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.

I cry as I don't want to wash him away from me really,

a bullet meant for me, and now he might not make it. How could Ashlyn get

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

this is unbearable, a pain so deep it threatens

the hospital gown I find near the hand basin, my clothes too stained and

step back into my room, Judy is still there,

asks, her tone surprisingly caring. "There will

feel a little better," i

+25 BONUS

125 Jury Actually

while you wait for

say as I

are just two women united by their love for the same man. The man who's fighting for his

live without him, no matter how much he's hurt me in the past. We've both been

I nod. "Come in."

He does.

up. "I'll go see where that

Now she's voluntarily

Gordon comes over and gives me a hug. "You did well. Everything has been dropped and you can go back to

your home. Ashlyn is behind bars. and

she really needs

worry about you, right now. How about Jayden,

his heart but there's a lot of damage apparently. Might be hours in

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