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."

but I could see the gears

shows that you were the side chick in their relationship the first time and Mr. Wright ended your relationship

not admit it, but

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

blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I...

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 a threat. Isn't that correct?" Susan hesitated, her composure cracking for the first

back down. "Under your guidance. Under your manipulation. You planted those ideas and used Isabelle as a pawn to execute your plan. Isn't that the

courtroom fell silent as Susan's

But only because she deserved the truth. Richard was

this time, I'd thought her actions were rooted in bitterness, but it was deeper

was obsession, a warped sense of entitlement that had

but he stayed focused, knowing this was the moment we needed to solidify the case against her. The prosecutor took over, asking Susan about her plan to infiltrate

It took everything in me not to stand up and shout

me aside. "We're making progress," he said,

emotional, and that's going to work against her. But we can't let our guard down. The defense will likely try to

that even possible?" I asked, my

assured me. "But they'll try. We have to

words over and over in my head, each one cutting deeper than the

nearly broke me all over again. I sat down beside her, taking her

confessed," I whispered, though I knew she couldn't hear me. "She admitted everything. She's going to pay for what

leading up to the next court session were agonizing. I spent most of my time at the hospital, alternating between watching

me sane with her lighthearted

in his pursuit of justice, diving