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

Chapter 81

Richard's

pov.

Sarah stood there, still holding the file like it was her only shield. Her shoulders were tense, her head slightly bowed.

I wanted to run over and pull her into my arms, to ask her a thousand questions, but I stayed back, waiting for her to gather herself. She needed a minute, and I wasn't about to take that from her. Finally, she looked around, her eyes scanning the area until they fell on me. Her expression shifted, a mix of surprise and relief flooding her face.

She didn't look angry that I'd followed her-if anything, she looked grateful.

I stepped out from the shadows, walking over slowly. "You alright?" I asked, my voice soft.

She let out a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah. Just... a bit shaken, I guess."

I glanced at the file she was clutching. "Who is he? What did he give you?"

Her gaze dropped to the file, a frown creasing her forehead. "I don't know yet," she murmured. "But whatever it is... it can't be good."

I put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "We'll figure it out. Together."

She gave me a small, tired smile. "I know. I just... I thought maybe if I did this alone, I could keep you out of it."

I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. "Sarah, there's no way I'm letting you handle this by yourself. We're in this together, remember?"

She looked down, nodding slowly. "Yeah... together." But there was something in her eyes, a flicker of doubt, like she was still holding onto a part of the burden on her own.

way she always tried to carry everything

her lightly, trying to break the tension. "Are you going to open that thing again? Or

at her lips. "Let's get out of here first. This

putting a protective arm around her as we walked back to the car. Every step I took, I kept glancing around, half-expecting the man to jump out from behind

silent, empty. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was watching us somehow, even as we

table, the file lying

open. Inside were stacks of photos, documents, and notes-all neatly organized, like they'd been prepared just for her. Her face paled as

I asked,

up a photo-a grainy, black-and-white shot of

the camera capturing her every move. A chill ran down my spine. "This is Susan, isn't it?" I

nodded slowly, still staring at the photos. "I don't know if she's really the one.

me. "She's trying to scare us. Trying to make us paranoid and drive a wedge between

held up a

from years ago, back when I'd been naive enough to

document, her face a mixture of confusion and anger as

"why is your name-your signature-on a contract like

trusting. I got caught up with the wrong

she gripped them. "And if they do... your career-everything you've

blame her. From her perspective, it looked like I'd walked right into something

I swear to you, I didn't know what I was signing back then. It was just business, I thought. Legitimate, or at least as close

narrowed her eyes, still studying me. "How can I be sure you weren't aware, Richard? That you didn't just... go along with

done everything to get out of it. And the moment I did realize, I cut ties. I had no idea they'd keep records, use them as a threat years later." Her gaze softened slightly, but

think that by threatening to expose this, they can force me into doing