Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband novel Chapter 123

123 A Fire Woman 

123 A Free Woman 

(Winona) 

+25 BONUS 

The paramedics load Jayden into the ambulance, their movements quick and precise. Their faces are grim as they work to stabilize him. The bleeding has stopped, but he’s lost so much blood. 

I think most of it is on me, soaked in my clothes, making my hands sticky. I don’t care about the mess, though. I only care about him, lying there so still and pale. 

“Please, let me ride with him,” I beg one of the paramedics, my voice trembling and desperate. “I need to be with him. He needs to know I’m here for him.” 

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the paramedic replies, his tone gentle but firm, like he’s used to delivering bad news.” We need all the space we can get to work on him. It’s critical. Every second counts.” 

My heart is being ripped out of my chest as they shut the ambulance doors. “But he took the bullet for me,” I whisper, tears streaming down my face. “I can’t let him go alone. He can’t be alone.” 

The paramedic’s eyes soften, showing a flicker of empathy. “We’ll take good care of him, I promise. But right now, we need to focus on getting him to the hospital as quickly as possible. Meet us there.” 

I watch helplessly as they close the doors of the ambulance, feeling a part of me being sealed away with them. 

Jayden’s pale face is the last thing I see before the doors shut, and the ambulance speeds away, sirens blaring, cutting through the air like a knife. 

I don’t even know if I can go to the hospital. I mean what goes on now with my detention? 

Gordon comes up beside me, his expression full of sympathy and determination, “I’ll drive you to the hospital,” he says, his voice steady and reassuring. “We’ll be right behind them, I promise.” 

“C. can I go?” 

“Winona, after this, there will be no case against you. My team has already set the wheels in motion to get word to the Santa Monica judge. You’ll be a free woman again. Ashlyn will be locked up. I’ll stay with you until we get official word.” 

Numbly, I nod, allowing him to guide me to his car. Every second feels like an eternity, the fear of losing Jayden for good makes me realize how much he’s still ingrained into my soul. 

I look down at my clothes. “I need to shower. I can’t go to the hospital like this.” My sobs start. “But what if he dies while I’m showering? I should be with him.” My whole body is shaking now. 

“Come on. You can wear my coat, it will cover most of it. Let’s just get there and you can get cleaned up once you know Jayden is stable.” 

“Okay.” 

“You’ve been through a big ordeal. They’ll want to monitor you for shock.” 

Jayden is fighting for his life because of me and the thought of losing him is unbearable. When he took that bullet for me, I realized just how much he loves me 

+25 BONUS 

It was a moment of clarity, cutting through all the confusion and hurt. 

I love him too, more than anything. I can’t do life without him. I don’t want to. 

I look down to the ground and I see a familiar cell phone. It’s Jayden’s, it must have come out of his pocket, or he had it in his hand before he leapt in front of me. I picked it up. 

My hands shake so badly that I almost drop it again. As a mother, I know what. I have to do. I tried the old code he always used to unlock his phone. My birthday. It works. That brings fresh tears to my eyes. 

I scroll through the contacts, finding Judy’s number. My finger hovers over the call button as I hesitate for a moment. This isn’t going to be easy, but it’s necessary. She has to know. She has to know before she sees it on the news. 

As much as I dislike and distrust Judy, I know how much she loves Jayden and I know I want to do the right thing and let her know he’s going to the hospital. 

With a deep breath, I press the call button and hold the phone to my ear. It rings once, twice, three times. Each ring feels like a lightning strike to my already fragile nerves. 

My mind races with thoughts of what to say, how to tell her. 

Finally, the call connects. 

“Jayden?” Judy’s voice is sharp and concerned, and I can tell she’s been worried. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard her sound genuinely anxious. “Thank God you’re okay. Did they find Ashlyn?” 

“Judy,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. 

The silence on the other end is deafening, stretching on as I gather the strength to continue. I glance at Gordon as we walk to his car. He gives me a nod of encouragement, his eyes filled with understanding. “Winona? Oh God! What’s happened? Where’s my son? Her voice pitches high with emotion. 

I take another deep breath, preparing myself to deliver the news that might shatter her world. 

I take no pleasure from that. I know how it feels to think your only child may be minutes away from death. 

“Ash Ashlyn, she turned up with a gun. The bullet was meant for me. Jayden jumped in front of it.” 

“Don’t you dare tell me my son is dead.” I can hear the rawness in her voice. A vulnerability I’ve never heard before. 

“He’s going to St Michael’s in the ambulance. It’s critical.”