Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband novel Chapter 480

(Winona)

The house is more charming than I expected—stonework covered in ivy, a wraparound porch, and large windows that bathe the interior in natural light.

It feels warm and lived-in, unlike the two more modern places we’ve seen. The kids are darting through the unkempt yard, Bobby and Sarah racing each other toward a large and fairly new shed, while Abby lags behind, looking at a large pond.

“Not too close to the edge, sweetie.” I call out and she smiles and nods back at me.

Henry clings to my leg, his little legs unsteady on the uneven ground. I scoop him up and put him in his pusher Jayden has unfolded.

Jayden wanders a few steps away, hands on his hips, surveying the property with a critical eye. “The house is more move-in ready than the others,” he admits. “But it needs a lot of work.”

“I agree. But it just has a good feeling,” I say. “And the pond’s a bonus, but it’ll need fencing off somehow. Henry’s too curious for his own good.”

Jayden nods, but I can tell his mind is elsewhere. “How big is the attic?”

“It’s a good size,” I reply. “Full of stuff leftover from the estate sale, according to the listing. The kids already have their eyes on it, but no one’s going up there until I know it’s safe. And we’re checking everything to make sure it’s not hiding a priceless artifact we can’t replace.”

Jayden nods. “Like the estate.”

“Exactly.”

The kids’ laughter rings out from the yard, a stark contrast to the tension pulsing between us. Jayden chose not to be a part of Lance’s will reading. I mean, he didn’t need to be there other than as support for Lisa and I. And maybe to help himself come to terms with Lance’s choices.

But I’m done arguing over things we can’t change, so I’m trying to stick with more positive aspects of my life. Choosing our future home is immediate. The penthouse has been okay again but the dynamic for Jayden and I have been… difficult, to say the least.

The kids need some space. I need some space.

“So,” I say, breaking the silence. “What do you think about this place?”

“It’s nice,” he says after a pause. “Not as modern a structure as the last two but more acreage. And it’s the closest to the city, but it feels like we could be in the middle of the woods somewhere.”

“I know right? I thought that too. Thirty minutes away and we are at Abby’s school. It will take a lot more to bring it up to a modern spec. But I’m not afraid of that.”

“Except you are carrying precious cargo right now and not overdoing things…”

I nod and rub my slightly increased abdomen. I’ve managed another four weeks in the craziest of circumstances, a little home reno should be fine.”

I’m cautiously optimistic to hit the sixteen-week mark of this impossible pregnancy. Still following everything Klara instructed, and I talk to her on the phone often.

Jayden is now pushing Henry along the overgrown pathway. “There’s a lot to be done out here too. It will be like an industrial site for a while, is that wise with young kids? The last one had a more user-friendly backyard space.”

“I know, but this one…well, it feels right, more like a home. We can move in right away.”