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

Chapter 82

Sarah's

Pov.

But the words felt hollow, empty. I looked back down at the file, trying to make sense of it all.

Back when we were married, Richard had been a closed book, and now, with these shadows from his past creeping in, I wasn't sure if I'd ever truly known him. Don't blame me.

As he sat there, I thought of reaching out to someone who could help me make sense of this mess.

Someone who might know the real truth about these deals, about the web Richard had gotten himself tangled in.

When he finally went upstairs, I picked up my phone and dialed an old friend's number. It had been years since I'd spoken to him, but he'd always had connections. Trust me to have loads of useful contacts, they always come in handy.

If there was a way to get to the bottom of this without Richard's help, I had to try.

"Hey," I whispered when he answered, my voice barely audible. "I need a favor."

I couldn't shake the guilt. But I told myself I was doing this for us. I needed to know the truth, and if Richard wouldn't share it all, I'd find it myself.

The house was quiet when I finally hung up the phone. I looked around, feeling that weird mix of guilt and determination swirl around in me.

but suddenly it felt a bit... fragile. Like everything I

file back into its envelope, feeling the thickness of it in my hands. This wasn't just paperwork-this

fact that he hadn't told me about everything,

friend I'd called, Jason, was someone I hadn't

separate ways after college, but I knew he was still out there, working for one of those big financial companies, the kind that digs deep into the kind of business secrets most people would never see. He owed me a favor or two. And right now, I needed all the

He didn't pry, just told me he'd look into it. Jason was like that-straightforward, no questions. It was a relief, knowing someone would take me seriously without making it more complicated. When I finally went upstairs, Richard was already asleep. Or at least, I

on my mind," I said. I slipped into bed beside him, but there was that gap between us, filled with questions I couldn't

morning, Jason called me back. "Sarah," he said, getting straight to the point, "I think I found something. This company you're asking about, it's tied up with a few others-some names you might recognize." My heart sped up.

across a contract tied to a few small firms. One of them links to a few known names,

sharp breath. "And... any chance you saw the name Susan on

Her name's in a few of these documents, tied to similar companies. Seems she's got a hand in a lot of business deals, more than just as an investor." The pieces were starting to fit together, like puzzle parts that I wasn't sure I wanted

I said, swallowing down the nerves building in

I couldn't help but feel that tiny spark of hope-that maybe I'd finally get to the bottom of it, finally understand the whole picture. That evening, after Richard had gone for a walk to "clear his head" (or avoid me, one of the two), Jason's email arrived. I sat alone at the dining room

clear as day-company names, Richard's signature, Susan's

mix of

just been roped into one bad deal. He'd been tied to both of them, and he hadn't told me any

to confront him, to finally lay it all out. I needed answers-no more secrets, no more

later that night, I waited in the living room. He looked at me, noticing my

"What's wrong?" he asked.