EuropeNovelMy CEO 155
155 She's Gone! (Winona)
| glance at Jayden, wondering how he's feeling about his mother leaving, but his face is a mask of calm that |
can't read. He hasn't said much about it, and I can't tell if he's relieved or not.
For the first tin his life, his mother won't be hovering over him, dictating his every move, and yet he seems...
unmoved.
It's that unreadable expression that sets my nerves even more on edge. I've always struggled to understand
Jayden's feelings when it comes to his mother, and now, more than ever, | wish | could see inside his head. Is he
h
happy she's leaving? Is he secretly afraid, like | am? Or is he just so numb to her influence that he doesn't care
anymore? The uncertainty about his emotions adds another layer to my inner anxiety. "Jayden, dear," Judy says,
turning to him as she stands. She ushers Abby over toas she approaches her son. "Take care of yourself,
won't you."
Jayden nods, his face remaining impassive. "I'll be fine," he says, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Good," Judy says, reaching out to squeeze his arm. "I'll miss you terribly."
"Goodbye, Mother." Jayden then walks away.
| follow him with Abby holding my hand. Wow. I'm not sure if this is good or bad.
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Jayden might not show it now, but | know how much his mother has meant to him, how deeply her influence ran
in his life. Is he truly able to just switch that off and not care about her at all now? | don't think that's healthy for
him.
| can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen, that Judy's departure is just the beginning of
snew, twisted plan. But | can't talk to Jayden about it-not yet.
Not until we're in therapy, where I can carefully navigate these suspicions without triggering his defenses.
| have to be open to the possibility that this fear is all in my head as well.
Our first session is tomorrow. What if it doesn't work? What if we end up tearing each other apart instead of
finding a way to heal?
We stop and watch them.
Gus gives a sharp nod to the flight crew signaling that it's tto go. They all disappear to their prospective
jobs. He and Judy ctowards us. He gives Abby a hug and a kiss and shakes Jayden's hand. Judy takes Abby
in her arms and hugs her again. "I love you, sweetheart," Judy whispers into Abby's hair. Remember that, okay?
I'll see you soon as | can."
Abby clings to her, nodding through her confusion, and it takes everything innot to yank her away. But | hold
back, biting down the surge of panic that's rising in my throat.
| can't afford to lose control.
155 She's Gone!
+25 BONUS
Judy's eyes are on me, watching, no doubt waiting for any sign of weakness.
Finally, Judy pulls back, her gaze lingering on me. Our eyes meet, and for a split second, | see something in her
expression-something cold, calculating, the Judy | know, and it sends a shiver down my spine. She knows | know.
She knows exactly how to get under my skin, how to makedoubt everything.
With one last, lingering look, Judy turns and walks toward the jet. Gus follows, his hand resting on the small of
her back as they ascend the steps.
The door closes behind them with a resounding thud, and the jet's engines roar to life. Abby covers her
ears.
The deafening roar is music to my ears. She's gone. | can breathe a little easier.
As the plane begins to taxi down the runway, | reach for Abby, pulling her close. She buries her face in my
shoulder, her small body trembling.
I hold her tight, my heart pounding as | watch the jet disappear into the sky. | feel for her. It's never easy saying
goodbye to someone you love.
Unlike saying goodbye to someone you hate.
Jayden stands beside me, staring at the empty runway as the jet straightens high above us and disappears, his
expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of us speaks.
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Judy might be gone, but her presence lingers, like a shadow that refuses to fade. And her words echo in my
mind. But she's gone. She's actually left the country.
"Go get
in the car, Sweety" | say to Abby and she runs to the car and the driver lets her in the back seat.
"Okay, not gonna lie. | kinda want to cheer right now," | say to Jayden.
""You and me, both," he answers.
"Really? | mean, it's okay to feel sad or to miss her. She's your mom, after all."
"I'll miss her like a hole in the head."
| shouldn't but I give a small giggle.
"Let's take Abby to the zoo. We have therapy tomorrow and I'm damn nervous about that. A day thinking about
nothing will be perfect."
| let out a sigh of relief. "You're nervous too? | thought it was just me. I've been trying to hide it."
"I'm shitting bricks and since we agreed we wouldn't hide feelings; I'm letting you know."
| give him a small hug. "Let's go to the zoo. Although it may seem boring compared to the one we run."
Jayden laughs. "It better be. I'm looking forward to a normal life."
His words givehope that we can work this out. It will take tand a lot of heartache as we reveal our
truths, but I'm ready. Even if it means seeing that I'm being irrational in my fears. I'm ready to deal with that.
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