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

Chapter 34

Richard's POV.

I sat on the edge of the bed in my hotel suite, staring blankly at the wall. My mind was racing, my heart felt heavy.

Wesley had blown up everything in front of Sarah. The truth, it wasn't even a secret at that time. But now it was and it had come out in the worst possible way. He only married you because of his inheritance.

God, I hated Wesley for that. I hated him for saying it out loud, for ruining whatever tiny chance I had left with her.

He had no right to do that. But what stung even more was seeing the look on Sarah's face. The hurt, the betrayal-it was like I'd shattered her all over again. My fists clenched on the bedspread as I replayed the scene in my head, over and over.

Every time, it felt like a punch to the gut. How could I have let it get this far? Why didn't I realize I loved her soon?

The phone on the nightstand buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen-Martin.

I hesitated for a second, then picked it up. I needed to talk to someone who wouldn't judge me-someone who'd give it to me straight, but also not make things worse. "Hey," I answered, my voice sounding more drained than I intended. It was a video call.

"Richard," Martin's voice came through the phone, calm but questioning. "How'd it go with Sarah?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "It didn't go, Martin. It crashed and burned. Wesley opened his big mouth and told her why I married her."

He stared at me in silence before speaking. "He told her? About the inheritance?"

"Yeah," I said, running a hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. "He just threw it out there, like it was nothing. Right in front of her." Martin sighed. "That's rough, man. How'd she take it?"

"How do you think she took it?" I snapped, then immediately regretted it. It wasn't Martin's fault.

I leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes. "She was devastated. She looked at me like I was the worst person on the planet."

stayed silent for a moment, thinking. Then he shrugged. "Well, it's out now.

you mean, 'next move'? There is no next move, Martin. She

I used her, that our whole marriage was just some... some business deal." My voice dropped, feeling the sting of those words all over again. Martin looked at me calmly, like he was trying to figure out the

I froze. "What?"

will required it, right? To secure your inheritance. So,

out. I hated that he was right. I hated it because it made me feel even worse. "Yeah, maybe," I finally muttered, sinking back down on the bed. "But that's not

Explain it. She

back, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know, man. I think I blew

my phone buzzed again, this time with Susan's

said to Martin. "Susan's calling. Let

muttered before I switched over to

have you been? You haven't called me in days! What's going on? Are you in

is about. You went there to see her, didn't you? After everything we talked about, you still-" "Susan," I cut in, trying to keep my voice steady. "Calm

shrieked, her voice

I find out you're in another country chasing after Sarah? Do you have any idea how this makes

again. This was the

engaged, Richard. We're supposed to be getting married. And you're running around

stop them, but as soon as I said them,

after a long, exhausting day when you

like she hadn't quite processed what I'd just said. "What...

done," I repeated, more firmly this time. "I can't do this anymore, Susan. I went to Madrid for

was a beat of silence, and then she exploded. "You what? You're ending our engagement? Just like that? After everything I've

bridge of my nose, feeling the familiar headache starting to throb. "Susan, I'm sorry. But this isn't working. It's not fair to

spat, her voice filled with venom. "You're right, it's not

keep the ring," I said quietly, cutting her off. "Sell it, keep it,