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

Chapter 25

Richard's POV

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the city lights outside the window. The penthouse was too quiet, too cold.

Susan had left hours ago, angry at me for not going to her stupid party. I couldn't focus on her anymore.

All I could think about was Sarah.

I don't know when it started, this gnawing feeling in my gut.

Maybe it was when I saw her in the news a few weeks ago, sitting next to Wesley. Smiling. Confidence. Happy.

And that's what twisted me up inside. Happy. Without me.

I shook my head, trying to push it away, but the thoughts kept coming back.

I thought being with Susan was the right thing. I thought she would fit into my life better, that she wouldn't ask for too much. But now, sitting here alone, it hit me like a slap in the face.

I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

I sighed and reached for my phone on the nightstand. My thumb hovered over Sarah's name in the contacts.

I hadn't deleted it yet, even after the divorce. Maybe I didn't think of it much. Maybe I hadn't cared.

I hit the call button. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt my mouth go dry as the phone rang once, twice. Then, a robotic voice cut through. 'The number you have dialed is no longer in service.'

Gone. Just like that.

I slammed the phone down, my hand shaking. "Damn it, Sarah."

Well. What was I thinking? Of course, it only made sense that she changed her sim. New life. New contacts.

How had I missed it? Why didn't I see it earlier? Well, I was either blind or pretended not to notice.

Everyone liked her more than Susan. And when they saw me with Susan, it felt as if they were pitying me-including my best friend.

Martin's words still echoed in my ear. 'Maybe they're right, Richard! You think hundreds of people are all wrong? You think it's just rumors?'

I ruffled my hair in frustration. Were they right? Was I wrong?

I was still sitting there, lost in my thoughts when I heard the door to the bedroom swing open.

clicking on the

was tight, her makeup perfect. But all

on her hips. "You didn't even bother to show

embarrassing that was? People are asking if we're

temple. I didn't have the energy for this. Not tonight.

handbag onto the bed. "That's all you ever say! You're distant,

you even care about us

hit too close to home. I stood up slowly,

you want me to say, Susan? That I'm sorry for not going to

continued. "That I don't care about you

say you care about me at all!" she shot back,

notice when you look at me like-like you're wishing I was

didn't want to have this fight. Not now, not ever.

what's going on. It is Sarah you're

little world. I bet you regret letting her go, huh? I bet you

clenched. I spun around to face her, my voice low. "Don't. Talk. About.

life-our life. She was weak, Richard. She-" "Stop!" I shouted, louder than I meant to. My voice echoed through the room. Susan blinked in surprise,

her, Susan. She wasn't weak. She was everything. And

throat. I took a deep breath, my heart racing. "I should

Thick and heavy that a knife could slice

just

that's it, then? You regret

how to answer that. My mind was a mess.

with Sarah? The answer was clear, but saying it out loud felt like a

know,"

saw real hurt there.

what, Richard? You lost her.

behind her, leaving me

I sank back down onto the bed,

I couldn't. Because

now, I was losing everything else

beside me, useless. I stared

she'd forgive me, that everything would go back to the way it was. But

was gone. And maybe, just maybe, I had lost the only good

***

music loud, and the air thick with cigarette smoke

and I sat in one of those private booths, the kind with leather seats that stick to your skin

sip of my whiskey, feeling the burn in my throat. I

in his seat, his eyes fixed on the stage. A group of girls danced, their bodies moving in sync with the beat. He smirked, his eyes glistening as he turned