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

Chapter 15

Richard pov.

Weeks passed, and it was the same thing every time Susan and I went out.

People always found a way to bring up Sarah, to compare them. It was grating on my nerves.

Why did they have to pick on Susan? It wasn't her fault that I didn't love Sarah. If anything, Sarah was the other woman. Susan was the one I'd loved from the start. I stood outside our bedroom door, listening to her muffled cries. We had just come back from another event, and it had happened again.

Someone had called her 'the other woman.' My hands balled into fists. Why couldn't they just let it go?

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open. Susan was on the bed, face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

I walked over and sat beside her, reaching out to touch her back.

"Susan," I said softly.

She jerked away from my hand. "Don't," she snapped. Her voice was raw. "You just stood there, Richard. You just watched while they called me the other woman."

I felt a knot in my stomach. "I... I didn't know what to say," I muttered. "You know it's not true. They don't know our story."

She lifted her head, her eyes red and puffy. "But they keep saying it! Every single time!"

She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "It's like... it's like I'm some kind of villain. And you... you just stand there."

I felt the sting of her words. "That's not fair," I said quietly. "You know it's not fair."

hands clenched into fists. "Fair? Richard, they called me the other woman! They say I stole you from your sweet, perfect wife. And you say nothing. You just... you just look at them." I sighed, rubbing my temples. "What

"Or... or at least tell them it's not true. Tell them that you

them," I said, feeling helpless. "But

streaming down her cheeks again.

looked away, anger and helplessness mixing in my gut. "I know you're hurting," I said, my voice low. "But... this isn't helping. We

collected, while I get called names. I'm the one who has to listen to it.

bubbled up inside me. "Susan, I'm trying my best here," I said, my voice rising. "It's not easy for me

shouldn't. Not easy is being looked at like you're a homewrecker every time you walk into

my

said, softer this time. "We'll figure it out. I'll talk to them if it happens again. I'll tell

sniffled, turning away. "You always say

this time," I insisted. "I'll

Finally, she nodded, but I could see she

it happens again... you say something. You don't just stand

feeling the tightness in my chest grow. "I promise," I said, but the

if it was a promise I

what I had to do. I couldn't keep standing

didn't deserve that. So I decided to go big, and

good. That's how I ended up sitting across from

with a view of the whole city, where you can have a private conversation

took a sip of his drink, looking at me with that calm

a deep breath, then said it. "I want to

drink. "Propose? Richard, that's-" He

don't care what people think!" I snapped, louder