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

Chapter 78

Richard's

pov

The morning started off as one of those rare, lazy days. I'd woken up with Sarah curled up beside me, her hair fanning across the pillow in wild waves.

The sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Everything seemed perfect. Calm. Until I tried to sneak out of bed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Her voice was muffled, half-asleep, but she caught me.

"Thought I'd get us coffee." I grinned, still only halfway off the bed.

She lifted her head, one eye open and suspicious. "Don't think I didn't notice you were avoiding the dishes last night. You don't get coffee privileges till you do them." I held up my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. Dishes first, coffee later."

On my way to the kitchen, I passed by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate. Everything looked normal-guards in their usual spots, the gates secured.

Just another day, right? But I still felt an odd twinge, like there was something I was missing.

I shook it off and got to work on the sink full of dishes. I'd just started rinsing when Sarah appeared, looking far too smug.

"Oh, did the big CEO forget how to scrub a plate?" She teased, taking a mug down from the cabinet.

"Hey, I know my way around a sponge, thank you very much."

She leaned against the counter, watching me fumble with the sponge. "Right. Looks like you're scrubbing a priceless piece of art."

I scoffed, spraying water everywhere, just to watch her jump back. "See? Totally a pro."

We laughed, and I felt a pang of something warm. This was the side of Sarah I loved most-the easygoing, playful banter that reminded me of why we worked so well together.

Finally, after wrestling the last plate into submission, I dried my hands, feeling pretty pleased with myself. "Coffee now?"

She handed me the mug she'd already filled, rolling her eyes. "You're lucky I love you."

Our lazy morning drifted into the afternoon. Sarah decided she wanted to bake something.

Watching her try to figure out where anything in my kitchen was stored became a whole other form of entertainment. "Do you know where the measuring cups are?" she asked, spinning in place as if they might appear out of thin air.

the counter. "I might. But I'm

at me. "Big

but I have people for

looked at me, exasperated. "Of course,

pants, which was the least appropriate baking outfit I could have chosen. But, honestly, I

***

since we'd done anything outside the estate, and

wasn't entirely sure where we'd go, but I figured we could figure it out along the way. Something spontaneous.

grab my jacket," I called

"Oh, so you're not going out looking like

flour

about her latest kitchen escapade, when something caught my eye through the window near the

same car from yesterday. Parked in exactly the

a frown settling over my

wrong?" Sarah asked, following my

car... It was here

a better look. "Maybe it's just a coincidence. Someone

fully believe it. I knew most of the people who came through here, either visitors or residents, and that car didn't

I said, brushing it off, though I

we headed out. But

and drove off, the strange vehicle was nowhere in sight. I tried to relax,

me. It was like a shadow creeping just outside my line of

want to go?" I asked her as I drove, trying to lighten

appear in the air around us. "How about that little Italian place we

to shake off

one-off. Someone lost or visiting family. But I couldn't quite rid myself of the

main road. The aroma of garlic and herbs greeted us as we entered, and I finally started to

glanced at me, her eyes bright with amusement.

a chuckle. "Can't get anything

reaching across the table to take my hand. "Hey, I get it. You're cautious.

said, squeezing her

and nothing, making silly bets on how many breadsticks we could eat,

with mischief. "So, how much do you want

raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Are you really