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-"

I meant it to be. "Sarah was obsessed. It

those wide eyes. "Always jumping on me, clinging like

there she was. Smiling, blushing, trying to get my attention. And everyone thought it was cute." I let

Unlike Susan. Susan knew what she wanted. She had pride. She didn't throw herself

her for liking you?" Martins asked, his

made it so easy for them to control me. My father used her

decided to say yes." I felt my jaw tighten as the

I was trapped in some twisted fairy tale, where everyone wanted the perfect love story. But it wasn't love.

could've told her," Martins said quietly.

was the point? She was so blind, so hopeful. Even

saw 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

name felt like a lifeline. "Susan understands. She's not weak like Sarah. She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to go

felt a jolt of anger at his words. "Yeah, well, that was the deal, wasn't

a laugh, though it sounded bitter even

the real reason I was stuck in this

at me, his eyes searching

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

the armrest of my chair. "Accident? He was the one driving, Martins! They drove themselves to death at the prospect of bonding their precious families together." "My father trusted him,

for him, none of this would

tired than before. "You could have rejected Sarah after that, you know.

if you didn't know," I snapped. He was