Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

94 My Way (Jayden)

"Daddy! I saw Mommy. I miss her." Abby cries out when she comes in the door with Anne. My heart goes out to her, but I must maintain this façade.

I scoop up Abby and hug her. "I'm glad you got to see Mommy."

Anne watches me closely. She's vehemently loyal to Winona and Abby. So Winona is back in the townhouse. Good. I know she's under house arrest until the case is over.

There's no chance of her doing anything to break those terms and I know she's safe. No one can get to her there. It's been difficult being back here with Ashlyn and I'm not leaving Abby alone with her. Anne sleeps in her room and goes everywhere with her.

This confession thing better work because I don't see how we can prove Winona innocent without it. Her father is a useless witness. He'll easily be proven untrustworthy with his track record. "Mommy is sad."

"Abby, we can't talk about Mommy right now, remember? Let's go take a bath, have some supper and then I'll read your favorite book," Anne says gently.

"I'll come read to her."

Anne nods at me. "I'd like to talk to you later."

"No problem." I wonder what this is about?Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

My doorbell buzzes and I take the few steps needed to reach it and open it. "Mother. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've come to see my granddaughter. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"As long as that doesn't include a lecture for me about my life choices." I step aside and let her walk in. "Is Winona back?" "Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious."

"I'm not at liberty to discuss Winona under the circumstances.

"I told you she was bad news. She doesn't care about anyone but herself. How can anyone do that to an innocent unborn child."

"Mother!" I roar and my mother jumps a little. "This subject is over. Don't speak about it again and don't mention Winona like that again," My anger is overflowing and it shows in my voice. Mother is wide-eyed now. "I'm....sorry, I just thought-

"Don't think. Don't assume. Don't do anything" I seethe as I walk into my front office. "I run my life now. Not you. If you interfere with any part of it, I can assure you, you won't see mne or Abby again."

"You wouldn't turn your back on Brennan Industries." Mother challenges.

"Gus wants me to run Nexus Global. Europe is looking very tempting right now."

"You won't go with him."

"Won't I? I mean he is my father, after all."

"I was going to tell you."

"When?"

"With your accident and your memory...there never seemed to be a right time."

"How about when I was a kid being mentally tortured by Greg? Do you realize how much I would have loved to know that asshole wasn't my father?"

"I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me?! Great job that you did."

"You became a great businessman and look what you've achieved."

"My personal life is a mess. You never wanted to protect me. You wanted to win at all costs against Gus Brennan and I was the grand prize. I still am by all accounts. Both of you can get the fuck out of don't need either of you." my life. I

"Jayden, you don't mean that. You love me, we're a team, remember?"

"You, Judy, are a team of one. I know how you persecuted Winona. I know how you schemed and planned with Ashlyn. I know it all. I can barely look at you let alone love you."

I see the tears form in her eyes. Well, damn her, she needs to feel some pain for a change. I look away.

"I did try. I did try and get you away from that life."

I hear a sob and I stare back at her. Never in my life have I seen my mother break down, not once.

"He took you when you were six months old. Gus. He stole you and said I'd lose you forever if I didn't go back and live with my punishment." Her shoulders shake and her perfect eye makeup is running down her face. "I could suffer but I couldn't lose the only thing that loved me in this world, you. My baby."

I think about how I felt when we'd lost Abby with Bobby and Sarah, But still, Mother has tried over and again to work against me having a relationship with my first-born child. She even had Phillip sent in to distract Winona and build a relationship with her. She must have known Abby was my child.

1 don't care about your pathetic excuses. You knew Winona was pregnant with Abby. Phillip would have told you. But you still kept my child from me. All of this is your fault. There's a million times you could have stopped any of this happening, but you chose to keep going with your destructive path."

"You're right. I'm sorry"

"It's too late to be sorry now. I'll never trust you again. Never. Don't even think about any fun and games with Abby. Her health is paramount and if you do anything to jeopardize that, I'll be gone."

"I'm not looking to be anything other than a grandmother to Abby."

DIME

"Abby needing all her family around her who love her is the only thing tying me to you at the moment and that thread is dangerously thin. You show me you can put Abby first. It's the only way." "I understand."

"That includes when... if..." I check myself before I let anything slip. "Winona is cleared or if she's convicted. She is Abby's mother and she will always be a part of my life because of that. No more. ridiculous plots to get her away from me." Mother dries her eyes and nods. "I promise."

"I'll be watching you." I glare at her and she almost cowers. I mean every word I say. If I've learned anything from Gus, it's that indecision is weak.

From now on it's my way or the highway.