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."

a moment, thinking. Then he shrugged. "Well, it's out

and stared at him. "What do you mean, 'next move'? There is no next move,

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 best

I froze. "What?"

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

because it made me feel even worse. "Yeah, maybe," I finally muttered, sinking back down on the bed. "But that's not why I stayed. I loved her, Martin.

Explain it. She might be mad now, but she's smart.

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

I could reply, my phone buzzed again, this time with Susan's name

to Martin. "Susan's calling. Let me deal with

muttered before I switched over

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

she continued. "Don't think I don't know what this 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

down?" she shrieked, her voice getting

been avoiding me for days, and now I find out you're in another country chasing after Sarah? Do you have any

felt the anger bubbling inside me again. This was the last thing I needed

she snapped. "We're engaged, Richard. We're supposed to be getting married. And you're running around with your ex-wife like-"

I could stop them, but as soon as I said them, I felt

you feel after a long, exhausting day when you finally get to sit down and

silence on the other end of the line, like she hadn't quite processed what I'd just said. "What... what

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

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

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

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

cutting her off. "Sell it, keep it, whatever you