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

Chapter 39

Sarah's pov.

Richard was getting desperate. I could feel it in the way he kept showing up.

It was like every event, every networking dinner, and every conference somehow had him lurking in the background. Coincidence?

Yeah, right. The man was a master of accidentally being wherever I was.

I was at this gala for my company's expansion into Europe-big deal, lots of investors, very important faces.

I had on my favorite black dress, the one that made me feel like I owned the whole room, and for a while, I did.

Until, of course, Richard appeared like a bad plot twist.

I'd see him across the room, talking to someone important, his eyes constantly scanning until they landed on me.

Then, there it was: that small smile, like we shared some private joke. Newsflash, Richard: the joke's over, and it wasn't funny to begin with. "Sarah!" His voice cut through the mingling hum of the crowd. My heart did that stupid little leap thing it always does when I hear his voice. Annoying. I turned to face him, putting on my best "I couldn't care less" expression.

"Richard." I smiled politely, but my eyes were already searching for the exit.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, with that stupid smirk that used to charm me and now just made my skin crawl.

"Is it though?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "You seem to be everywhere I go these days."

His smile faltered for a second, but he recovered quickly. "I just wanted to congratulate you. The expansion, it's... it's impressive."

"Thanks," I said, shifting slightly, hoping he'd get the hint that I didn't want to have this conversation. But of course, he didn't.

"You've really built something amazing, Sarah." His tone was softer now, almost... genuine? No, no way.

"Yeah, well, I had to pick up the pieces after you and Wesley, didn't I?" I said with a tight smile, turning my attention back to the crowd.

Maybe if I looked busy, he'd get the message.

I messed up," Richard said, his voice a little lower, like he didn't want the whole room to hear. "But

Now? He didn't realize what he lost until now? Typical Richard. Only seeing

didn't realize you'd lost a good thing until it wasn't in your back pocket anymore, is that what you're saying?" I asked, turning

moment, I could almost see the

I got caught up in my father's

sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I lost sight of

crossing my arms. "You did. But here's the thing-you lost me a long time ago. You didn't even

blue eyes meeting mine, and for the first time in a long while, he actually

wasn't buying into his sadness. Not when I'd spent so long

Sarah. I was just... trying to prove

asked, genuinely curious now. "Your bitch? Because it sure wasn't to me. I didn't need

mouth to

and act like you didn't know what you were doing. You knew. You just didn't care." He flinched at that, and part of me felt a little guilty for going in

know how to show it. And by the time I figured it out, it was

us. I looked around the room, at all the people who didn't have a clue about the tension building in this tiny corner

two people there, even though I could hear the chatter and

what do you want from me now, Richard?" I asked finally, my voice softer, but still guarded. "What's this really

hesitated, his jaw tightening. "I want to make things

was that kind of

things right? Richard, there's no 'making things right' here. What happened, happened.

undo what I did, but... I

suddenly, it was all

myself, and here he was, trying to drag me back into the past. And worse, part

I don't anymore. I've moved on, and I'm

voice lowering. "What if I don't want

don't have a choice. That ship sailed. I'm not

might argue, but he didn't. He just nodded,

he said quietly. "I

to push it further. But just as I was about to turn and walk away,

giving up

eyebrows raised. "Excuse

set in that stubborn way he gets when he's determined about something. "I know I messed up, but