My CEO 154
154 Good Riddance Judy (Winona)
The private airstrip stretches out before us, a vast expanse of concrete bordered by high fences and dotted with
sleek, black security vehicles.
Nexus Global's logo gleams on the side of the jet, recognisable in every country on this planet, a reminder of the
juggernaut that Gus's empire is.
Gus is outside his jet, overseeing the luggage being loaded. He's in control over every aspect of the flight. Just
like his life. His calm, methodical demeanor is unsettling. You can never read Gus. Outside he's calm and
controlled. But I'm under no illusions of the steps he'd have taken to get to where he is now.
Hu who
That includes leaving his only son to be raised in an abusive household as punishment to Judy refused to go to
Europe with him and slept with his brother.
This man can make miracles happen, but he can also rain down the fires of Hell without a second thought. This
man is Jayden's father.
Do we truly choose to be the person we want to be or does the gene pool have the last say?
Nexus Global isn't just a company-it's a colossal force that dominates industries worldwide.
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The sheer scale of it always looms in the back of my mind, feeding my anxieties about what Judy might be
capable of with such resources at her disposal. With Gus at her disposal.
|
Because | know she isn't traipsing off to Europe for a damn all expenses paid pleasure trip. She has a plan. |
know she has a plan and that plan will involve Jayden.
Judy stands a few feet away, her eyes fixed on Abby and there are tears on her cheeks. Judy, who's always been
so composed, so impervious to the emotions of others, is crying. It's as if she's shedding her armor for just a
moment.
| do believe she has genuine feelings for Abby. | do believe she is going to miss her a lot.
Above all she has been a wonderful grandma to Abby and has respected my wishes all the way through to keep
Abby's life down to earth and as ordinary as possible.
But | don't trust her-not for a second. | know better than to take anything Judy does at face value. | don't know,
this might be paranoia’ and perhaps something | can deal with in therapy. How do | just get on with life when
there's so many deadly people in it | can never trust? It's impossible really. | sigh, | guess | resign myself to
therapy forever.
| watch sit on the steps of the jet and pull Abby into her lap. "One last cuddle, till the next time. | want you to
sendall the drawings and paintings to decorate my castle walls." "Are you really going to live in a castle like
a queen?" Abby's little eyes, shining with tears, open up wide." "I am but there will only be a princess there when
you cand visit." 154 Good Riddance Judy
+26 BONUS
"But why are you leaving, Grandma? I'll miss you. Don't go."
My heart breaks for Abby as she begs Judy not to go. But on the other hand, | hope she doesn't change her mind
and stay. There's a certain sense of freedom knowing she won't be breathing down my neck on a daily basis.
"Abby, sweetheart," Judy begins, brushing a strand of hair out of Abby's face with trembling fingers. | can see the
tears welling up in her eyes-Judy, the iron-fisted matriarch, actually crying real tears.
"I'm going away for now, but I'll be back," Judy continues, her voice wavering slightly. "And when | cback, |
promise you'll never have to letgo again. You and daddy and | will always be together, you'll see." She
whispers but | can still hear it, although I'm not sure if Judy realizes that.
Her words slam into me. My breath catches in my throat, and the world aroundnarrows, shrinking down to
just this moment, just those words. Never have to let her go again?
What the hell does that mean? Anxiety surges, threatening to drownin a tide of panic. But | can't let it show-I
can't let Judy see that she's gotten toor that I've heard what she's just said.
| force myself to stay still, to keep my face as neutral as possible. Is it a threat? A promise? Or just another one of
Judy's twisted mind games?
| can't tell, and that uncertainty is eatingalive. | want to scream, to grab Abby and run, but | know that would
only play into Judy's hands.
| can't afford to lose control, not now. Therapy starts tomorrow and | want to give it a real chance. Abby's brow
furrows. "But Grandma, why do you have to go?" she asks, her voice small and trembling." You can build a castle
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhere and we can live in it together just like you always said."
I want to vomit.
Judy's hand pauses on Abby's hair, her eyes softening even more, though there's something in them that makes
my skin crawl.
"Shhhh, child. Because | need to take care of sthings, darling. But don't you worry-I'll be thinking about you
every day, and we are always together in our hearts."
The way she says it, with that strange mix of sorrow and determination, sends my thoughts spiraling out of
control.
| can't stop thinking about all the things Judy could do, all the ways she could manipulate this situation to her
advantage.
She's always been ten steps ahead of everyone else, always pulling the strings from behind the scenes. What if
she's planning something even worse than | can imagine?
| walk towards them, wanting to stop the conversation without showing it.
Acting on impulse with Judy is a mistake I've learned not to make. She's too smart, too calculated, and if she
sees my fear, she'll use it against me.
Just like she always has.
155 She's Gonel