Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

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(Winona)

When I got back to the hotel, my daughter greeted me with the most adorable smile and ran up for a hug. "Mommy!"

"Hi sweety. Are you having fun?"

"Puppy," she says, holding up her favorite teddy.

"Puppy is so cute."

She wriggles and I put her down. Someone rings the doorbell. Must be housekeeping. Abby clings to my leg.

When I open the door, I find Ashlyn staring at me angrily. Abby is quite shy, so she runs off to probably go find Anne. Thank goodness, Ashlyn wouldn't have gotten a good look at her face. I step outside and shut the door behind me.

"Why are you here? Did you follow me?" I say and watch her eyebrows raise as she has seen a child and she must guess I'm now a mother.

She pushes up closer. She is shaking, with anger or nervousness, I don't know. But she is definitely upset. You told me you weren't pregnant."

"And I wasn't. But I met a man and we went into business together and then started dating. Abby is the result of that. Not that it's any of your business."

"Are you back to cause trouble for me and Jayden? The wedding is soon."

I sigh and laugh. "I don't want to be with Jayden anymore. He said he told you about me coming back so you must know he found me and asked me here, not the other way around. It's purely business."

"Are you sure? If you're lying and that child really is Jayden's I'll-"

"You'll what? You don't scare me, Ashlyn. You're the one who has everything to lose, not me. I'm very happy with Phillip. Maybe you should try being honest for once and then you wouldn't have to worry about Jayden finding out about what you're really like." "I'm not worried at all. He loves me."

"Then you don't need to come here bothering me. Go away. I'm here for business and I don't need you dredging up the past every five minutes."

I go back into my hotel room and double lock the door to be sure.

My cell phone buzzes in my pocket. God, what now? I pulled it out. It's Phillip. I connected the call.

"Winona. Thank you for including me in this amazing deal. Jayden Brennan called me and offered me a consultancy for two years. Plus we get millions of dollars in our bank accounts!"

"I hope you aren't sorry that we will be dissolving the business and moving."

"If you're happy, I'm happy. I mean, I'll still see you, won't I? That hasn't changed..."

09 Into the Lion's Den

"Sure, we'll still work closely together. But..."

"Look, Winona, I get it. We're best friends and you know I'd do anything for you and Abby. I get that you aren't in a place where you can think about being with someone romantically. But I just want you to know that I will always be here for whatever you need. You have changed my life."

"You know I love you, Phillip. Just not in that way. I'm sorry. But you'll find someone."

"Honestly, I won't be looking for a while. I'll be throwing every second into learning everything I can from Brennan Industries. It's a once in a lifetime chance."

An idea begins to form in my mind. Maybe this can work to my benefit. "Phillip, if you don't have anywhere. to live yet...why don't we look for a place that suits us all. Seems silly for you to live alone in a strange city. I think we can really help each other."

I hear Abby crying and fussing. "I don't have time to get into it right now, Abby needs me, but we'll talk

soon."

"Okay. Bye, Winona, I'll touch base soon."

I disconnect the call and go to Abby who is trying to get her top off over her head.

"Sorry, she wanted to do it herself. Miss Independence like her mother." Anne laughs. I give her a grin.

"Oh, look at you all tangled up. Let mommy help." I go to reach for Abby.

"No! Me do it. Me do it!" And with a huge wrest/

and tug. Abby's frowny face and pudgy cheeks pop out of her top and she drops it on the floor. "See? I do it."

Off she runs.

"Anne, I've asked Phillip to move in with us when I find a house. I want him to pretend to be Abby's father

It's Monday and I'm walking back into the Lion's den. That's how it feels, partially. The other part is a yearning to have what we once had again. This building used to belong to another firm.

After graduation, it was this exact building where I did my first interview as a financial advisor. Jayden drove me and gave me a great pep talk on the way.

"You are my invincible Winona, remember? Knock them dead."

He was always my rock.

Today I'm here with Phillip. Also my rock but in a completely different way. But I think I can get through this with him by my side. Especially if he agrees to my plan.

Philip senses my discomfort, he is very perceptive because we are close after working together for three years. "Are you alright? If you want to change your mind, it's okay."

"I'm fine it's just nerves and well, I guess leaping into the unknown." I don't even know how to start to explain the mess that was the relationship between me and Jayden, so I didn't.

We are about to walk into my new office, which is directly below Jayden's and I hesitate. Am I really doing this?

09 Into the Lions Den

Phillip grabs my hand. "Come on, we'll do it together. One...two..." We both take a step in, "three! There we did it and no one turned to stone."

I laugh, but I think I will need to turn to stone to stop all the emotions I'm feeling right now. Can I really handle what this will all bring and, what if Jayden does start to remember things, what then? "Thanks Phillip. You're the best."

"Did you want to talk about that thing?"

My cell phone pings that I've received a personal emall into the company inbox. Well, they sure aren't wasting any time. "Just a minute. I'll check the emails. Hate to miss anything on our first day." I smile. I opened the email.

There will be a big party celebrating the merger at the end of the week. Phillip and I are to attend as the guests of honor. My hands are even more damp now. I'm not sure why I thought I could avoid social situations really. "There's an email about a celebration. We're guests of honor."

"Sounds like fun."

"Maybe.

H

""You are going to go?"

I think about this. I don't really have a choice. "I'll go but I may not stay for long."

"Suits me."

"You don't have to leave when I do."

"Let's just see how it goes."

I really need to tell him the full story, but I can't here. There's a stack of folders on my desk waiting, "I better get to work. There's a pile of information I need to go through today. I'm sure you have a lot to do as well." Phillip's office is next door. "I do have a meeting in about three minutes with the ex-head of marketing. We'll confer at the end of the day?"

"Sure. Once we get this week's information collated, we can start to plan a new campaign to turn this ship around." I am determined to do the best job I can. To prove I'm here because I am the best there is and not because of any other reason. I want to prove to everyone that I'm not here to win back Jayden. Those days are over.

Maybe it's me I need to prove that too.

Turning up at that party looking amazing and feeling confident will go a long way to doing that. I better go shopping.