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

Chapter 68

Sarah pov.

We finally got home. As I stepped into the house, a strange mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity washed over me.

It was our old home-well, technically, Richard's home now. But every inch of it used to be ours, every corner filled with memories I'd tried so hard to pack away. Now, though, something felt off, like stepping back into a room where everything looked the same but nothing felt right.

I looked around, trying to pinpoint the changes. The walls were a different color-cool gray instead of the warm, sandy beige I had picked out together.

The furniture was sleeker, more modern, and arranged in a way that made the space feel more like a showroom than a home.

Small touches, too-abstract art on the walls where our wedding pictures used to hang, my flower pot, gone.

It was Susan's touch. I could tell. It was tasteful, sure, maybe even elegant, but it felt empty, devoid of any sense of belonging.

A pang hit me, unexpected and sharp. I hadn't anticipated feeling so... displaced.

I must've been standing there, staring, because Richard stepped in behind me, his voice soft. "You okay?"

I forced a smile, turning toward him. "Yeah. It's just... different."

He nodded, looking around like he was seeing it through my eyes. "It didn't feel right, honestly. I was meaning to change some things, but... I guess I didn't know where to start."

I glanced back at the walls, at the empty spots that used to hold the photos of our early days, of the vacations we'd taken, birthdays that had once filled this space and made it feel homely. Now, the walls were empty of us. I swallowed hard, determined not to let the past creep in and take over.

"Well," I said, trying to keep my voice light, "it seems like a good chance to start fresh, right?"

Richard's face softened as he nodded, his hand brushing my arm gently. "Yeah. You're right."

him, feeling the old memories starting to fade and give way

time

a small

teasing glint in his eyes. "I don't

lighter than I'd expected. "Alright, don't be surprised if you

I felt alive. It felt good, this playful banter,

felt a small spark of excitement as I imagined transforming this

said, crossing my arms as I surveyed the room with new eyes. "First thing, these

little bit," he agreed, and I could see him relaxing

mischievous look. "We need something warmer. How about...

his nose, considering. "Green? Like forest

earthy, you know? Something that feels

to make my heart skip a beat.

went from room to room, I realized how much I was

had put up that just didn't fit-like an enormous, ornate mirror in the hallway. "Was she expecting royalty?"

it's a 'statement

statement it makes is 'Look how much money I

just us again, like none of the past hurt or misunderstandings had ever come

us-a hope, a small but growing belief that we could really, really

Richard paused, watching me as I took down some of Susan's stiff, carefully curated artwork, replacing it with a framed photo of the two of us from

meeting his gaze. There was something vulnerable in his eyes, a softness that wasn't always there

something deeper. "This... us, I guess.

looked away, pretending to adjust the photo on the wall. "Well," I

even the smallest changes could make a difference-a splash of

a little more ours, a little less a shadow of