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

Chapter 13

Richard's

POV.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of my shirt. The room felt different these days. It was colder.

Susan had changed everything, from the curtains to the furniture. Even the staff moved differently around the house.

They used to smile more, chat a bit while they worked. Now, they were quieter, always with their eyes down, moving quickly and carefully.

Susan was stricter, and honestly, I didn't mind. I liked the order. I liked the discipline.

We had an event tonight-another one of those high-profile gatherings. Susan was going all out as usual.

She was already dressed, standing in front of the mirror in her silver gown, checking her reflection every few minutes.

"How do I look?" she asked again, turning slightly to see the back of her dress.

"You look stunning," I said, barely glancing at her. My focus was on finding my tie. It should've been right here in the closet, on the top shelf where it always was.

But it was gone. I frowned, digging through the shelves, and pushing aside shirts and scarves.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Susan's voice cut through the room. "We need to leave in ten minutes."

"I can't find my tie," I muttered, digging through the drawer. I could feel my patience wearing thin.

She sighed loudly and sat back down in front of the vanity, adjusting her hair. "Well, if you didn't keep things so haphazardly..."

Haphazardly? I stared at the neatly organized shelves. Susan had reorganized everything when she moved in.

She said it was for the best, that everything needed to be in its proper place. I didn't argue at the time.

She liked things a certain way, and I was fine with that. But now, here I was, standing in front of a wardrobe full of clothes and no tie.

I yanked open another drawer. Nothing. I glanced at the top shelf, then hesitated.

The ties used to be up there, in a small compartment, before Susan had moved things around.

automatically, only to

said, not even bothering to look

it felt off. They used to be a system, a way of

simple tie without

the same situation, searching frantically for a tie

found me in the middle of my mess,

like, "It's right there. So that you don't miss it, this would be the compartment for your ties." Sarah had set it up so I wouldn't have to scramble like this. She used to do things like that all the time. But back then, I never really noticed or cared. I grabbed a random tie, wrapping it

one last

at the tie knot, which felt too tight

the room, I glanced back at the wardrobe, the sense of something being off nagging at the back

tie. Why was this

ahead, heels clicking on the floor.

making sure things were where they needed to be without making a

was just a tie, I kept

the door shut, I felt that tightness again, not just around my neck

about the event, going over who we'd see, and what we should say, but

staring out the window, trying to shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right, even though I couldn't put my finger

***

I made our way through the

the usual chatter, laughter, and the clinking of glasses.

back into the main hall, and the noise hit us again-laughter, clinking glasses,

hand wrapped around my arm. The way she fit me like a cloth made

us with a grin on his face. "It's

a nod and then, almost too casually, added, "I heard about the divorce, that must be

but I could tell it was strained. "Everything's great,"

at Susan. "Well, that's good to

whispering, "You really moved on fast, huh? There's been some talk...

widened. "What do you

before the divorce. You know how rumors start." Susan's face flushed red, and I could see she was on the edge

how people love to gossip," I said with a tight smile. "We don't pay attention to rumors,"

holding up his hands. "Didn't mean anything by it.

Susan said, her voice

and we moved on, weaving through the crowd. I could

reached a quieter corner, an older man approached us. It was

hand. "It's been too