Jerrick steadied himself, drew upon his reserves, and faced William with a calm façade, concealing his inner storm.
William's words hung heavy in the air. He wanted to ask William why that mattered; he was so curious about his past. Why did it matter to him? Why must he prod on the wound festering in his heart?
However, it dawned upon him that the issue at hand did not revolve around his own concerns; rather, it centered on Jessamyn. He needed to clear the air. His silence had allowed that baseless rumor to spread. She was hurt by that rumor too.
Jerrick was able to defeat the rage boiling in his heart thinking of Jessamyn. When he looked at William, his heart had calmed down.
