My CEO 187

187 The Edge

187 The Edge (Jayden)

We're back in my car, outside the high security facility, but my mind is still trapped in that room with Ashlyn. Her words stick in my head. This is a bad dream I can't shake off. Judy will always have a hold on you. One day, she'll control your life again.

I grip the steering wheel tight, my knuckles turning white. The thought of my mother having any influence over me, over my life, twists in my gut. Ashlyn's dragging me back into that nightmare. "How can she even say that?" I demand. "How can she think Mother will ever control my life again?"

Winona stays quiet beside me, eyes fixed ahead. But she's heard me. She's thinking, processing, just like she always does.

"And she doesn't trust me to take care of the baby," I continue, my voice heating up. "Like I'm some kind of puppet for my mother, incapable of making my own decisions.

Winona finally turns to look at me, her expression tells me she's about to drop some hard truths. "Jayden, we don't even know if there is a baby. We can't be sure of anything until we have proof."

I nod, though it doesn't ease the anger. "I know, but if there is. If she's telling the truth... What do we do then?"

Winona's silence weighs heavy, and the tension buildske. Then Winona lets out a sigh and speaks. Ultimately, the welfare of this baby isn't my responsibility, Jayden. It's your fuck-up. You need to fix it."

Her words surprise me, but she's right. This whole mess with Ashlyn-everything that's happened-it's all on me. I can't push this off on Winona and expect her to clean it up. No matter what Ashlyn's preference. Is. She's in no position to make a judgment call like this. "I could really smash something right now."

hashing out maybes. I'll wait for the facts and deal with that. But you need to understand something-this could push us right back to where we were before therapy. Right back to the edge."

with Ashlyn, this potential baby, it's a whole new test of

this, Jayden. I have Steve MIA, Ashlyn begging me to adopt her child, Mom and Cass, Abby's health, not to mention

ask, my voice quieter now. "How do we

to have Ashlyn checked out, to see if she's

she is pregnant?" I ask, the question hanging heavy in the

unreadable. "You need to be

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187 The Edge

+25 BONUS

done my head in for years. My family has done my head in for years. I'm ready to leave all of it behind and go find some

time to face the consequences. But I know one thing-I'm not letting Judy or Ashlyn control my life again. This is my fight, and I'll do whatever

find out how we can get an outside doctor to test

hardening my voice.

of the world, and she still has Ashlyn spooked enough to ask

needs to be stopped in her

kill her off. As tempting as

"I'll handle it."

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