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-"

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

mind, always there, always looking at me with those wide eyes. "Always jumping

she was. Smiling, blushing, trying to get my attention. And everyone thought

She had pride. She

her for liking you?"

my grip tightening around the glass. "I hated that she made it so easy for them to control me. My father used her feelings to

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

twisted fairy tale, where everyone wanted the perfect love story.

could've told her," Martins said quietly. "You

setting my glass down with a thud. "What was the point? She was so blind, so hopeful. Even if I told her, she'd just keep

away, staring at the flickering candle on the table. "I was just the prize at the end of her silly dream." Martins sighed, rubbing his temples. "And Susan? You still think she's the

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

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

it sounded bitter even to my ears.

father-was the real reason I was stuck in this mess. "He was the one who

me, his eyes searching for something. Understanding, maybe? I didn't

picking his words carefully. "You

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 cutting

it weren't for him, none of

after that, you know. Both your fathers were gone. No one would have

know," I snapped. He was