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

Chapter 98

Richard pov.

Facing the network had been a long time coming. Sarah and I stood outside a grand, old building where the leaders had gathered.

Holding the incriminating evidence we'd collected over months, I took a deep breath. I glanced at Sarah, her eyes narrowed with determination, her chin set in that way that told me she wasn't backing down.

She'd come so far, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride mixed with the fear of what we were walking into. But this was our only shot at freedom.

"Ready?" I asked though it was more for me than for her.

She nodded. "More than ready."

Inside, the room was crowded with the high-ranking figures of the network. Their stares held nothing but cold, steely indifference, like they were sizing us up, wondering what two individuals thought they could do against them. But we had something they didn't: proof, cold and solid, that could bring down every last one of them.

The leader, a man with silver hair and a smug smile, eyed us with disdain. "Well, Richard, you wanted an audience with us. Let's hear it, then. But I should warn you, we don't take kindly to empty threats."

"Good thing we're not here to threaten," I said, reaching into my bag and pulling out a thick folder.

"We're here to offer you a way out. For everyone here." I made sure to meet his gaze, watching as his smile slipped slightly.

He eyed the folder suspiciously. "What's this?"

"Proof," I replied, laying the folder on the table and flipping it open. "Every illegal transaction, every name involved, and all the payments that tie back to each of you."

they scanned the documents. The color seemed to drain from the

thrived in the shadows, who lived

her voice sharp and trembling. But I caught the fear in her eyes; she

blackmailing you. We're giving you a choice. Let us walk away-no threats, no tricks, no vendettas. Or, we hand over every last document to the authorities. And trust

rippled through the room, and I could almost see them

their expressions harden. They weren't just scared-they were furious. But they knew we'd

his throat, trying to keep his composure. "This doesn't end here. You can't just walk away and expect us to let

walk away because you don't have a choice. And you're going to let us live our lives,

were caught, and they knew it. I could almost see them weighing their

doubt, and we'd made sure to sow a few seeds of doubt about

person next to you is willing to give you up to protect themselves. It wouldn't take much, would it? Just one slip-up, and everything falls apart." The tension in

had been the final piece of our plan. They'd never fully trust

nodded stiffly. "Fine. You can have your freedom. But don't think you've won, Richard. People in our world... they

of helping you forget. Stay out of our lives, and we

the leaders behind us more powerful than

air, I felt a weight

her jaw tight, and I could tell that, despite the victory, there was one loose end still haunting her. "Susan," I

still distant. "She won't let this

inside me. "I'll handle her. I'll make sure she understands there's no place for her between

livid, her face flushed with anger. "So, you think you've won, Richard? You think you can just

a deep breath, keeping my voice calm but firm. "It's over, Susan. You tried everything-manipulation, lies, threats. And look where it got you. Alone. I'm warning you, don't try anything else. Sarah and