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

Chapter 60

Richard's

POV

Driving home after game night, I couldn't get the image of Sarah laughing out of my mind.

It had been a long time since I'd seen her like that-her guard down, her smile easy, eyes bright with genuine joy.

I caught myself smiling, too, the kind that didn't feel forced, or worse, plastered on to meet someone's expectations.

I pulled into my driveway, turned off the car, and just sat there in the dark for a while, my thoughts drifting back to the night.

Sarah had invited me into a part of her life I'd hardly ever seen, and I realized it had been her friends-her laughter-that had helped pull down the invisible walls between us, even if just for a few hours. How had I missed this side of her before?

Walking inside, I left the lights off and dropped onto the couch, the silence of the house settling around me.

I closed my eyes, replaying the way Sarah had thrown herself into that charades game without a second thought, belting out that song off-key, shaking her head like some rockstar at a sold-out concert. She'd never been one to hold back, not in her heart or in her actions.

"Who knew Mr. Serious could actually be a lot of fun?"

Her words rang in my ears, bringing a small chuckle out of me. If I was being honest, I'd always had a hard time loosening up.

Somewhere along the way, I'd gotten so wrapped up in ambition, in making every right move, that I'd forgotten how to let go, how to just enjoy myself.

The past few years hadn't helped either, but seeing Sarah's surprise at my "fun" side made me realize how little she'd ever seen it.

She'd probably felt alone in our marriage more often than I'd realized. And as much as it stung to think about that, it was finally clear to me.

show her a part of me I hadn't let her see before. To find that part of myself again, the

knocking on Sarah's

when she opened the door, her face shifted from surprise to that soft smile I

she greeted, crossing her arms playfully.

I'd bring a peace offering," I said, holding up a small bag from

forgiven." She opened the door wider and waved me in. "Though I

admitted, stepping inside. "But I figured

everything feel warmer, closer. As we ate, I noticed her watching me between bites,

off her lip, "what

night," I finally said, looking down

wasn't always around, Sarah," I continued, not even bothering to sugarcoat it. "And even when I

slowly, her expression

that I forgot what actually mattered." I shook my head, feeling a pang of guilt and regret. "But the other night, it felt different.

didn't respond right away, and the silence stretched between us.

spent a long time thinking I'd never

I blamed myself. Thought maybe I wasn't interesting enough, or that you'd

her say that stung in a way I hadn't expected. "Sarah, you were never the problem. I was... I was too wrapped up in my own world to see what I had right in front of

on her lips. "Then maybe," she said, "we can try to make this work. I know I already said that but we start small. Do something together, without any expectations."

a small fair had popped up. It was crowded and noisy, filled with kids running around, couples holding hands, families

I'd walked into a memory I hadn't

up, and for a moment, I felt like I was seeing the woman I'd first fallen for, back when things were simple. "Ready to lose in a game of

you win a few times," I replied,

we each missed our targets, cheering each

so freely, so easily. And every time I looked over at Sarah, and saw her smiling up at me, I felt that sense of belonging, that feeling I'd lost somewhere

to the car, Sarah stopped and looked up at the Ferris wheel, the lights glowing