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-"

him off, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. "Sarah was obsessed. It was disgusting. She made

see her in my mind, always there, always looking at me with those wide eyes. "Always jumping

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

what she wanted. She had pride. She

you hated her for liking you?" Martins asked, his voice annoyingly

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

get married to me, but no, she decided to say yes." I felt

where everyone wanted the perfect love story. But it wasn't love. Not

said quietly. "You could've made her

with a thud. "What was the point? She was so blind, so hopeful. Even if

candle on the table. "I was just the

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

was the deal, wasn't it? I married Sarah to keep

it sounded bitter even to my ears.

man-Sarah's father-was the real reason I was

at me, his eyes searching

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

armrest of my chair. "Accident? He was the one driving, Martins! They drove themselves to death at the prospect of bonding their

weren't for him, none of this would have

his forehead, looking more tired than before. "You could have rejected Sarah after that, you know. Both your fathers were gone.

look, my eyes narrowing. "As if you didn't know," I snapped. He was my best friend;