Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

(Jayden)

I stand at the door the next morning as Anne steps in with the kids, managing the chaos with her usual calm authority. Abby clings to her arm, eyes darting nervously around the suite. "You remember this place, don't you, sweetheart?" Anne asks gently.

Abby nods but doesn't let go. "It's where the doctors made my heart better," she whispers, glancing at me for reassurance.

"It is," I say, crouching to her level. "But this time, we're here for Mom. She's going to need all of us to help her get better. You up for the job?"

Abby hesitates, then nods firmly. "Yes!" Then she opens her eyes wide. "Am I supposed to be really quiet?"

"No darling. You can just be yourself. But we'll try for no arguing and shouting with your brothers and sister, okay?"

"Okay. Can I go see Mom now?"

"Mom is having special medicine to keep her asleep for now, but I think she can still hear us. Go tell her about your day and we'll join you soon. Keep her company for me. You know how she loves all your stories." "I can make her feel better."

I brush her hair back and kiss her forehead. "I know you can. Mom will be proud of you."

Bobby and Sarah look like they aren't sure what to do. I motion to the bedrooms off the main living space. "You two share a room, Abby will be in with Henry. No fights. Take your things into the bedroom and then come give me a hug and tell Mom and I about your school day." They smile and run down the short hallway.

Henry, meanwhile, wriggles wildly in Anne's arms, squealing for freedom. I step in and take him, propping him on my hip. "Don't worry, Anne. He's my shadow from now on. Everywhere I go, Henry goes."

Anne raises an eyebrow, adjusting her cardigan. "You sure about that? He's like a hurricane in tiny sneakers."

"I've handled worse clients," I reply. Henry, delighted by my attention, grabs my face with sticky fingers and laughs. "See? Easy."

Anne smiles. "If you say so. Just don't come crying to me when he outsmarts you."

She glances toward Winona's room, where Abby is now perched beside her mother, quietly telling her about her new friend at school.

Anne turns back to me, her expression softening. "You good?"

"I'm steady," I reply simply. I'm not about to crack. Not now.

Anne studies me for a long moment, "You've had a change of heart over yours and Winona's marriage?"

"Yes. I was an idiot."

"I think anyone would've reacted the same under the circumstances, Jayden."

I shrug, "maybe. But I was on my way to tell Winona I wanted us to move forward when I got the call about her fall. I'm done with letting anger rule me, or anyone else. Mother is gone, the circumstances are tragic and confusing, but I have to admit there's a sense of freedom I've never known before." "I hope you can move past it all. It won't be easy."

"No, it won't. But look at all the trauma Winona has moved past in her life. It can be done and I'm going to do it. Hopefully she'll accept my apology and help me deal with it all."

"Lance was a best friend to all of you. But especially you. Some people can't be saved. They make their peace with their decisions. That was Lance. He lived every minute of his life knowing that one day he'd make the ultimate choice. You aren't to blame. None of you are."

I look at Anne and I realize I am

angry at Lance for not wanting to stay longer. I'm angry because he never gave me the chance to help him. I do feel some sense of fault for smashing into him like that and my last words to him being so hostile and final.

I stiffen, my grip on Henry tightening just slightly. "He betrayed me with Winona but most of all he betrayed me by leaving me like this. I don't

know what life is going to be likene

without him. I wish he'd talked to me. wish I'd seen his pain through my anger. I wish I'd at least let him say his piece, listened to him, and not have to hear it on a video after he'd gone."

"Nothing you could say, nothing anyone could say, was ever going to change the fact that he was going to do this. Judy was a wildcard but he did that for all the right reasons. He gave you what you'd never be able to have otherwise, freedom to love and cherish Winona and your kids without interference. It's extreme, but that is the word that describes how Lance lived, I think."

I shift Henry to my other hip. "I'm not even close to dealing with Lance stuff yet. But I am moving my life forward with my family. However that looks when Winona recovers." "Lance loved you, Jayden. You and Winona, Lisa. You all were his life. You know that, don't you?"

I nod. "He made his choices. But I need a lot more time."

"Fair enough. I'm going to get started on lunch. These kids are like locusts."Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I nod. "Right now, Henry and I need to sign over Brennan Industries, again."

Anne's brow lifts. "To Greg's kids?"

"Yes. I have enough to deal with. I'm waiting on a call from Gabriel."

Bobby and Sarah run back out and I pop Henry down while I give them hugs. "You go see Mom, I'll go grab a tray of snacks for morning tea for us all."

"Yum!" Bobby grins and I ruffle his hair. "I'm starved."

"Have you grown taller again? I need to put a brick on your head, I think. How about we go catch a game over the weekend?"

"Sure, Dad. That'd be sick as."

He looks so much like an adult now and his voice is a little scratchier than usual. I realize I probably need to have chat with him about the next phase of his life and navigating teen hormones.

"Sarah, do you want to come too?"

"That's boring. I'll stay with Mom."

"Well, have think what you'd like to do, and we'll go do that the next day."

"Cool."

"Okay, Mom wants to hear all about your day, and I'll set up a desk in here too."

They both groan. I laugh. "Thought you were getting out of it, didn't you? I mean, I know it's summer holidays but Mom and I would like you to do a little study each day. Always room to learn something new." Two nurses let themselves in the door. "Mr. Brennan, we are just doing our routine checks," says the taller one.

"No problem. The kids and family will be a constant here, so feel free to order them around as needed."

They smile.

"It's great to see such a strong support system for Mrs. Brennan. She's a very lucky woman." The same nurse says, "No, I'm the lucky one."

My phone rings, it's Gabriel. I scoop up Henry from halfway down the hallway trying to reach an ornament on a side table. "Come on, Henry. We need to take this call."