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?"

Fair question. "I've always cared, Sarah," I said, leaning forward slightly. "I just didn't show

could see her weighing my words, deciding whether to believe me. And honestly,

***

pattern. Coffee, small talk, a little business here

personal-she kept those walls up high. I could see that. She wasn't about to let me waltz back into her life without some

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

market reach when she paused, her eyes drifting off toward the window. "You know," she started, "when we were

guard. "Saw you? What do you

always so focused on your career, on Susan,

mouth to protest, but she

make you feel guilty. I've moved past it. But I'm realizing now, looking back, how much I let myself

it-so bluntly-felt like a punch to the gut. The worst part? She wasn't wrong. I had taken her for granted. I just didn't see it

I said quietly. "I was an idiot. I didn't know how

at 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. But it doesn't change anything. We're just... friends, Richard. That's all

the next few weeks, I did my best to respect

Okay, not really, but I was willing to try if it meant

we were having lunch-just sandwiches at this little deli-and she laughed

of those polite, "I'm laughing because I have to" laughs, but

then, just as quickly, she closed herself off again, and we were back to being "just

wasn't giving up, though.

ones. Ones I can't even begin to justify. But if you asked me

I was awful. Cold. Distant. I

friends" when all I want is to reach across this stupid cup of coffee and apologize for everything I did to her. But I know that's not how

eyes, those eyes,

shook my head. "We haven't talked in a long

like she didn't quite believe me. Fair enough.

clearly not buying it. "Well, that's