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

Richard

pov.

The call from the police came just after dawn, jarring me awake in the cold, uncomfortable chair next to Sarah's hospital bed.

I fumbled with my phone, heart pounding as I stepped into the hallway to answer.

"We've located Susan," the officer said. "She's in custody. We'd like you to come down to the station."

My grip tightened around the phone. The relief I felt was fleeting, quickly replaced by anger. "I'll be there," I said, my voice low.

Zoe appeared beside me as I hung up. She had been sitting with Sarah through the night, taking turns with Martins to ensure I wasn't alone.

Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but her concern for Sarah mirrored my own.

"Was that about Susan?" she asked.

I nodded. "They've got her. I'm heading to the station."

"I'm coming with you," she said firmly.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Stay here. I need someone I trust to be with Sarah."

She hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. But keep me updated."

When I arrived at the police station, Martins was already there, leaning against a wall in the waiting area. He straightened when he saw me, his expression grim.

"This better be good," he muttered.

"Let's hope it gives us answers," I replied.

The officer led us to the interrogation room, where Susan sat handcuffed to the table. She looked nothing like the woman I remembered-the confident, polished ex who had once been a part of my life. Instead, she was disheveled, her hair tangled and her face pale. But her eyes still held that familiar glint of cunning, a reminder of why I had ended things with her in the first place.

"Richard," she said with a small, almost mocking smile as I entered. "Long time no see."

"Susan," I said coldly, taking the seat across from her. Martins stood beside me, his arms crossed.

The officer gestured for Susan to speak, and for a moment, she just sat there, staring at me. Then, she shrugged. "Well, I guess this is the part where I spill my guts, huh?"

"Start with why," I said, my voice hard. "Why did you do this? Why involve Isabella? Why target Sarah?"

Her smile faltered, and she leaned back in her chair, studying me. "You really don't get it, do you?" she said bitterly. "You think you can just toss people aside and move on without consequences?"

I frowned. "What are you talking about? We broke up a year ago. You were the one who couldn't let go."

she shot back. "You moved on so quickly, parading your perfect little fiancée around while I

a psychiatric hospital. You gave her access to their home. You put Sarah and her unborn child in danger. Why, Susan?

him, then back to me. She leaned forward, her voice low and venomous. "Because I wanted

jaw tightened, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "So you manipulated Isabella? Used her

laughed, a bitter sound that grated on my nerves. "Isabella was easy to manipulate. She was already obsessed with you, convinced you were her dead fiance. All I had to do was give

my voice shaking

at you now. Your precious Sarah is lying in a hospital bed, your baby's future uncertain. And you're here, scrambling to put the pieces together. Tell me, Richard, how does it feel?" I stood abruptly, the chair scraping

She didn't resist, but as she passed me, she leaned in close enough for only me

lasts," she whispered. "It's only a matter of

didn't respond, refusing to

***

hospital, I relayed everything to Zoe and Martins. Sarah was still unconscious, her face pale against the

is we have enough to bury Susan in court,"

belongs, we can focus on Sarah and the baby." "Burying her isn't enough,"

now, you need to focus on Sarah. She needs

fury. I knew this was far from over,

bedside, her pale face and the sound of the machines hooked to her creating an ache in my chest that wouldn't go

held her hand gently, scared that even the slightest pressure might cause

had been a few days since the confrontation with Isabelle and the discovery of Susan's involvement. The

and went, checking her vitals, adjusting the machines, and offering me sympathetic smiles, but none of it lessened the weight in

stayed close, taking

on the other hand, was already in full lawyer mode, piecing together a case that would

days after Susan's arrest, I was called back to the station to review the evidence. Martins came with me, his calm, analytical demeanor a stark contrast to my simmering

what they had uncovered so

Isabella's escape from the psychiatric hospital," he said, pointing to a series of grainy security footage stills. One showed a woman

nurse. We're still working to identify how

staring at the screen. "And the

been changed in years, and she likely

been so focused on protecting Sarah that I hadn't thought to check

on me," I muttered, running a hand through my

on her, not you. You trusted someone

respond. Fault or not, the

Martins took the lead, combing through every piece of evidence the police gathered and building a case so airtight that Susan wouldn't have a chance to wiggle out of it. He spent hours on

guilty," he said one evening as we sat in the hospital cafeteria. Zoe had taken over

claim diminished responsibility, but we have her confession on record.

of Sarah-her pale face, the steady beep of the machines, the tiny movements I swore I saw when I

shaking myself out of it. "Confession.

sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Look, I get it. Your mind's with Sarah, and it should be. But

stop thinking about her,

interrupted. "She's alive. The baby's alive. That's

unchanged. The doctors said