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.

shook off the memories of Richard and focused on the problem at

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

still carried those scars, and no amount of time or success could heal

a mess. Tubes and beakers

the team were huddled around the workstation, staring at

see it," I said,

few hours troubleshooting, adjusting, and testing. By

ignored it. Whatever it was, it could wait. This was

we've got it now," I said, standing up and stretching. The team looked relieved, and I knew they had been under just as

shrugged it off. "We're all

for the day, I

needed to go home and get some rest, but as soon as I stepped inside, I was

asked, holding out a

"You didn't

to soften the edges of a hard day. "I know, but you look

cup and sipped, the warmth spreading through me. It was a kind gesture, but part of me couldn't help but

a rough one. The formula almost tanked, but we managed to save it in time." Wesley sat on the edge of my desk,

He had been a great support

me, the way he lingered a little too long when he didn't

all of this with so much strength. You've really built something amazing here." I smiled, but it felt forced. "I've had help," I said, glancing

made this happen. You who pushed through

changed, Sarah. I can see it. You're

in my chair, feeling the tension rise in the room. "I

intense. "I admire that about you. I... I

on me, and I felt

home," I said, standing up

moving away, his eyes still on me.

a part of me froze. I

you something," he said, his voice hesitant

working together, it was just business.

at him, not sure what to

Sarah," he said, finally breaking the silence. "More than

breath catch in

out," he said quickly,

through a lot. I know your relationship with Richard left you with scars. But I'm not him. I don't want