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197 It Is Time

Penulis: Anney GW
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2024-08-25 22:23:33

(Winona)

I drive back across town to Lisa’s place, gripping the steering wheel tight. Tension creeps into my shoulders. This is it—the last stop before I confront Steve. My heart pounds, every beat reminding me of what’s waiting for me.

I park out front and get Abby out of the car, my hands trembling slightly as I unbuckle her seatbelt. She chatters on, oblivious to the storm brewing in my mind. Once we’re through the gate, she runs up to Lisa’s door with that boundless energy.

They get along so well. Lisa would make a great mom. It’s a pity she couldn’t find her person. Then again, all you really need is a sperm donor, I suppose. I know several women raising kids alone and acing it.

I mean, I did it. Okay, I had Anne, who I couldn’t have done it without. But still, I think about what it would be like if Lisa had her own little one running around, filling the house with that same laughter that Abby brings with her.

Lisa opens the door, smiling wide as Abby practically tackles her with
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  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   198 Where Is He?

    (Winona)I look around the front and try the huge metal door, but it doesn’t budge. I’m super nervous in case he surprises me. He can’t be trusted. I know that. I don’t know why he wants me here. I just know why I want to be here.I don’t even want to listen to one poison word from his mouth. I’m going to shoot first and ask questions later. Get rid of him forever and then I can breathe. I can live without fear of him.Walking away from my past forever will never happen while he’s alive.There’s an alleyway down one side and I grip the gun in my hoodie pocket and walk carefully down there. I see a doorway. A side door. It’s ajar, a dark gap in the otherwise solid wall. I push it open and step inside, the musty smell hitting me immediately.I stop, it’s darker than I’d like. I should’ve brought a torch. I could use my cell phone, but I don’t want to drop it and I might need both hands for the gun. My eyes adjust to the light level as I move quietly inside.My eyes scanning, every inch

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-25
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   199 Facing Choices

    (Jayden)I sit in the car next to Winona. The day has gone from bad to worse, and worry is etched deep into her features. I can’t stand it. She’s so desperate to rid her life of him, she is prepared to kill him.Before I can start my car, my phone buzzes again, it’s security. This day just keeps on keeping on. Surely some better news this time.I answer it, my voice sharp. “Brennan.” I really want to get Winona home to check on her mother.“Sir, it’s about Cass. She’s left the penthouse. We tried to stop her, but she’s on her way to the townhouse. We’re keeping eyes on her, but she’s kneed Gary in the nuts, sir.”I close my eyes for a second. Of course she has, she’s Winona’s sister. “Alright, don’t lose her. Keep me updated.”“No problems.”“Are Abby and Lisa okay?”“They are inside, Sir.”I hang up and turn to Winona. “Cass left the penthouse. She’s heading to your place. Lisa and Abby are in the penthouse.”Winona’s eyes widen briefly, but she quickly nods, processing it. “They won

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-26
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   200 Steve is Dead

    (Winona)I watch the streets blur by as the car winds its way through the city. I keep telling myself everything will be fine. But deep down, I know that’s a lie. Nothing’s been fine since Steve came back into my life.Apart from finding Mom and Cass. Having Mom has been everything I’ve needed for so long and never knew it. I love her so much and I want to give her a good life. Her and Cass. If Cass ever lets me.As we approach the townhouse, I’m eager to get out of this car. I need to check on Mom, make sure she’s still asleep and safe. But as the car pulls up outside, I see something that turns my world on its head.Cass is standing on the front steps, her face ashen, her eyes wide with shock. The front door is wide open behind her. She’s trembling, her arms wrapped around herself like she’s trying to hold herself together.“Cass!” I’m out of the car before it even comes to a complete stop, my heart pounding in my chest. I don’t know what I’m going to find, but the look on her face

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-26
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   201 Please Live

    (Jayden)Striding into the hospital, I haven’t felt fear like this in a long time, but I refuse to let it control me. This fear won’t make me frustrated or angry. It won’t make me lash out or wonder about my decisions. Not anymore. I know who I am. I know the man I want to be.Having this baby wasn’t something I ever considered. But since I’ve known, it’s changed me. Changed my outlook. Abby changed my life too, but I never got to see her or even know she existed when she was a baby.Because of my mother. Because of Ashlyn. Because my mind wasn’t where it should have been and Winona made a choice for the baby. Because I forced Winona into that choice and away from me. Mother will never be an influence on me again.In fact, I’m going to make her pay if she’s had anything to do with this with Ashlyn and I’ll need some strong proof to stop believing she’s the reason Ashlyn fell from that rooftop.I fire off a message to Winona, letting her know that I’ll be staying here as long as I ne

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-27
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   202 Fractured Bonds

    (Winona)I sit beside my mother’s hospital bed, the steady beep of the monitors is the only sound breaking the silence. Mom’s face is pale, almost translucent under the harsh fluorescent lights, her breathing shallow but steady.I reach out, gently taking her hand in mine. It’s warm, but she doesn’t react.The doctors told me she’s unconscious, that she’ll wake up when she’s ready, but that’s all they’d say. Some confidentiality agreement that keeps them from saying more. They’ve given her a bed and treatment, but answers are scarce.And the waiting is suffocating.Cass is in the corner of the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, staring out the window with a fierce intensity. She hasn’t said a word to me since I arrived at the hospital. The tension is thick.Every time I try to talk to her, she shuts me down with a glare that cuts deeper than any words ever could.“Cass,” I start softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “She’s going to be okay. The doctors said—”“I don’t c

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-27
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   203 Atoning The Past

    (Jayden)I move closer to Ashlyn’s bed. I’m not here to wallow in self-pity or be overwhelmed by emotions. This is about making sure my child survives. I look at Ashlyn’s pale face, and I feel a surge of determination. I’ll do whatever it takes.“You’re not going anywhere,” I murmur as I touch her abdomen. “You’ve got a life ahead of you, and I’m going to make damn sure you get to live it. Your mom wants you to live, so that’s what you’re going to do. Live.”The door opens again.I straighten up and look. A suited man has his head in the doorway. “My Brennan. Can we talk? I’m Detective Harris. I’m investigating what has happened at the facility today.”“Yes, of course.” I walk out to the corridor with him. “So, you’re investigating Ashlyn Carter’s fall?”He turns to me, sizing me up. “I am.”“Is this internal or external?”“External. Why?”“I don’t want any cover ups.”“Do you think the facility needs to cover up anything?”“I don’t know, maybe. But that’s your job to find out, isn’t

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-27
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   204 Point of No Return

    (Judy)All I did was get some patient medications swapped around to try and get Ashlyn to talk to me again. How she ended up in the rooftop area, falling off, I have no idea. Maybe she wanted to end it all.My phone buzzes in my hand, and I open the message from my contact at the hospital.Ashlyn’s 24 weeks pregnant. Baby is in distress. She’s on life support.Pregnant? She’s still pregnant? How?She was convinced she had a miscarriage. That’s why she got so desperate and went to Santa Monica to try and frame Winona. She had no baby to hold onto Jayden, so she thought she may as well take Winona down with her.No wonder she ghosted me and they put a no-contact order on me for Ashlyn. I never thought she’d still be carrying a baby. I still don’t understand. I text back.Find out how she was still pregnantIs that why she tried to kill herself? It doesn’t make sense.I grab my phone, scrolling through the news, looking for something, anything, that’ll tell me what’s going on with Ashlyn

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-28
  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   205 Last Goodbye

    (Winona)The hospital feels like it’s closing in on me. I can only imagine how Jayden feels right now.He’s come to check in on Mom with me. Cass won’t talk to him either.Mom lies there, so still, so fragile, and it hits me how little time we’ve had together. Not enough time. Nowhere near enough.I reach out, my fingers trembling as they close around her hand. It’s warm, but she doesn’t react. The doctors said she’d wake up when she’s ready, but what if she never wakes up? What if this is it?Cass stands in the corner, hugging herself like she’s trying to hold in all the pain. She hasn’t looked at me since we got here.Suddenly, the steady beeping of the monitor changes, becoming slower, more deliberate. My heart skips a beat, and I lean forward, my breath catching in my throat. “Mom? Mom, can you hear me?”Cass jerks, her eyes wide and wild as she steps closer. “Mom? Please, Mom...”And then, as if by some miracle, Mom’s eyelids flutter open. For a moment, her eyes are clear, focuse

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-28

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  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   Dear Readers

    Readers, I’ve been back through all your comments and it really touches me that so many of you cared about these characters. I want to send a very special shout out to mitzi.goodson and Theresa for your active love of the story all the way and for commenting regularly. I love you guys and I love all the readers #hearteyes# Also I have discovered a mistake in the upload of Chapter 553. Only half the chapter seems to have been uploaded and I have now fixed that. I know you’re asking about if you’ll see these characters again…right now, I’m letting them rest but I hope to update you on them in the future. Right now I’m focusing on my new stories which I know you’ll also love.In the next one, After waking from a 5 month coma, Ava Lancaster watches her beloved daughter die. Ex-husband Zach Lorne, allowed the mother of his first child, cunning Sienna Sinclair to use little Lila as a medical pawn. Consumed by grief, Ava sets their mansion ablaze—clutching Lila’s body while Zach pleads outs

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   600 Our Forever

    (Winona)Lisa sits on the couch between me and Jayden, her fingers curled around the USB stick.“You don’t have to,” I remind her gently.“I know,” she replies. “But I want to. I can’t move forward if I don’t hear him out.” She hands the drive to Jayden.Jayden leans forward and plugs the drive in. The screen flickers.And then there he is.Lance. Black eye blooming from Jayden’s attack over hall pass week, bruised knuckles, the same crooked grin he always wore.“Lisa,” he says, “I’m so sorry. I wish this could have been different.”I glance at her. She flinches but doesn’t look away.He shakes his head. “No big poetic intro. No music. No tragic montage. Just me.”His smile cracks slightly.“First, I want to say this isn’t your fault. You didn’t fail me. You didn’t love me wrong. In fact, you’re probably the only person who ever loved me right.”Lisa’s breath hitches beside me.“I wasn’t built for longevity, Lisa. You knew that. Hell, I practically had an exit sign blinking over my he

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   599 Full Circle

    (Winona)Viktor stands with his hands by his side while Jayden finishes up his announcement.I watch on, proud of them both. Not only staunch in business but as friends.“I’ll still be involved on a higher level, but day-to-day, Viktor’s your guy,” Jayden says, firm and confident. “Effective immediately, he’s the new CEO of Nexus Global.”There’s a brief pause before the quiet, respectful claps ripple through the room.Viktor just nods. “Thank you,” he says. No long speech. No dramatic reaction. Just two words. Classic Viktor.Jayden glances my way and walks over.“Proud of him,” I say quietly. “And of you.”“He’s ready,” Jayden replies. “Hell, he’s been ready for a while now. He taught me almost everything I know about Nexus Global.”Viktor lingers by the window, posture steady. Astrid steps up beside him, saying something low. He replies with a brief nod and the smallest of smirks.Jayden leans into me and murmurs, “did you see that?”I arch an eyebrow. “The nod or the smirk?”“Both

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   598 The Final Decision

    (Winona)I see the moment his eyes catch mine in the window behind Astrid. He blinks like he’s seeing a ghost. Too late. I’m already across the restaurant floor, my heels pounding each step out in deliberate warning, the sound sharp against the quiet hum of late-night conversations. Heads turn. I don’t care.His face shifts from confusion to panic as I advance—his mouth parting slightly, eyes darting to Astrid like he’s trying to figure out if he’s imagining this. He’s not. I’m here. I saw everything.I saw the kiss. I saw the closeness after. The lingering smiles, the laughter, and the way Astrid’s hand stayed on his like they were sharing secrets. Like she belongs to him. You don’t need sound to understand body language.That kiss wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a friendly peck on the cheek. It was enough for me to wonder if they’ve been playing me for a fool for weeks. Maybe months.Jayden stands just as I reach the table, knocking his chair back in a clumsy scrape. Astrid rema

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   597 Impulsive Kiss

    (Jayden)Astrid raises her glass, the candlelight catching the rim. “To surviving another quarter without firing anyone major.”“To the rest of us surviving the grueling schedule of the Ice Queen herself.”“You did okay.”“Just okay?”“Better than okay. You have quite the work drive, Jayden. Gus was right to leave Nexus in your hands.”“Not one of you thought that at first. You all hated me. Especially Hugo. I think he still might, actually.”“Oh, you are not so bad, after all.”We clink glasses. The wine’s sharp, dry—like her. The restaurant is dim, ambient, tucked just off the canal. Astrid insisted it was the best late-night spot in Brussels. So far, I can’t argue.The food was incredible, the service seamless, and the company? Easy. A little too easy.This dinner has gone longer than I expected. I expected an answer from Winona to my text. But it hasn’t come. The conversation just flowed so effortlessly tonight.No drama. No awkward silences. No carefully chosen words. Astrid, wh

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   596 Instincts Don't Lie

    (Winona)It’s nearly 1 a.m. when I step off the jet into the crisp Brussels air. I haven’t slept. I haven’t eaten properly. My thoughts have been chewing on each other for nine hours straight.I hear my phone notification, but I see Cass and I’m so damn happy. She’s about to launch the rest of her life and I’m excited for her.“It’s so good to see you.” I say as I run towards her and give her a hug.“You look like hell,” she says as she grins and hugs me back.“Oh, thanks for the compliment. You look like death yourself.”“Just finished a12 hour shift, what’s your excuse?”We walk out to the private parking area. Having a private jet is so convenient.“I can only blame stress and paranoia,” I tell her as we put my case in the back seat and get into her car.“Paranoia?”“Yes, about where Jayden and I stand in out marriage lately. I’m not sure I’m what makes him happy. All we do is fight, it seems.”“Okay… ah, so me telling him you’d have been better off never meeting him probably didn’

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   595 After Hours

    (Jayden)It’s nearly ten. The office is quiet, except for the soft hum of fluorescent lights above the boardroom. Astrid and I have been going through projections for Q3. Numbers, strategies, deadlines. All things that used to matter more than they do right now. My family call is bothering me. It’s not that Winona had a sudden business trip, that’s expected, it’s just the way we interact lately. Going through the motions. Not speaking up on how we feel in case it triggers an argument. I’m as much to blame.“You missed an adjustment here,” she says, tapping the edge of my laptop.“I didn’t miss it,” I say, not looking up. “I just didn’t apply it yet.”She raises an eyebrow. She knows I’m distracted. I’ve worked with her long enough to recognize the look that says I’m full of shit.“You want my input or just someone to nod along while you pretend to work?” she asks.I lean back in my chair. “You always cut right through it, don’t you?”“Of course.”She’s right. She doesn’t have patie

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   594 Surface Tension

    (Winona)The family call starts like any other.Except this time, I’ve told the kids I’ll be away and lied about where I’m going.Now I have to convince Jayden it’s an unexpected business trip.Bobby’s got a stack of papers next to him, pretending he’s not glancing at them while he listens to Jayden. He’s been working on some design options for the school vegetable garden.He’s become quietly obsessed with getting it right.Sarah is asking about when she can next visit the Nexus office again. Abby’s wearing one of Henry’s bibs and announcing herself as the ‘baby boss’ while trying to feed Henry a cracker he doesn’t want.Henry is slamming his hands on the table, shrieking with defiance, and Kit is doing her best to keep the screen steady while holding him.Chaos. Beautiful, familiar chaos. Welcome to the Brennan zoo.Jayden is calm, smiling, fully engaged. He’s asking Bobby about his team at school, praising his leadership skills. He tells Sarah he misses her drawings and promises to

  • Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband   593 Surprises

    (Winona)Phillip is at his desk when I walk in, finishing up a call. He looks up and gives me a half smile, casual but watchful.I cross the room but remain standing. “I won’t keep you long. I just… I wanted to let you know I’m stepping down in an active capacity from Vault. Effective immediately.”Phillip’s face shifts from polite curiosity to astonishment. “Wait—stepping down how?”I nod. “I’ll remain the owner. But I’m not going to be overseeing day-to-day management or strategic decisions anymore. I’m handing all of that to you. If you want it. CEO, President, call it what you will—I’m out.”He studies me carefully. “That’s… a big move, Winona. You’ve always been a control fre… ahh, hands-on.”I give him a quick grin. “Nice save.”“I’m talented, what can I say? But you being hands-off, I’m not sure that’s even possible.”“I’ve realized I can’t keep devoting so much energy to business. My family needs me. My kids need me.”“Is this what Jayden asked you to do?” “No. He’s been exc

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