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

Richard

pov.

The morning of the trial felt heavy. I left the hospital earlier than usual, making sure Zoe would stay with Sarah.

Despite the overwhelming dread, there was a part of me that felt strangely numb, as if my emotions had run dry after weeks of worry and anger.

Martins met me outside the courthouse, impeccably dressed in his usual sharp suit. He clapped a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding.

"Today's a big step forward," he said. "Remember, this trial is about getting justice, not reopening wounds. You're here to see Susan held accountable, not to punish yourself for her actions."

I nodded, though his words didn't settle the unease churning in my gut.

The courtroom was cold, and even though I'd prepared myself for this moment, seeing Susan seated across the room made my stomach twist.

She didn't look like someone riddled with guilt; she looked indifferent, like this was just another ordinary day.

The prosecution opened with a detailed timeline of events, recounting how Susan had manipulated Isabelle and infiltrated every aspect of my life to orchestrate her revenge.

It was clinical, precise, and damning.

But when Susan took the stand, she was composed, even defiant.

"I didn't want to hurt Richard," she began, her voice smooth and unwavering. "I loved him. I still do. But Sarah... she took him away from me. Twice."

leaned forward slightly, his expression unreadable, but I could see the

the evidence shows that you were the side chick in their relationship

smile. "He may not admit it, but

calm but firm. "Ms. Susan, are you saying you orchestrated this entire

off

then," Martins continued, unrelenting. "You knew Isabella had a fragile mental state. You knew her late fiance resembled Mr. Wright, and you used that resemblance to convince her that Sarah was

ideas and used Isabelle as a pawn

courtroom fell silent as Susan's

deserved the truth. Richard was

like a sledgehammer. All this time, I'd thought her actions were

warped sense of entitlement that had festered into something

case against her. The prosecutor took over, asking Susan about her plan to infiltrate my home and her decision to involve Isabelle.

gripped the edge of the bench, my knuckles white. It took everything in me not

aside. "We're

work against her. But we can't let our guard down. The defense will likely try to shift

possible?" I asked, my voice

we have," he assured me. "But they'll try. We

back to the hospital that evening, I replayed Susan's words over and over in my head, each one cutting deeper

room, the sight of her lying so still nearly broke me all over again. I sat down beside her,

knew she couldn't hear me. "She admitted everything. She's going to pay for what

my time at the hospital, alternating between watching over Sarah and preparing for the next round of testimony with

constant presences, their support unwavering. Zoe kept me sane with her lighthearted banter, though I could see the worry etched

justice, diving into every