse become even shorter. It appeared to have become even worse than before Jenny's arrival. People were on pins and needles around him, including his family and friends. They gave him the space he needed, with the hope of him getting over what had happened with time and returning back to normal. When that didn't happen after the second week after Jenny's disappearance and lack of contact, Susan and Stephen had a talk with him. Forcing him to at least take the exams. So, that it wouldn't affect his chances at inheriting Westwood International. And even though he attended the exams and had done amazingly well as usual, he did not revert back to normal. After the exams he went back to looking for Jenny during every second of free time he had, while trying to catch a few hours of sleep in between his company work.

During these days he had discovered who had spilled his secret and had taken appropriate measures. Frederick not only losing his number one spot to Jason, but his chance to inherit at all as Jason had made his company go bankrupt. After some digging he had found dirt on Caroline as well and the next day he had made sure that it was on all the popular news platforms and social media banners. Making her unable to show her face in public, much less their circles. When the others saw how Jason had punished the two of them, they came forward out of their own free will to negotiate a deal with Jason. But Jason didn't intend to back down. Not letting go until they handed over all their additional shares to the Westwood empire, in effect making them lose everything they had worked so hard to obtain.

Considering he had left them with the one share they had gotten for being a Westwood, was already showing them mercy. So, though they were upset, they were happy they got away with it without having to hand over even the clothes on their backs. They never intended for Jenny to leave in the way she did. They only wanted to make her feel insecure and hurt. Maybe cause a fight between them and make him lose his focus. Perhaps make a mistake they could take advantage of. Instead they had poked the bear and they had to count themselves lucky that they had escaped with their lives.

Jason skipping school and locking himself in his room. Coming out only for important meetings and an occasional meal lasted till almost a month after Jenny had left Westwood mansion. That was when Harry and the other guys couldn't take it anymore and decided to take action. The three of them went to Westwood mansion before school and barged into his room early morning. Though they normally wouldn't be that brave, they knew that Jason couldn't sleep anyways. So, there was no harm in them going in. Yet, they still had their eyes shut tightly as they stood in the door opening. Waiting for something to be thrown in their direction if they had indeed woken him up. When nothing happened, they slowly opened their eyes and saw Jason typing away on his computer, with the curtains closed. The only light, coming from the screen and the small light by the desk. Making it clear, his night had been cut short once more.

Trying to keep the brave front he had built Harry spoke up. "J-Jason enough is enough. It is time for you to snap out of it and start moving forward. You can't do that in this depressing room. So, get dressed because you are coming to school with us today." To their surprise Jason didn't get angry and didn't protest. He looked at the time and sighed. "Is it that time again? I guess it wouldn't hurt to go out and have a change of scenery." Before he got up and got into the shower. Leaving the three of them stupefied as they remained in the door opening for some time. After Jason got dressed he walked out with a nonchalant, "Let's go." As if this was any other morning.