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

Chapter 23

Richard's POV.

I sat at my desk, my head pounding as I stared at the same damn numbers. Sales were down, Vitalé Wellness was eating into our market share, and nothing I did seemed to make a difference. Vitalé Wellness was eating away at my business faster than I could react. Nothing I did seemed to work. Every move we made, they were ten steps ahead. The stress was piling up, and I was starting to feel like I was drowning.

I massaged my temples, the familiar pulse of a headache building behind my eyes. I'd been here before-staring at the same problem, night after night.

Only this time, it felt like everything was falling apart. My company, my sanity...even my engagement.

I heard the door to my office creak open but didn't bother looking up.

"Still buried in work, huh?" Martin's voice cut through the silence. He walked in, hands in his pockets, studying me with that look he always gave when he knew I was in too deep.

I let out a sigh, rubbing my temples. "What does it look like?"

"You're killing yourself, man." He leaned against the doorframe. "What's going on? You've been glued to that desk for days. It's like you're not even living anymore."

I slammed the laptop shut, frustration boiling beneath my skin. "What choice do I have? Vitalé's ripping us apart, and nothing I do works."

Martin gave me that look-the one that said he could see through my crap. "Have you tried taking a break? You're burning yourself out, Richard."

"A break?" I let out a bitter laugh. "I can't afford a break, Martin. This is my life we're talking about."

"Susan's not helping either, is she?" Martin's voice was soft but knowing, cutting right to the core of what was really eating me up.

I didn't answer, my eyes fixed on the desk. I didn't want to tell him how Susan barely noticed when I came home, how she scrolled through her phone, saying something half-hearted like, 'It'll get better.' I didn't need better. I needed a partner, someone who got it. And Susan...she just wasn't that.

And if I told Martin that, he'd bring up Sarah. He'd remind me of how Sarah stood by me when things were tough, even though I never appreciated it.

That wasn't a conversation I wanted to have tonight.

kept it short. "I'm

for a moment, like he could see right through me. That was the thing about best friends-they didn't need you to say it out loud. "Alright, fine. You don't want

his tone lighter. "How about this? Forget work for a night. Come to my place. You

across from Susan while she scrolled through her phone and barely

disinterested expression, the same empty words about how "everything will

and part

the office all night. Maybe

alright." I stood, grabbing my jacket. "Let's

more like it.

night at Martin's place was a blur of drinks, some bad TV, and a few jokes to try and get my mind off

everything hit me again. I had to face the

that familiar knot in my chest. I stepped inside, bracing myself for whatever mood Susan would

arms crossed like she'd been waiting for me. Her eyes were narrowed, and I could feel the tension already

she snapped, not even giving

at Martin's," I said, keeping my tone as

sarcasm. "From your oh-so-stressful life? Or were you out doing something

you talking about?" I asked, feeling my patience slipping. "I told

believe that?" she shot back, her eyes flashing with anger. "It's always Martin. Or work. Or something else. You think I don't notice?" "Susan, I'm dealing with a lot right now," I said through gritted

not matter?" she snapped, stepping closer. "You always have

not what this is about!" I snapped back, my voice rising. "I'm

do? Sit here and pretend everything's fine?" "I want you to actually care about us!" She threw her hands up, her face

snapped. "You never do! You sit there with your useless platitudes, telling me 'it'll get better'

her eyes. "If you wanted someone who understood, maybe you should have stayed with

were out before I could stop

Silence. Fuck. Fuck.

with a mixture of shock and fury. "If Sarah was so great, why

I didn't know why I was

but she cut me

know what? Forget it." She grabbed her purse and headed