Book TRK
Chapter 56
56 Reality Bites (Judy)
I hate that Gus is here now. The life I'd endured with Greg once he found out about Gus and I was nothing short of emotional and sometimes physical pain. All the hatred he had for his brother was centered on
1. me.
But he knew not to
hurt the baby. Gus had warned him to not ever lay a hand on the baby. He didn't care what he did to me. I just had to endure it, for Jayden. Gus wasn't getting his hands on my son.
I did try and leave, to go away and hide. I wanted a divorce. The next week, through the night, Gus sent men to take Jayden from his crib. I had a choice. Go back to Greg and live with my punishment or never see Jayden again. I then saw how much I'd hurt Gus. Gus is loving this right now. I bet he's sat for years planning my demise. I don't care. I got through. I prevailed. I'm still here. Gus Brennan can kiss my ass. I'll play his little games, but I'll still get what I want. Mark my words. 'e my son.
If he thinks he's taking Jayden off me after all these years, he's sorely mistaken. He's my
In all of this there is one thing that stands out to me more than anything else. Gus Brennan has never married. He has never had any other children. That tells me one thing. He still loves me. After all is said and done, he's just a man.
I ignore him and stare straight ahead. That bitch is over there enjoying every second of me under fire and Ashlyn, well, she's dumber than dog shit. If she thinks I forgive her for cheating on Jayden, she's sorely mistaken. Once that baby is born. I'll have custody. 'I'll do what I should have done with the other child. But I let feelings get in the way. He loved her. She
made him happy. I know that. I'm not blind. But this isn't about that, it's about family. The Brennan family. and someone from her background never belonged with my son.
She had him under a spell. His mind was fragile. Having her child with him every day would have triggered. his memory and then he'd hate me and leave. I have to be smarter than that. I have to bide my time for the right opportunity. "So, let's get to the next order of business, shall we?" Gus says.
He makes me sick. To think I once loved him. I should thank him for showing me how to survive, to
endure, to wait.
"All of this is leading to a point. A point where the first born heirs take their rightful place at the helm. But only when they know and understand how to be mentally strong, ruthless in business, and take control of everything around them." I stare at him now. He wouldn't dare, would he?
"Jayden. I have only one son."
"Good for you," Jayden quips back.
My heart has gone into my throat.
Gus walks up and claps Jayden on the back. "And you, are that son."
56 Reality Bites
My world spirals and Jayden is looking at me. "Is that true, Mother?"
I nod.
"Holy shit! What? How could you keep us there, why? He hated me. Now I know why. I wasn't his son, I belonged to his brother!"
Tears prickle my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. He's hurt now but he will come to understand. When ! tell him why. He'll see I had no choice.
Winona has her hands over her mouth and her eyes are wide. She's not looking at me with ridicule or hatred. It's something much worse. She's looking at me with pity. No. She doesn't get to pity me. I'll show her.
"It's true," Gus says. "But the accident, your memory. You need to get it back and only you can let yourself. I've had the world's best neurologists look at all your records. You can remember, you just have to want
to."
"That's a load of crap. Why wouldn't I want to?" Jayden asks.
"Only you can tell us that when you unlock whatever it is holding you back."
What the frick is he talking about? "I've never heard anything so ridiculous. No doctor ever said that to
me."
"Maybe because it was never in your best interests for him to fully regain his memory, Judy." His smile is poison
He continues as he stares at me. "Strange isn't it? He was about to walk away from you, away from his inheritance to be with the woman he loved. Then he has an accident that almost kills her and gives him amnesia. Coincidence?" "Just what are you implying?"
"Maybe you had something to do with that?"
I focus every bit of hate I have at him. "I would never risk Jayden's life like that."
"I suppose not. I mean you do love him. That much is clear."
"Of course, Greg had the heart defect. He found out six months before he died. It wouldn't take much to take advantage of that weakness, would it?"
I glare at him. "So not only did I try and kill my son, I also killed my husband? Is that what you're saying?"
"I'm not accusing you of anything, Judy."
But the damage is done. I can see Winona is convinced already and Jayden has a seed of doubt. That's all Gus wanted. He wants Jayden to listen to him, to believe him. He needs that seed of doubt planted firmly. He may have won the battle, but he will not win the wat
Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
57 Trust No One
57 Trust No One
(Winona)
I use my new key and walk into my townhouse, my world still rocked from what I've just witnessed. I always knew Judy had issues, but to implicate her the death of her husband and our accident?
Gus has really pulled the rug out from under the Brennans and everyone close to them. I'm worried how Jayden's mental state is after all of this.
Also, if Gus has had specialists look at Jayden's medical records and they can't find any physical reason for his amnesia, what the hell could he have locked up inside him?
Anne rushes up. "Winona, what on earth is going on?"
I walk to the living room and plonk down on the sofa and rest the envelopes in my lap. "Today has been unbelievable to say the least. How's Abby?"
"Playing with her doll's house."
"I hope the change of locks and Phillip getting his stuff didn't scare her."
"We were in her room the whole time. What happened with Phillip?"
"Mommy!"Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
Abby walks up to me with her arms out.
I Hug her. "Hey, baby. Mommy's home early. Would you like to go to the park, get some fresh air?"
"Yay! Can I bring Puppy?"
"You sure can. And, even better news, you can start school this week. Go make some new friends, huh?" The doctor called and said Abby was okay to get back into life as long as she kept up her medication. Her next operation would be in six months. "I'm scared." Abby screws up her face.
"Don't be scared. I'll take you and I can wait with you a while if you like."
"Will Daddy come too?"
"I'll let him know. You go get ready while I talk to Nanna Anne for a second."
She scurries off chatting to Puppy under her arm.
I hand Anne the envelope with proof of Philip and Judy in it. I haven't been able to look in there yet. "Proof that Judy planted Phillip in my life from the start."
Tears blur my vision.
Anne looks horrified. "What!? How?"
"I mean, who does this shit? I really believed in Phillip. Something always stopped me taking it to the next level but I never doubted him as a friend and business partner." Anne stares at the envelope. "It's not open."
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