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

Chapter 88

Sarah's

pov.

I walked into the living room, my heart pounding in my chest, the words I'd been holding back now feeling too big to keep inside.

Richard was sitting on the couch, looking tired, as if everything was pressing down on him, too. Part of me wanted to keep silent, to shield him just a little longer, but I couldn't. Not anymore. "Richard," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly at my tone. "We need to talk."

He sighed, leaning back, his face showing that wary look I'd come to recognize. "What's going on, Sarah?"

I took a deep breath, every part of me tensing. "There's something I haven't told you... about James. And Susan."

I could see his expression shift, the lines on his face tightening. He didn't say anything, so I continued, words spilling out faster than I'd intended.

"James has been reaching out to me. He's in town. I met with him a few days ago, trying to figure out what he wanted, why he was coming back now."

I gauge his reaction before continuing, "He said some things about you, about your past. I didn't want to believe it at first, but he hinted that... there's more to this. That some people are watching you, wanting something from you." Richard's gaze darkened, but he kept his voice calm. "And you thought meeting him alone was a good idea?"

I felt my face heat up. "I had to know, Richard. I didn't want you to get pulled into it if it wasn't serious."

"And Susan?" he asked, his tone sharper now.

"She came to me too," I admitted, barely able to meet his eyes. "She's involved, somehow. She's furious that you left her, that you came back to me, and now she wants revenge."

"She threatened to expose everything from your past if you don't... comply. I think she's connected to this network that James mentioned."

I saw the anger flicker in his eyes, but more than that, there was something else-hurt, maybe, or disbelief.

softer now. "After everything she's done,

thought... I thought I could protect you, somehow. Find out what she wanted before she came to you. I thought if I knew, maybe we could handle it better,

hair. "Together, Sarah. That's what we're supposed to be. But I can't help if I don't know.

"I know. I just... I didn't want to add to your burdens. You have enough

need you to tell me everything. I can handle it if I know

moment, I couldn't speak. All the fear, all the

my hand. "We'll figure this out, but only if we're honest with

with James and then Susan,

pang of betrayal; she'd gone behind my back, taken things into her

of me, maybe the bigger part, felt relief. At least she'd come to me now, rather than letting these secrets

that didn't come easily. "Sarah... thank you for telling me. I know

me, her eyes a mix of regret and relief. "I thought I could handle it

her, a weak smile on my face. "I understand. I know what it's like to want to protect someone, even if it means

with Sarah staring at me, I couldn't hold them back any longer. "I need to tell you something, Sarah," I began, feeling it settle on my

a bit wary but listening, and I found myself going back to those early years before

felt strange to share it out loud, but I knew

Dad died, I joined some deals. I was young, I didn't know much about running a business, and all these vultures circled, pretending to be

pushing through the memories. "That's when I met James. He seemed like someone

mine. I could see the hurt in her gaze, but she wasn't angry, at least not

hand over my face, the shame of it washing over

I thought were normal at the time, just the usual way of business. I thought I could show

that, that there was more at stake than I'd realized. And by then, it was too late. I was already tied in with these people." "People like James," she said softly,

too. She knew the right people, and had all the right

get stuck. "I thought she

Sarah's voice was

wants to hurt us, Sarah.