Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband
461 Packages

(Winona)

It's been hours since Lisa shut herself in her bedroom

I knock softly. "Lisa? It's me."

No answer.

I crack the door open, peeking inside. The room is dim, lit only by the faint glow of her bedside lamp. She's curled up on the bed, facing the wall, her body still.

"Lisa," I say softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Can I get you a tea, or coffee?"

Her voice comes out muffled, raw. "I can't, Winona. Not now."

She turns her head slightly, her eyes red and swollen. "He didn't even let me help him. Those last few days...were so perfect, why couldn't he see how perfect they were?"

I reach out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Lance loved you. I know he did. But we know the pain he always carried."

She shakes her head violently. "If he loved me, he wouldn't have done this! He wouldn't have left me like this."

Her words dissolve into sobs, and I gather her into my arms. She clings to me, her grief pouring out unchecked. "I know," I whisper. "I know."

For what feels like an eternity, we sit there, her tears soaking into my shoulder. I let her cry, let her release the pain that may never heal for her. When her sobs quiet to soft sniffles, she pulls back, wiping her face with her sleeve. "I don't even know what to do now," she murmurs. "You take it one step at a time," I say gently. "You let yourself grieve, and you lean on the people who love you."

"How is Jayden?"

I hesitate. "He's... struggling. Cass and Viktor are with him now. He's not ready to face everything yet."

She shakes her head, her voice trembling. "Why? Why wasn't I enough to save him?"

"You are enough," I say firmly, gripping her hands in mine. "You are always enough, Lisa. This isn't about you. Lance made this choice for him." Her lips tremble, and she squeezes her eyes shut. "I just wanted him to let me in. I thought he had."

"I'm so sorry."

She doesn't respond, but her grip on my hands tightens. I sit with her until her breathing evens out, her exhaustion finally pulling her into a restless sleep. I slip out of her bedroom quietly.

I grab my phone and call Anne. We won't be looking at houses today and she'll need somewhere to go with the kids. She answers on the second ring. "Winona, how is it going?"

"Awful," I say, my voice shaking. "Anne, I... I can't leave Lisa right now. She's... not okay. We are supposed to go house hunting today, the kids will be disappointed, but I can't. I need to be here with her."

"I understand," Anne says softly. "What do you need from me?"

"Can you take the kids back to the penthouse? I think it's best for them to be home. There's still all their stuff there, and it's... it's where they belong right now."

"The penthouse," Anne repeats, a hint of hesitation in her voice. "Are you sure?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," I say. "We don't have to convince Judy we're separated. Ironically enough, we probably actually are. But the penthouse has been home for the kids, and they need that stability right now." "Alright. I'll take them back. You just focus on Lisa. And yourself, Winona Are you feeling ok? This is a lot of stress..."

"I'm okay. I have checkups and scans tomorrow. I'll be sure to go," I promise.

"Okay, see you for dinner?"

"I will need to come be with the kids, so I may bring Lisa."

"No problem."

We hang up, and I try to get some rest on the sofa. The sofa Lance called home for so many nights, not being able to fully commit to Lisa but also not being able to totally walk away from her either.

This is just not right.

***

I wake to the soft sound of footsteps.

"Hey," I say gently, standing up. "How are you feeling?"

She doesn't answer, just leans against the counter, staring down at her water glass.

A knock at the door startles both of us. I glance at Lisa, but she doesn't move, so I go to answer it. A courier stands there, holding two small packages.

"Winona Brennan?" he asks, reading the label on the top package.

"Yes." I mean why the hell is a package for me at Lisa's place? "And... Lisa?"

"Yes."

He nods and hands me the packages, one addressed to Lisa and the other to me. I sign for them

catches in my throat as I recoge

and close the door. My breath

I

the handwriting on both. Lange's.

I turn to Lisa, holding the packages out. "From Lance."

QUMS

Her eyes widen as she sees them, and for a moment, she freezes. Then, anger flashes across her face.

"Are you kidding me?" she snaps, snatching the package with her name on it She stares at it for a moment, her hands trembling, before throwing it across the room. It lands with a thud against the wall.

"He doesn't get to do this," she says, her voice rising. "He doesn't get to leave me like that and then... then send me whatever the hell that is!" She points at the package. "It's okay." I try and calm her.

"He showed me what it was like to be loved by him, and then he just took it away! What could he possibly say or do now that would make any of this okay? It's not okay, none of it is okay." Tears spill down her cheeks, but she doesn't bother wiping them away. She shakes her head, "he can shove his package and his excuses."

Then she storms back into her bedroom, slamming the door.

I stare at the discarded package on the floor, my own still clutched tightly in my hand. I go pick hers up and pop it in a cupboard, when she's ready, she'll replace it.

I carefully peel back the tape on my package and open it. Inside is a USB stick. My stomach churns as I stare at it. Jayden got one too, I wonder if he's plugged it in yet?

I glance at Lisa's door, then back at the USB. As much as I want to know what's on it, I can't bring myself to watch it now. Not with Lisa in this state.

I slip the USB into my bag for later.