Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband novel Chapter 188

188 My Mom, My Friend 

(Winona) 

Two weeks later, I sat across from Mom at the kitchen table in my townhouse. 

The place is quiet, too quiet. Abby’s at preschool, and Cass is… well, who knows where Cass is. 

Enjoying her newfound freedom and independence, no doubt. 

I’m trying not to worry about her, I mean she isn’t a kid, but the knot in my stomach isn’t loosening anytime soon. I feel like her look will attract people who like to make trouble. 

Jayden has been busy all this week and apart from Abby time, we’ve barely had the chance to talk or stress or argue about anything. It’s a good feeling actually. 

Just us getting on with it without all the crap overshadowing our days. 

Mom’s hands tremble slightly as she sips her tea. We’ve never had a proper conversation. Not about the weather or dinner plans, but about real stuff. The kind of stuff that digs deep and leaves a mark. 

But I know if I want to help her and get her to join me with Barnaby, we need to get more than skin deep. 

I take a breath, deciding to dive in. “Mom, I’ve been thinking a lot about everything that’s happened since left for high school. Jayden, Judy, Ashlyn… It’s been a real shitshow.” 

She looks at me, her eyes softening with that mix of love and guilt that always gets to me. “Winona, I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through that. I wish I could’ve protected you from it.” 

“I mean I often think how my life would’ve gone if I’d never been friends with Jayden. If I’d just walked, let him get caught for trying to cheat in an exam. That should’ve been red flag number one.” 

“We can’t know these things. I often think the same about being with Steve. If only I’d listened to my parents.” 

“Who were they? I mean, I never heard of parents, not yours, not his.” I might have grandparents out there somewhere. 

“My mom and dad. They were amazing really. But very strictly Christian. Of course, no teen ever thinks that. I was in love and I didn’t care. When I told them I was pregnant, Dad was so angry. He threw me out.” 

“Oh, Mom. That’s awful.” 

“It was a different era, you have to understand. I knew the rules and I broke every one of them.” 

I nod. “I’m hearing you.” 

“I knew if I went back I’d be sent away and the baby, you, would’ve been adopted out. I never went back there. I don’t know if they are still alive.” 

I wonder how that may have turned out. What if an entirely different family had raised me? 

“Little did I know at the time going back home would’ve been a blessing for us both maybe.” 

“We’ll never know, will we? Do you want to try and contact them now?” 

+25 BONUS 

160 My Mom, My Friend 

She shakes her head. “I think it’s best left as water under the bridge.” 

“Do you know anything about his family?” 

“He told me he had no family, that he was alone in the world. That’s why me and the baby would mean so much to him. I don’t know if he was telling the truth or not.” 

“I guess we never really knew at the time.” 

“I like to think that a part of him believed he’d change for me, and for you. But I was never enough to make him change.” 

“It’s not your fault,” I say quickly, shaking my head. 

“And it’s not your fault either. Just like Jayden’s mother, you weren’t to know what she was about. I guess neither was he at the time.” 

“It’s just… it’s been a lot. And sometimes, I’m not sure I’m handling it all that well.” 

Mom reaches across the table, her hand covering mine. “You should be proud of where you are now. You’re an amazing mother, and you’ve stayed level–headed through all the chaos.” 

“Level–headed? I don’t know about that,” I state. “Half the time, I’m scared out of my mind. I’m constantly waiting for the next disaster to hit.” 

“That was me.” 

I 

“Not having an anxiety attack is something I have to work on every minute of the day. You the outside, but I’m always one wrong move away from losing my shit.” 

dn’t see it on 

She nods, a sad smile on her lips. “I know that feeling all too well. I lived it every day when Cass was young. It’s exhausting, trying to keep it all together when everything around you is falling apart.” 

We sit in silence for a moment. I’ve never felt closer to her than I do right now. And yet, there’s still so much between us, so much we haven’t said. 

“I don’t know how you did it, Mom,” I finally say. “Raising Cass in that hellhole, keeping her on some kind of path.” 

“I tried to give her some type of direction in life, and I’ve failed miserably.” 

“You’re not failing.” I say to Mom firmly. “You’re giving her choices. She’s young, and she’s angry. It goes with the territory. She’ll figure out her place in the world in time.” 

“I hope so,” she sighs. “I just don’t want her to end up like…” She trails off, not needing to finish the 

sentence.