(Winona)“Are you settling okay?” Jayden asks. He looks tired with dark shadows under his eyes.“Honestly, if this is all you wanted to say to me, I’m leaving.” I just can’t do small talk with him while things are the way they are.“No.” He looks gloomy behind his desk. “That’s not all.”He stands up and walks towards me. “Go out with me tonight.”“What?!”“You heard. Go out with me.”I regained my composure. “Why?”“Why not?”“Because Phillip and I are seeing each other right now.”“But are you? Are you really?”I sigh. “Jayden, I’m here to work as a consultant. I’m not here to have my personal life and my integrity questioned wherever I go. It’s not fair.”“You’re right. Look, I’ve been talking to Lance lately. I do need your expertise, and Phillip’s. Things have already started to turn around. We’ve also talked over the past a little. I’m happy to let bygones be bygones.”“Really? You mean a clean slate. No more hassles over the past. Just us getting on with our separate lives and
(Winona)I’m speechless. I stare at Jayden and sit down in the chair opposite him. What does this really all mean? Apart from the wish thing, which is stupid anyway, I do need to be able to get along with him from a business perspective.There will be times we need to be out together. Maybe it is better to rip the sticking plaster off quickly and get it over with.As if he reads my mind. “A business date. That’s all. Honestly, we can’t always be in the office. It’s just one date.”I can’t help remembering the first time he asked me out.***It’s junior year of high school. I watch the two fools passing notes in a math exam and one drops, floating over to land closer to my desk than to theirs. It’s not that they were not brainy enough, they were just too lazy to bother focusing. Of course they had money to fall back on.And the math teacher, commonly known amongst the students as Old Man Bulldog, is someone who doesn’t tolerate this kind of behavior, no matter how much money your famil
(Winona)I really didn’t want to get picked up by Jayden outside the building we work in. But he insisted. No need to change because it’s a business dinner, right? The attention will become good publicity, right?Sure, more like he wasn’t giving one more second than he had to in case I changed my mind. Probably was right too. If I’d gone home I may not have kept my promise.Yet another night where I don’t tuck Abby into bed myself. I need to discuss my workload and make my daughter my priority. But I may as well get this over and one with. Maybe this will finally help him see we aren’t meant to be and he can go be with Ashlyn.His black sports car rolls in to park out the front. People at work definitely saw me get in the car of the CEO. Judy’s phone is probably blowing up by now. I straighten down my pencil skirt when I’m seated in the body-hugging seat.“Must we really throw fuel on the fire by making this so public? It’s my work reputation too. We all know nothing can touch you. No
(Winona)“I’ll drive you.”“You don’t have to.”“It’ll be faster. Come on.”“Thanks Jayden.”He leaves a wad of cash to cover dinner and tips on the table and takes me by the arm as he ushers me out. That touch burns into my skin but I can’t think about that right now. My baby is in intensive care and I need to get there.The valet brings the car and Jayden opens my door. I get in and before long we roar off into the traffic, weaving and beeping. “Jayden, slow down. I don’t want to have an accident or be delayed if the traffic cops stop you.”“Sorry. Look, you relax, just let me drive. I understand how this must make you feel.”“No, no you don’t. Only a parent could understand what it’s like to have their only child, maybe the only child they can ever have, in a life-threatening situation.” I almost yell the words because stress has me wired so high.He glares across at me. “Only a parent huh?”“That’s right.” I snap back.“Well, isn’t that what I am? She’s my kid, isn’t she? You go
(Winona)“Winona! How is Abby?” Phillip is rushing up to me and I jump back from Jayden and hug Phillip. That was a close call. I feel if I’d ended up in Jayden’s arms, wild horses couldn’t have dragged me back out again.“Phillip, our girl is stable. She’s a fighter. The doctor is coming soon to speak with us.”“I’m sorry I wasn’t with her.”“I’m the one who should be sorry,” I sob into his shoulder. “I can’t keep working these hours. I have a daughter and family to be with.”“Don’t be sorry, Winona. You came here for me. To give me the chance of a lifetime. I’m the one who’s sorry.” Phillip rubs my back as he hugs me.“No matter why I’m here, I should not have been working like I didn’t have a child at home who needs me.”“Let’s talk about that later. Right now, it’s no one’s fault. All we need to do is get Abby well.”I nod. “I hope the doctor is here soon. They are doing more tests. I almost died when I saw our angel hooked up to those machines. Why? Why does such an innocent litt
(Jayden)I made it to the elevator before I had to grab my head from the searing pain now tearing through my mind. Emotions are eating me up from the inside and all I can feel is despair and heartbreak.Miracle baby, miracle baby the words scream around my mind.“Winona! Let me see her. What’s wrong. I swear I’ll rip this fucking place apart if someone doesn’t let me see her.” I’m being held back by two bulky security men. Doctor Green is talking to me calmly. “Mr. Brennan. You cannot come to see her unless you calm down.”I suck in a breath, steel myself to stay calm and shake off the hands gripping my arms. “Alright, alright. Sorry. I just… is Winona going to be okay?”“Mr. Brennan…Jayden…she will be okay in time. Right now, her emotional state is on the edge of breakdown. You need to be strong for her. You need to be calm. You cannot lose it in there like this.”I take another deep breath. “Okay, Doc. I got this. Take me into her, she needs me.”Dr. Green walks me into the ward an
(Winona)“Pup-py”I hear her soft whisper and my heart soars. She’s been asleep since the operation last night and Dr. Green said this was best for her to heal for now. I’m in a small armchair holding Puppy.I must have dozed off despite feeling like I was awake all night. Anne dropped by very early this morning with Abby’s favorite toy, hoped it might help.I open my eyes and see Abby staring back at me. “Puppy,” she whispers and makes slow grabby motions with her fingers.“Abby, sweetheart. Hi.” I say and get up to hand Puppy to her. I lean in to kiss her forehead “Shhh, baby girl. Get some more rest.”“It hurts, Mommy.” Tears rolled down her cherub cheeks. My heart breaks for her. I wish I could wave a magic wand and take all this pain away. I wish I could have the pain for myself and spare Abby.“I know you’re scared. It’s okay.” I push the call button. “You’re in the hospital. Let’s see if the nurse can help with that. I’m here, baby.” I rub her hair and hum a nursery rhyme.Th
(Ashlyn)“This is exactly the break we needed. He’ll see how much he loves you now and wants to be a family with you.” Judy paces her reception room floor in her mansion as she speaks. “Of course, Ashlyn, the baby is Jayden’s?” Her eyes bore into mine.I swallow my nerves down. “Of course.” I feel my palms damp with sweat.Judy gets up closer to me now. “You’re sure?”I feel the heat in my face. “I’m sure.” I lied.She walks off again. “Good. Winona says her kid isn’t Jayden’s. Phillip is named legally as the father. So, she has no claim to any of the Brennan fortune and assets. So, if this baby is Jayden’s, then we have nothing to worry about.”I breathe out. The chances that this baby isn’t Jayden’s is low. I’d had sex with one other man at a time I was distraught and felt rejected. Finding out about Jayden being with Winona after he was drugged made me crazy. Things just happened and it felt good to have someone really want me, even if it was just sex.The constant battle with Jay