My CEO 125

125 Judy Actually Cares

(Winona)

"You look awful," Judy says bluntly from the doorway.

I jumped because I didn't expect her to follow me up here. I thought she'd be hovering down in emergency for more news on Jayden.

"Let's get you in that shower." She takes Gordon's coat off my shoulders.

"I want to get all this blood off me," I admit, my voice breaking. The last thing I want to do is be this vulnerable in front of Judy, but I'm just so broken I can't put up any sort of emotional shield right now.

Judy surprises me by touching my hand gently. "Go take a shower. I'll stay here and wait for news. I'll have some clothes brought in for you immediately."

Her kindness catches me off guard. I search her eyes for any hint of ulterior motives but find only genuine concern. "Okay," I say, hesitant but grateful. "Thank you."

She nods, squeezing my hand briefly before letting go. "We're both here for Jayden. He needs us both to be strong."

I nod and head towards the bathroom, my legs feeling like they might give out at any moment.

Before I get under the water, I pull my cell phone from my pocket and message Anne, Lance, and Lisa, letting them know what's happened. That I can't talk just yet but just to watch the news. I place Jayden's phone beside mine. The symbolism catches in my throat.

I hear Judy on her phone too, calling Gus. I hear her say his name. Her voice is low, urgent, but I can't make out all of the words. I just hear the tremor in her tone, a reflection of the fear I feel.

off me that's soaked through my clothes. I cry as I don't want to wash him away from me really, it might be the

fighting for his life. He took a bullet meant for me, and now he might not make it. How could Ashlyn get

over me, I replay the events in my mind. The sound of the gunshot. Waiting for the bullet to hit

him like this is unbearable, a pain so deep it threatens to consume

hospital gown I find near the hand basin,

room, Judy is still

"Feeling better?" she asks, her tone surprisingly caring. "There will

do feel a little better," i

+25 BONUS

125 Jury Actually

wait for them. May as well

so grateful for Jayden right now." I say as I

are just two women united by their

taking the bullet for me, his love so clear in that moment. The realization that I can't live without him, no matter how much he's hurt me in the past. We've both been manipulated and controlled in the past. But I'm

I nod. "Come in."

He does.

"I'll go see where that cup of

voluntarily giving

Nolan, are a free woman." Gordon comes over and gives me a hug. "You did well. Everything has been dropped

your home. Ashlyn is behind bars. and will

help. I mean, she really

just worry about you, right now. How about Jayden, any

but there's a lot of damage apparently. Might

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