Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband by Anney GW

My CEO 222

222 A Parent's Love

(Jayden)

I stand in the Brennan wing of the hospital. I'm going into the smaller unit to meet with Ashlyn's Mom

Ashlyn is in there as well and I know that her Mom, as her next of kin, has to sign the papers that will let the doctors turn off the life support.

This has to be hard for Mrs. Carter. I let myself in the door and went to the living area. I don't want to don't want to

interrupt her personal time with Ashlyn in the bedroom.

I hear voices, and I guess the medical staff are updating her.

I named the baby after Ashlyn's father, as a small gesture of respect, something that might offer some

comfort to Mrs. Carter.

But as soon as Mrs. Carter walks into the room, I feel the tension. She's a tall woman, her posture rigid, with a coldness in her eyes that immediately puts me on edge. She looks perfect, too perfect. The kind of perfect that you know is bought and paid for.

"Mrs. Carter," I say, keeping my voice steady. "Thank you for coming. I wanted you to know that I named the baby after Ashlyn's father, Henry, I thought she would have liked that. He and her always seemed so close." She looks at me, her expression unreadable for a moment before she scoffs, "Henry Carter,"

I'm surprised by this.

"That man was weak, Jayden. Weak, and without ambition. Just like Ashlyn. They'd rather be gadding about at a ball game than taking life seriously."

Wow. Okay. I was expecting grief, maybe even some anger, but this... this is something else entirely. Excuse me?" I ask, my voice low, trying to keep my composure.

crosses her arms, her gaze cold and unflinching. "Ashlyn never lived up to her potential. She had so much going for

I see."

like her father. And now, look where she is-on life support because she couldn't handle the

hot and uncontrollable. "Mrs. Carter, Ashlyn did everything she could to try and

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you reap

this end. And she sure as hell doesn't deserve to be talked

raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my outburst. "She's in this situation because you couldn't love her like you were supposed to. You broke her heart, Jayden. You and that woman of yours.

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222 A Parent's Love

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Mrs. Carter's venomous

at my sides. "No, Mrs. Carter. Ashlyn's life ended up this way because she was constantly trying to live up to impossible expectations, From you, from my mother, because apparently you knew what was best

and he took her

pain of having a child and being married to a dreamer, just to have Ashlyn end up poor. He would have squandered every last cent of his family money if it wasn't

shouldn't have married him

I wanted for Ashlyn. That's

loved for who she was, not molded into something she

doesn't change. If anything, she seems bored by my

enough, Jayden. She needed to be strong, to have more ambition. She

mother talk about her daughter like this? "All a parent has to do is love their

to the breaking point, like you and my

was best for you both. But you both failed

because she was made to feel like she wasn't enough,

I'm too far gone, too angry at the