Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband
463 Lance’s Goodbye

The screen flickers for a moment before Lance appears, sitting in what looks like his hotel. He's bruised from our fight-his eyes still dark, his knuckles marked. But he's himself, leaning back in a chair with his usual grin. Even battered, he looks at ease. My heart is in my throat as it hits me that I'll never see him again. He was my ride or die. He chose to die.

"Jayden," he begins, tilting his head. "You son of a bitch. You threw the first punch again. Or rather you mowed me down before I could do anything. Let's just get that out of the way. That's the only reason you ever landed one on me."

A laugh escapes me. Typical Lance. Even now, he replaces a way to turn the pain into a joke.

"Look, I know you've got questions. Probably a lot of them. Maybe you're angry, or maybe you're just sitting there thinking, 'What the hell, Lance?' So let me explain... as much as I can."

He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck. "I always knew this was how I'd go out. One day, when the time was right, I'd end things. That's just... who I am. It's not that I didn't love life-I did, Jayden. I really did. But the demons were always going to win."

I see the familiar shadow in his eyes of the childhood trauma he could never get past. Not really. His parents never loved him and he could never love himself. He never thought he was lovable and he was only ever trouble. I thought he'd get over that one day and realize what we all knew. Lance was an extraordinary person who shone light in the darkest for corners for anyone that knew him. He just could never shine that light for himself.

"But I've never been the kind of guy who could stick around forever. Not in love and not in life. That's just how it has to be."

His gaze softens, and for a moment, he looks vulnerable. "That's why I kept people at arm's length. Why I didn't let Lisa in for so long. I didn't want her to get hurt. But then, of course, I went and did the dumbest thing possible."

I raise my eyebrows because I'm sure he covered that when he had sex with my wife.

He pauses. "Okay, second dumbest thing possible... I let Lisa in. And it was amazing. God, Jayden, it was the best I've ever felt. She loved me like no one else ever could. And I loved her back the best way I knew how. Even though it was just a few days. I wanted her to feel love like she should be loved. Take care of her for me. She is going to be livid, so watch yourself, you know her temper."

My chest tightens as his voice wavers, just for a second. He clears his throat, sitting up straighter. "But that's not why I'm gone. This isn't about me running from Lisa or you or anything else. This is about what I made my mind up about before I even met you." Jesus, I met Lance when we were like twelve, how can someone have decided at that age that he'd end his own life? I pause the video.

"You okay?" Cass asks.

"It's...well, it's just a lot. To hear that even through all the great times we had, nothing was going to sway his mind. Not ever."

"I think that's what he wants you to know. So, no one blames themselves."

"Doesn't make it any easier."

"I'm sure he never expected such complications."

I hit play again. I need to get this done.

His eyes narrow slightly, the humor

fading from his face. "I looked into Judy's files, Jayden. Dug deeper than I should've. And I realized shex wasn't going to stop. Not with Winona, not with you, or the kids. She had it all planned out-how to discredit Winona, how to turn the kids against their mother. Hell, she even had notes about how to deal with Bobby and Sarah down the line.

Like they were chess pieces."

My hands ball into fists as the anger surges. I don't need to see Judy's files to believe this. Deep down, I know this to be true. I wanted to stop her too, but I'd hoped to get enough on her to put her away for life.

"I couldn't let that happen," Lance

continues. "Not to you. Not to

Winona. Not to those kids. Judy... she love you, in her own way,

know that too. But her love was poison. She didn't know when to stop. And I knew she never would. She told me herself."

He leans forward, his expression hardening. "So, yeah. I made the call. I knew what it would mean. And I'm sorry, Jayden. God, I'm so sorry. But it had to end. It was time. Even from jail she would have found a way. You deserve some real freedom to live your life, now you have that."

I can't move, can't breathe. My mind races, trying to process what he's saying.

"And yeah, I know I fucked up. I broke your trust, ruined what we had, and I don't blame you for hating me. But don't punish Winona forever. She doesn't deserve that."

I get what he's saying. Even if I can never get back to where I was with Winona, if I want to keep my family unit, Winona and I need to get back to being at least friends.