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

Chapter 90

Sarah's

Pov.

The air was tense as Richard and I sat across from each other, planning our next move. The betrayal had stung, and we were still reeling from it, but there was a spark of determination in Richard's eyes that hadn't been there before. It was like he'd woken up and remembered he had something-someone-worth fighting for.

"Sarah," he said quietly, "I think we need to confront James. There has to be something he's hiding, for some reason he's working with the network. If we can find it, maybe we can turn him."

I nodded, but doubt clawed at me. I wasn't exactly keen on seeing James again after his threats. But if there was even a chance he'd fold under pressure, we needed to take it.

"How do we get to him?" I asked. "He's always so... guarded. I mean, we've tried before."

Richard leaned forward, his voice low. "Martins did some digging. James has been in a bad spot financially-nothing obvious, but his businesses are tied up in a lot of debt. If we can use that against him..." The pieces clicked. "We find his weakness, put pressure where it hurts."

Richard nodded. "Exactly."

The next morning, we set up the meeting. I couldn't help feeling that strange mixture of dread and anticipation.

James had tried to intimidate me before, and now we were flipping the tables. But as much as I tried to focus on the plan, my mind kept drifting to Richard.

I hadn't seen before-a fierceness that made me feel like, maybe we'd come out of this whole mess

stood in front of James in his sterile, dimly lit

us, but I could see a flicker of something else in his

here?" he drawled, leaning

"We know about your debts, James. The network must have you under quite a bit of pressure, or you

a few debts are enough to make

think you can keep this up before

possibility of turning on his allies.

voice a bit too forced. "What, you think I'll betray

your family, James? The people you're trying to protect

clenched into fists on the desk. "Leave them

have to end with everyone getting hurt. We all want out of this mess. You, me, Richard. We all stand to lose if

his options. I could see it-he was scared,

in him, but he was just as trapped as we were. For a moment, I almost felt

softer than I'd ever heard it. "They

this? They don't care about the debts or the threats-they care about control. And once

a chill run through me, but I held his gaze. "So help us take them down. You're close to them-you know how they operate. If we work together, maybe we can find a way to end this, for all of us." James shook his head, looking almost defeated. "You don't know what you're asking. They don't play

You said it yourself-they won't let anyone go. But if

badly as we did, but