Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Chapter 09

RICHARD'S POV.

I leaned back in my chair, letting the smooth jazz from the speakers fill the room. We sat in the bar lounge in the mansion.

Martins sat across from me, swirling his wine like he always did when he was about to say something serious.

I could see that look in his eyes-the one that said he was about to dig into things I didn't want to talk about.

"You know," he started, his voice low, "sometimes I feel pity for her. Sarah didn't deserve all that."

"Pity?" I couldn't help the laugh that escaped, harsh and cold. "For her?" I shook my head, taking a long sip of my own wine.

The taste was bitter on my tongue, but it matched the mood. "I don't feel anything for Sarah, except maybe... hatred."

Martins raised an eyebrow at me, clearly not buying it. "Hatred? Come on, Rich. She's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" I shot him a look. Was he serious? I stared down at my glass, watching the red liquid swirl.

"You know how this all started, don't you?" I felt the anger rise in me again, just thinking about it.

"Back in high school, I was with Susan. She was... well, she was everything. Confident, strong, not some clingy little girl who followed me around like a lost puppy."I could feel the disgust creep into my voice. "Then my dad and her dad got this bright idea-'Hey, let's marry off our kids and strengthen our business ties.' Like I was just some piece in their game."

"Yeah, I remember that," Martins said, but I could hear the sympathy in his voice. It irritated me. "But Sarah-"

to be. "Sarah was obsessed. It was disgusting. She made it so

my mind, always there, always looking at me with those wide eyes.

continued. "Everywhere I turned, there she was. Smiling, blushing, trying to get my

wanted. She had pride. She didn't throw herself at me

for liking you?" Martins

that she made it so easy for them to control me. My

decided to say yes." I felt my jaw tighten

some twisted fairy tale, where everyone

Martins said quietly. "You could've made her

the point? She was so blind, so

the real me. She just saw the version of me she wanted." I looked away, staring at the flickering candle on the table. "I was just the prize at the end of her silly

She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to go after it. She's not

deal, wasn't it? I married Sarah to keep everyone happy. To fulfill

though it sounded bitter even to my ears. "And look where that

felt the rage flare up inside me at the mere thought of it. The old man-Sarah's father-was the real reason I was stuck in this mess. "He was the one who killed my father, even

searching for something. Understanding, maybe? I

like he was picking his words carefully. "You know it was an accident. They didn't plan

one driving, Martins! They drove themselves to death at the prospect of bonding their precious families together." "My father trusted him, and look where that got him-six feet under!" My voice was cold, each word like a knife

him, none

after that, you know. Both your fathers

eyes narrowing. "As if you didn't know," I snapped. He