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.

voice softer

she wanted before she

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

just... I didn't want to add to your burdens.

low but intense. "Sarah, that's exactly why I need you to tell me everything. I can handle it if I know what we're up

All the fear, all the guilt, bubbled

this out, but only if we're

telling me she'd met with James and then Susan, I felt my

everything. Part of me felt a pang of betrayal; she'd gone behind my back, taken things into her

to me now, rather than letting

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

eyes a mix of regret and relief. "I thought I could handle it on my own. I just

what it's like to want to protect someone, even

everything coming to the surface, 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

I found myself going

was raw, and it felt strange to share it out loud, but I knew it

Dad died, I joined some deals. I was young, I didn't know much about

I met James. He seemed like someone I could trust, someone

quietly, her eyes never leaving mine. I could see the hurt in

admitted, rubbing a hand over my face, the shame of it washing over me

of business.

see that it was darker than that, that there was more at stake than I'd realized.

Susan. She was there, too. She knew the right people, and had all

feeling the words get stuck. "I thought she was on my

now?" Sarah's

wants to hurt us, Sarah. And she's not afraid to use whatever I told her