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

Chapters 43

Richard's

pov.

You want Sarah back, Richard, but it's not going to be easy. This is what I keep telling myself.

I should be used to challenges-my life has been full of them-but Sarah? She's different.

A different kind of challenge, one that leaves me feeling like I'm walking on eggshells around her.

But maybe that's my punishment. After all, I did mess things up pretty royally the first time around.

It all started with coffee. Simple, harmless coffee. I don't even drink the stuff, but there I was, meeting Sarah every week, pretending to care about things like her preferred roast or how many sugars she liked. "Black, no sugar, right?" I asked one morning, sliding her cup across the table like I had memorized the most crucial detail of our entire history.

She gave me a look, the kind that says, 'Really, Richard? You think that's going to win me points?' And, well, she was probably right.

"Yes, black," she replied, but there was a hint of a smile. Small victories. I'd take what I could get.

"So, how's the expansion going?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from awkward territory.

Her eyes lit up, and suddenly, she was talking about numbers and growth projections, stuff I didn't fully understand, but I nodded along, throwing in the occasional "That's great!" like I was actually keeping up. Truth be told, half of me was just marveling at how confident she had become.

"I'm really proud of you, you know," I said when she paused to take a breath.

There it was again, that look. But this time, there was a flicker of something else in her eyes-surprise, maybe? Or disbelief? I wasn't sure.

"Proud?" She raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about what I'm doing?"

leaning forward slightly.

to believe me.

***

similar pattern. Coffee, small talk, a little business

up high. I could see that. She wasn't about to let me

one day, out of nowhere, she opened the door. Just a crack, but it

one of her upcoming projects. She was explaining something about market reach when she paused, her eyes drifting off toward

guard. "Saw you?

were always so focused on your career,

protest, but she held up a

not saying it to make you feel guilty. I've moved past it. But I'm realizing now, looking back, how much I let myself be

She wasn't wrong. I had taken her

feel that way," I said quietly. "I was an idiot. I didn't know

me, really looked at me, for what felt like the first time in a long time. "Yeah, well, I'm glad you realize it now.

few weeks, I did my best to

was willing to try if it meant I could stay close to

sandwiches at this little deli-and she laughed

"I'm laughing because I have to" laughs,

to this. But then, just as quickly, she closed herself off again, and we were

giving up, though. Not this

in my life. Big ones. Ones I can't even begin to justify.

admit it: I was awful. Cold. Distant. I didn't just fail as a husband-I barely

friends" when all I want is to reach across this stupid

still seeing Susan?" she asked casually, sipping her coffee. But her eyes, those eyes, they'd always been too sharp. She

my head. "We haven't talked in a

an eyebrow like she didn't quite believe me. Fair enough. I

not buying it. "Well,