Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

55 My Naïve Youth

(Judy)

"I love you, Judy. Come with me."

t

"I love you too, Gus. But my studies, plus Mom is sick. You know that."

"You can study in Europe."

"And throw away almost four years here? No. I'd have to start again." I'd never give up being the top student in college.

I have a lot to prove to my father. Traditionally in our family the greatest achievement a woman can make is to marry the richest man she can find. Well, I have that covered with a Brennan and Gus was the heir apparent. But I want to be successful in my own right.

I shake my head. "Can't you wait a year? You know my mother is under treatment for ovarian cancer. I want to stay with her in case..." My voice breaks a little, I can't think about a world without my mother.

She gave up all her dreams for me. She has a mind as sharp as a tack, but when she got married to my father, her job was to make bables and look good. He made it clear there would be no career. A male heir was what they needed.

But the only baby Mom carried to term was me. That didn't stop him from making her try. Miscarriage after miscarriage. Her heart was torn out by every single loss. Now she has cancer. What a waste of a life.

"We can afford her the best of care overseas.

"She can't travel, Gus. I'm not leaving her. I will finish my studies and I will have a career. I won't compromise on that. If you love me, you'll come back for me."

"If you loved me, you'd come with me now."

The next day, Gus didn't meet me in our usual place before class started. He must have had an emergency meeting or something. I checked my messages. Nothing. I see Greg heading into class when I get to campus. I wave. "Greg! Hey."

"Judy, did you get that paper done on business financials?"

""Sure did."

"I struggled. If I fail this, Father will be livid."

"We have time. Let me look over yours and you read mine. You can get an extension if needed."

We swap papers. Greg isn't as astute in, well everything, as Gus. No one knows I've been seeing Gus. He's five years older than me so we're keeping it low-key.

"You know, I think this is okay. You've worked hard on "I say in support.

"It won't be top of class like Gus."

"Stop comparing yourself to Gus. You don't have to be like him. You have your own qualities." I feel for Greg being constantly compared to his brother and feeling like a failure.

55 My Naive Youth

I mean Greg is very intelligent. But he lacks street skills.

"At least now I won't have him in my face every day."

""Who?"

"Gus."

I'm confused. "Why?"

"He left for Europe last night. I doubt I'll see him again. That fact doesn't bother me one bit."

I'm shaking. He left? He never even said a word. He was supposed to go at the end of the month. Maybe he had no choice and I'd hear from him later.

"I'm trying to play it cool. "Wasn't he going next month, you said? Was there some emergency or

something?"

Greg shakes his head. "No. He told Father he wanted to leave immediately. There was nothing holding him here. I heard them last night."

My heart shatters. He said he loved me more than anything. We were going to get married, have a family.

"I'm glad anyway. He's an asshole." Greg grabs my hand.

He's never done that before. "Let's go to class."

I shouldn't be looking. I should let it go. He left me. He lied to me. I'd make him pay one day. I'd show him I was worth ten times any of those women. All they want is his money and power. I loved him with my entire essence.

He's all over the television. A reporter is talking to him, asking him if he has any regrets about leaving his home and family to come to Europe. He flat out tells them he had no reason to be homesick. Europe had everything he needed and more. I've missed a period again. My heart hammers. I don't need to be pregnant. Gus said we'd be safe, that he'd make sure I didn't get pregnant. That failed. Now, wonder if I should just not have the baby.

But it would be my flesh and blood. A baby to love me and me to love back. And this baby would be heir to the Brennan fortune. Boy or girl, the Brennans didn't care. They respected that a female was every bit as able as a male as long as she was first born. A grandbaby would be something wonderful for Mom right now. Something to give her some hope and want to fight to stay with us. I calculated I could be no more than eight weeks pregnant.

Greg came up to me, looking sheepish. "Judy, ah...um.. want to ask you something."

I smile at him. "Sure."

"You know, I mean, I know...we're friends. But I wondered if, well I wanted to know If..." He looks very uncomfortable, and his face has really colored up. "Do you want to come out on a date? Tonight. It's okay if you say no." "Yes,"

55 My Name Youth

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""Yes, I'd love to."

Greg and I were lovers that night and secretly married a month later,

I was six months pregnant when he strode into my office, locking the door behind him. Gus, himself.

"Is that my baby?"

"No."

"Don't lie, Judy. You said you'd wait for me and now I find out you've married Greg and are pregnant. You "aren't stupid. You know what you're doing."

"You left without a word. You made it clear there was nothing here for you. Every magazine, every news story ripped my heart to shreds. I love Greg now."

"If you truly loved me, you couldn't have jumped ship that quick. But if you were pregnant, you'd need someone stupid enough to believe you." "Greg is not stupid."

"Gullible then."

"You left me. I don't owe you anything."

"Leave him and marry me."

"To move to Europe and give up my career to be your wife. No."

"I wonder how Greg will feel when he finds out he isn't the father."

"You wouldn't dare. Besides, the baby is his."

"This is your final chance, Judy."

"You hurt me. You don't want love, you want control. No one will ever control me. Not my father, not you."

"You made your bed, Judy. Now you lie in it. If you leave Greg, I will take this child from you and you'th never see them again."

"Go fuck yourself."

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