Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband
460 Shattered Lives

(Winona)

Jayden's voice trembles through the phone. "They're here."

"Viktor and Cass?" I ask, trying to steady my own voice.

"Yeah." His tone is flat, exhausted. "They just arrived. The detective's here too."

"Let them help, Jayden," I say softly. "You don't have to do this by yourself."

"It doesn't feel real, Winona. Lance didn't even... warn me. He didn't give me a chance to stop him. I didn't want to discuss it with him, I didn't want to forgive him, but I didn't want this..." "It's not your fault," I say firmly, though my own heart aches. "You couldn't have known."

The sound of muffled footsteps grows louder, and then a new voice cuts in, Cass's, calm and strong. "Winona, it's me. Jayden, the detective would like a few words."

"Cass." Relief washes over me. "You're there. Thank God."

"I've got him," she says, her voice resolute. "You take care of yourself and Lisa. How is she?"

Tears sting my eyes. "She's broken. Really broken."

"It can't be easy. Viktor's in full protector mode. He's speaking with the detective now. It doesn't seem like Jayden's being implicated in any way."

"Good," I murmur. "He doesn't need that right now."

"I'm staying right here," she assures me. "He's in shock, Winona. It's going to take a while for it to sink in. I've been there before. Walking into a crime scene... it stays with you." Her words hits me, and I close my eyes. "I know, Cass. I wish I could be there with him."

"You need to take it easy," she reminds me. "We do not need another tragedy right now." Cass pauses. "Hang on. Someone's knocking at the door."

"What?" I hear Jayden say, his voice sharper now. "Let me see it."

"It's a small package from a courier," Cass relays.

I hear Jayden's voice, low and strained. "It's from Lance. His handwriting."

"The detective is talking to the courier. Oh, hang on, Jayden wants to talk to you again."

"I don't get it," his voice raw through the phone again. "Why did Lance do this?"

"I don't know," I whisper. "I wish I had answers, Jayden."

"He destroyed everything, Winona. He destroyed the trust I had in you. He destroyed him and I. Now he's killed my mother."

The words hit me like a slap, and I grip the phone tighter. "Jayden..."

"Don't," he snaps, cutting me off. "Don't try to defend what you and Lance did. You don't get to."

"I'm not," I say quietly, though my heart feels like it's breaking. "But he was my friend too. I'm grieving too."

"Yeah, well we all know how close of friends you were with him..."

"Hey" I hear Cass loud and clear.

"No, you don't get to attack Winona right now. Not cool. I know this is a

person in the world to lose

lot, Jayden, but you aren't pret

someone. You're not going to attack Winona. She's hurting too. Not to mention the risk she's at carrying your baby right now."

"Cass!" I say suddenly, to stop her talking about the pregnancy out loud. But then it hits me, it doesn't matter now. The whole world can know. Judy is... gone.

Cass's voice grows closer to the phone again. "Winona, I think it's best if we call you back."

"Thanks, Sis. He's just hurting and confused, I get it."

"So are you, so is Lisa. Doesn't mean he can say things to hurt you. I'll call you back soon, oh wait..."

"What's happening?" I ask, my heart racing. "The package. There's a USB stick inside," she says quietly. "Jayden doesn't want to see it yet. He says he's not ready."

My stomach drops. "Cass, promise me you'll stay with him. If that has Lance on it, that's going to be... hard."

"I'm not going anywhere," she says firmly. "Take care of yourself and Lisa. He's got support here. I'll keep you posted and if he does look at it, we'll be here."

I let out a shaky breath. "Thank you. Call me when you can." "I will," she assures me, and the call ends.

As the silence fills the room, the enormity of what's happened sinks in.

Judy is gone.

Lance is gone.

Jayden is spiraling downwards, and all I can do is sit here, half a world away, and pray that he doesn't fall apart completely.

But there's a new thought in the

back of my mind, one I can't shake. For the first time in years, I feel the faintest flicker of relief. Then a surge of guilty because of what Jayden is going through, how can I feeb refieved?

No more Judy in my life.

But the freedom of knowing Judy is gone, creeps back in, unbidden. For the first time in years, I can imagine a life without fear, without manipulation. I can imagine a life where I'm free to love Jayden and raise our family without the constant threat of her interference

The guilt follows quickly. How can I feel relief when Jayden is in so much pain? When Lisa is shattered? When Lance is gone, and nothing will ever be the same?

I curl up on the couch, one thing is clear-Lance did this for Jayden, for me. And while I may never understand his choice, I know it came from a place of love.

But right now, all I can feel is the loss of a lifelong friend who had our backs in the ultimate sacrifice. I feel for Jayden, for Lisa, for what might have been. For what they could've had but never got. And for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry all of it out.