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

Chapter 27

Sarah's

pov.

I stood in the middle of the buzzing office trying to focus on the stack of paperwork in front of me, but my mind was miles away.

The past few weeks had been exhausting, with the press conference taking a toll on me.

We are about to reveal our latest products at the business event in two days' time. It was supposed to be the big reveal, something we had worked months on perfecting. But today, something went wrong-horribly wrong.

I glanced over at the clock. It was already past 10 a. m., and the day was just beginning. The formulator had screwed up. Again.

My hand trembled as I reached for the clipboard. Weeks of sleepless nights flashed before my eyes-this couldn't be happening, not now.

If this formula didn't work, we were finished. My throat tightened as I scanned the data, the numbers blurring.

A knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I called, my voice sounding more tired than I intended.

"Sarah, there's an issue with the latest batch," Nina, one of my lead chemists, said as she stepped inside, holding a clipboard.

"What kind of issue?" I asked, already feeling my stomach tighten.

She sighed, looking as stressed as I felt. "It's the consistency. We thought we had it right, but the formula's separating. It won't hold."

I swore under my breath. This was supposed to be the final version, the one that went to production.

I'd invested too much into this-too much time, too much energy. I couldn't let it fail now. Not after everything.

"I'll come down to the lab," I said, grabbing my notebook. "We'll fix it."

As I walked toward the lab, I thought about how different my life was now. A few years ago, I would've let someone else handle this.

Back when I was Richard's wife, I didn't have the confidence to speak up, to be the one in charge.

Richard used to tell me I wasn't cut out for business. "You're better in the background," he'd say, barely looking at me.

But look at me now, standing in the middle of my own empire. I didn't need him then, and I certainly don't need him now.

of Richard

always wondering if his intentions were purely business-or something more. The way he looked at me these days,

amount of time or success could

mess. Tubes and beakers cluttered every surface, the faint scent of

team were huddled around

see it," I said, rolling

troubleshooting, adjusting, and testing. By the time we had a workable

buzzing in my pocket, but I ignored it. Whatever it was, it could wait. This was

I think we've got it now," I said, standing up and stretching. The team looked relieved, and I knew they had been under just as much pressure as I had. "Thanks, Sarah," Nina said, giving me a tired smile. "I don't know what we would've

shrugged it off. "We're all in this

up for the

soon as I stepped

he asked, holding out a

surprised. "You didn't have to bring

that easy, charming smile of his that always seemed to soften the edges of a hard day. "I know, but you look like you could use

took the cup and sipped, the warmth spreading through me. It was a kind

managed to save it in time." Wesley sat on the edge of my desk, too close for comfort, but

great support to me since we started working

at me, the way he lingered a little too long when he

"I've watched you handle all of this with so much strength. You've

but it's you who made this happen. You who pushed

changed, Sarah. I can see it. You're not the same woman you

shifted in my chair, feeling the tension rise in the room. "I had to change," I said quietly. "I couldn't

his gaze intense. "I admire that about you.

hands shaking. Wesley's eyes were on me, and I felt the

head home," I said,

eyes still on me. "Sarah, wait.

a part of me froze. I wasn't ready. Not

tell you something," he said, his voice hesitant now, but still

just business. But over time... it's become more

at him, not sure what to

said, finally breaking the silence. "More than

catch

hear me out," he said quickly, holding

left you