Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband by Anney GW

My CEO 188

188 My Mom, My Friend

(Winona)

Two weeks later, I sat across from Mom at the kitchen table in my townhouse.

The place is quiet, too quiet. Abby's at preschool, and Cass is... well, who knows where Cass is.

Enjoying her newfound freedom and independence, no doubt.

I'm trying not to worry about her, I mean she isn't a kid, but the knot in my stomach isn't loosening anytime soon. I feel like her look will attract people who like to make trouble.

Jayden has been busy all this week and apart from Abby time, we've barely had the chance to talk or stress or argue about anything. It's a good feeling actually.

Just us getting on with it without all the crap overshadowing our days.

Mom's hands tremble slightly as she sips her tea. We've never had a proper conversation. Not about the weather or dinner plans, but about real stuff. The kind of stuff that digs deep and leaves a mark. But I know if I want to help her and get her to join me with Barnaby, we need to get more than skin deep.

I take a breath, deciding to dive in. "Mom, I've been thinking a lot about everything that's happened since left for high school. Jayden, Judy, Ashlyn... It's been a real shitshow."

She looks at me, her eyes softening with that mix of love and guilt that always gets to me. "Winona, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that. I wish I could've protected you from it."

"I mean I often think how my life would've gone if I'd never been friends with Jayden. If I'd just walked, let him get caught for trying to cheat in an exam. That should've been red flag number one."

"We can't know these things. I often think the same about being with Steve. If only I'd listened to my parents."

"Who were they? I mean, I never heard of parents, not yours, not his." I might have grandparents out there somewhere.

course, no teen ever thinks that. I was in love and I didn't care. When I told them I was pregnant, Dad was so angry. He

you have to understand. I knew the rules and I broke

nod. "I'm

baby, you, would've been adopted out. I

how that may have turned out. What

did I know at the time going back home

we? Do you want to try and contact

+25 BONUS

Mom,

her head. "I think it's best left as water under

you know anything about

alone in the world. That's why me and the baby would mean so much to

guess we never really

believed he'd change for me, and

your fault," I say

mother, you weren't to know

I'm not sure I'm handling it all that

proud of where you are now. You're an amazing mother, and you've stayed level-headed through all the chaos." "Level-headed? I don't know about that," I state. "Half the time, I'm scared

"That was me."

T

on every minute of the day. You the outside, but I'm always one wrong move away from losing

dn't see it on

I lived it every day when Cass

her than I do right now. And yet,

did it, Mom," I finally say. "Raising Cass in that hellhole, keeping her

of direction