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

Richard

pov.

The cold, sterile environment of the police station did nothing to settle the unease that had been gnawing at me since Sarah's fall.

Sitting across from Isabelle in the small interrogation room only amplified it. She looked different-disheveled, almost feral-but her eyes still held that same unhinged intensity I remembered from before. Martins sat beside me, arms crossed, his body language radiating skepticism and disgust.

The officer standing by the door had warned us to keep the conversation civil, but I wasn't here to trade pleasantries.

"Why, Isabelle?" My voice was steady, but my hands clenched into fists under the table. "Why did you hurt Sarah?"

She tilted her head, a slow, deliberate movement that made my skin crawl. Then, she smiled-a twisted, almost childlike grin.

"She wanted to take you from me," she said, her tone eerily calm.

I blinked, the sheer absurdity of her words momentarily robbing me of speech. "Take me from you? Isabelle, how many times do we have to tell you? I'm not your fiancé. I'm not David."

Her smile faltered, and something dark flashed in her eyes. "You are," she whispered fiercely. "You just don't remember. They've poisoned you, made you forget who you really are. But I know you, Richard. I know your soul." Martins exhaled sharply beside me, muttering something under his breath. I ignored him, leaning forward to meet Isabelle's gaze.

"Listen to me carefully," I said, my voice low but firm. "I'm not David. I'm not the man you lost, and I never will be. I've told you this before. Sarah has nothing to do with your past-nothing. What you did to her was unforgivable." Her expression twisted, tears spilling down her cheeks as her voice rose. "You don't understand! She's turning you against me! Just like before. She's-"

"Enough!" My voice cracked like a whip, and for the first time, she fell silent. "You hurt Sarah. You endangered our baby. You broke into our home. I want answers, Isabelle, and I want them now. Who helped you escape the hospital? How did you get past my security?"

For a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer. Then, she smiled again, but this time it was different-smug, triumphant.

"You think you're so smart," she said. "But she let me in. She knew the truth that Sarah stole you from me. She helped me."

I demanded, my patience hanging

a grating, hollow sound that made my stomach churn. "She gave me everything I needed. The codes, the plan,

her words sinking in like a lead weight. I didn't have time to process it, though, because the officer by

said, his tone measured. "We've reviewed the footage from the hospital. It appears a nurse helped her escape-a woman. But none of the nurses on staff

frowned, sitting up straighter. "What do

placing a tablet on the table and pulling up the

of the psychiatric hospital. Her face was partially obscured by a mask, but something about her seemed... familiar. "We're still trying to identify her," the officer continued. "But it's clear she wasn't a

closer, my heart sinking as recognition dawned. The slope of her nose, the way she moved-it all clicked into

I said, my voice

to me, his brow

swallowed hard, anger and disbelief warring within me.

officer's eyes narrowed.

forced the words out. "She's the only one who would have

shaking his head. "You're telling me she had the access codes to

bubbling over. "She was angry when

it?" Martins countered. "Think about it. She's been holding a grudge, watching from the sidelines as you moved on with Sarah. And then Isabelle comes along, feeding into whatever resentment she already had. It's a perfect storm." The officer nodded, taking notes. "We'll need to bring her in

old messages until I found one. My stomach churned as I handed the

smiling at some event we'd attended together years

Sarah was still unconscious, our baby was fighting for her life, and now

her expression tense. "What happened?"

was Susan," I said finally. "She's the one who helped Isabelle escape.

eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth. "Susan?

bitter. "She must've been working with Isabelle for

fault," she said firmly. "You

fact that Sarah