My CEO 123

123 A Fire Woman

123 A Free Woman

(Winona)

+25 BONUS

The paramedics load Jayden into the ambulance, their movements quick and precise. Their faces are grim as they work to stabilize him. The bleeding has stopped, but he's lost so much blood.

I think most of it is on me, soaked in my clothes, making my hands sticky. I don't care about the mess, though. I only care about him, lying there so still and pale. "Please, let me ride with him," I beg one of the paramedics, my voice trembling and desperate. "I need to be with him. He needs to know I'm here for him."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the paramedic replies, his tone gentle but firm, like he's used to delivering bad news." We need all the space we can get to work on him. It's critical. Every second counts." My heart is being ripped out of my chest as they shut the ambulance doors. "But he took the bullet for me," I whisper, tears streaming down my face. "I can't let him go alone. He can't be alone." The paramedic's eyes soften, showing a flicker of empathy. "We'll take good care of him, I promise. But right now, we need to focus on getting him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Meet us there." I watch helplessly as they close the doors of the ambulance, feeling a part of me being sealed away with them.

Jayden's pale face is the last thing I see before the doors shut, and the ambulance speeds away, sirens blaring, cutting through the air like a knife.

I don't even know if I can go to the hospital. I mean what goes on now with my detention?

Gordon comes up beside me, his expression full of sympathy and determination, "I'll drive you to the hospital," he says, his voice steady and reassuring. "We'll be right behind them, I promise." "C. can I go?"

"Winona, after this, there will be no case against you. My team has already set the wheels in motion to get word to the Santa Monica judge. You'll be a free woman again. Ashlyn will be locked up. I'll stay with you until we get official word."

Numbly, I nod, allowing him to guide me to his car. Every second feels like an eternity, the fear of losing Jayden for good makes me realize how much he's still ingrained into my soul.

sobs start. "But what if he dies while I'm showering?

cover most of it. Let's just get there and

"Okay."

a big ordeal. They'll want to monitor

is unbearable. When he took that bullet for me, I realized just how

of clarity, cutting

too, more than anything. I can't do life without

I see a familiar cell phone. It's Jayden's, it must have come out of his pocket, or he had it in his hand

to do. I tried the old code he always used to unlock his phone. My

scroll through the contacts, finding Judy's number. My finger hovers over the call button as I hesitate for a moment. This isn't going to be easy, but it's necessary. She has to know. She has to know before she sees

how much she loves Jayden and I know I want to do the right

to my ear. It rings once, twice,

what to say, how to tell

Finally, the call connects.

first time I've ever heard her sound genuinely anxious. "Thank God you're okay.

my voice barely above a

the strength to continue. I glance at Gordon as we walk to his car. He gives me a nod of encouragement, his eyes

another deep breath, preparing myself to deliver the

I know how it feels to think your

bullet was meant

tell me my son is dead." I can hear the rawness in her voice. A vulnerability I've never heard

Michael's in the

a bullet for

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