Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband by Anney GW

My CEO 222

222 A Parent's Love

(Jayden)

| stand in the Brennan wing of the hospital. I'm going into the smaller unit to meet with Ashlyn's Mom

Ashlyn is in there as well and | know that her Mom, as her next of kin, has to sign the papers that will let the

doctors turn off the life support.

This has to be hard for Mrs. Carter. | let myself in the door and went to the living area. | don't want to don't want

to

interrupt her personal twith Ashlyn in the bedroom.

| hear voices, and | guess the medical staff are updating her.

I named the baby after Ashlyn's father, as a small gesture of respect, something that might offer some

comfort to Mrs. Carter.

But as soon as Mrs. Carter walks into the room, | feel the tension. She's a tall woman, her posture rigid, with a

coldness in her eyes that immediately putson edge. She looks perfect, too perfect. The kind of perfect that

you know is bought and paid for.

"Mrs. Carter," | say, keeping my voice steady. "Thank you for coming. | wanted you to know that | named the

baby after Ashlyn's father, Henry, | thought she would have liked that. He and her always seemed so close." She

looks at me, her expression unreadable for a moment before she scoffs, "Henry Carter,"

I'm surprised by this.

"That man was weak, Jayden. Weak, and without ambition. Just like Ashlyn. They'd rather be gadding about at a

ball gthan taking life seriously."

Wow. Okay. | was expecting grief, maybe even sanger, but this... this is something else entirely. Excuse

me?" | ask, my voice low, trying to keep my composure.

She crosses her arms, her gaze cold and unflinching. "Ashlyn never lived up to her potential. She had so much

going for her, but she was always too soft, too easily swayed by emotions."

| see."

"Ashlyn was just like her father. And now, look where she is-on life support because she couldn't handle the

pressure."

Anger flares inside me, hot and uncontrollable. "Mrs. Carter, Ashlyn did everything she could to try and keep you

happy. To keep my mother happy."

nl

guess you reap what you sow."

"Ashlyne didn't deserve this end. And she sure as hell doesn't deserve to be talked about like this, especially not

by her own mother."

She raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my outburst. "She's in this situation because you couldn't love

her like you were supposed to. You broke her heart, Jayden. You and that woman of yours. So don't blme."

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222 A Parent's Love

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That's when there's a tap on the door and Winona walks in, catching the tall end of Mrs. Carter's venomous

words. Her eyes widen slightly as she takes in the scene, but she doesn't say anything-yet.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. "No, Mrs. Carter. Ashlyn's life ended up this way because she was

constantly trying to live up to impossible expectations, From you, from my mother, because apparently you knew

what was best for her." "It's okay, Jayden." Winona tries to calm me.

"No. It's absolutely not okay. Henry loved Ashlyn and he took her places, spent twith her. Like any parent

should.”

"| didn't go through all the pain of having a child and being married to a dreamer, just to have Ashlyn end up

poor. He would have squandered every last cent of his family money if it wasn't for me."

"Maybe you shouldn't have married him for his money then."

"You're right, of course. | should've married old money first. That's what | wanted for Ashlyn. That's why | made

sure she'd be perfect for you."

"All Ashlyn ever needed was to be loved for who she was, not molded into something she wasn't."

Mrs. Carter's expression doesn't change. If anything, she seems bored by my words.

"Love isn't enough, Jayden. She needed to be strong, to have more ambition. She was a disappointment after her

father died, always falling short."

| can't believe what I'm hearing. How can a mother talk about her daughter like this? "All a parent has to do is

love their child," I say, my voice thick with emotion.

"You don't have to push them to the breaking point, like you and my mother did to Ashlyn."

"We just wanted what was best for you both. But you both failed to be strong enough."

"She didn't fail because she wasn't strong enough. She failed because she was made to feel like she wasn't

enough, just as she was."

Winona steps forward then, placing a hand on my arm. But I'm too far gone, too angry at the way this woman is

talking about her own daughter.

Mrs. Carter pulls out a checkbook from her purse and starts writing, her movements slow and deliberate. When

she finishes, she tears out the check and hands it to me. "This should cover the funeral expenses," she says, her

tone flat. "I've signed the life support release. | can't waste any more there."

I look at the check in my hand, the amount written on it more than enough to cover the cost of any funeral. But

the sight of it makessick. I rip it in half, then into quarters, and let the pieces fall to the floor.

"I don't need your money," | say, my voice hard. "We'll take care of Ashlyn's funeral. People who actually loved

and cared for her. Who understood she was pushed further than any person needs to be." "Suit yourself. Don't

say | didn't offer."

As the door closes behind body.

her. | let out a long breath, the tension draining from m

222 A Parent's Love

Winona is still by my side. "What the actual fuck?"

"I cannot believe people like her, like my mother, exist.

"That was intense," she says softly, looking up atwith concern in her eyes.

I nod, running a hand through my hair. "I can't believe her. The way she talked about Ashlyn... It's no wonder she

struggled so much."

Winona squeezes my arm gently. "You did the right thing, Jayden. Ashlyn deserves better, and you're making

sure she gets it."

"Let's go," | say, taking Winona's hand in mine. "I'll talk to the doctor about what happens now the paperwork

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