Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart
Chapter 45

Sarah's pov.

Meeting for coffee and 'business talks' had become a routine between Richard and me.

I sat across from Richard, stirring my coffee for no reason other than to avoid looking at him directly.

The way he was watching me made me uncomfortable, like he was waiting for something.

Did he expect me to thank him for showing up? Or for his latest 'good guy' act? Maybe if I stirred long enough, the awkwardness would dissolve into the cup.

"So," he said, breaking the silence. "How's the expansion going?"

There it was-the safe, businesslike tone. Every time we met, Richard kept things as neutral as possible, like we were just two old friends catching up over coffee, not two people who had once shared a life filled with hurt and mistakes. I should've appreciated it. But every now and then, I felt a twinge, a tiny spark, like something old was waking up inside me.

"It's going well," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady. "We just closed the deal with the New York firm."

"That's amazing, Sarah," he said, and for a split second, I saw something soft in his eyes.

Pride, maybe? He'd been doing that a lot lately-throwing around compliments, offering support, as if that could erase all the years he'd spent pretending I didn't exist. "You've come so far."

I nodded, sipping my coffee to avoid responding to that. He always said things like that now, and it was starting to get under my skin.

Where was this version of Richard when we were married? Back then, he didn't even bother to ask how my day went, let alone care about my work.

Now, he wanted to be my personal cheerleader?

"Thanks," I said, a little too quickly, like I was brushing it off. But the truth was, every time he said something like that, my guard cracked a little. And I hated it.

We spent the next twenty minutes talking about my business-how I was planning to expand into more cities, and how the new offices were coming along. Richard listened, nodding and asking all the right questions, and for a moment, it felt... nice.

But just as soon as I relaxed, the old memories would creep back in, reminding me not to get too comfortable.

I glanced at him, noticing how different he looked now-less arrogant, more... human.

It was unsettling, really. It was like the man I once knew was gone, replaced by someone I didn't quite recognize. Or maybe I never really knew him in the first place. "Richard," I said, deciding to rip off the bandage. "I appreciate all of this, I do. But you know we're just friends, right? That's all this can ever be."

He didn't flinch, but I could tell it hit him. His smile faltered for just a second before he recovered. "I know," he said quietly. "I'm just glad to be in your life at all."

I didn't know what to say to that. Part of me wanted to tell him to back off, that he was making things harder than they needed to be.

But another part of me-the part I wasn't ready to admit existed-was starting to like having him around.

***

The next few weeks were a blur of meetings, phone calls, and late nights at the office.

I barely had time to think about Richard, which was probably for the best. Every time I started to get used to him being back in my life, those old wounds would remind me why I shouldn't. Then, one evening, just as I was about to head home, I got a call from Zoe.

"Sarah, you're not going to believe this," she said, her voice buzzing with excitement.

"We just landed that partnership with the West Coast firm. The one we've been chasing for months."

"What?" I froze, my hand halfway to my coat. "But I thought they weren't interested anymore."

"Apparently, someone put in a good word for us. Made sure they knew how great our work is. It must've been a big deal because they signed off without even negotiating down the terms." "Who?" I asked, my heart pounding. I had my suspicions, but I needed to hear it out loud.

"Well, I don't know for sure," Zoe said, "but rumor has it Richard had something to do with it."

Of course. Of course, he did.

Later that night, I found myself standing outside Richard's apartment, fuming and confused.

I hadn't planned to come here, but before I knew it, I was knocking on his door, anger boiling up inside me.

I wasn't sure if I was mad because he'd meddled in my business or because a part of me was touched that he'd done something so thoughtful.

Either way, I needed answers.

He opened the door, looking surprised but not entirely shocked to see me. "Sarah," he said cautiously. "What's going on?"

I pushed past him, storming into his apartment without an invitation. "Did you have something to do with the West Coast deal?"

He sighed, closing the door behind me. "I might've mentioned to a few people how talented you are, yes."

I spun around, glaring at him. "Why? Why would you do that?"

"Because you deserve it," he said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "I've seen how hard you've worked, and I wanted to help."

"I didn't ask for your help, Richard," I snapped, my voice rising. "I can handle my business on my own. I don't need you swooping in like some kind of knight in shining armor."

He took a step toward me, his expression calm but serious. "I know you don't need me, Sarah. You're more than capable of doing this on your own. But that doesn't mean I can't support you."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words got stuck in my throat. It was hard to stay angry when he was looking at me like that-like he genuinely cared.

Like he wasn't trying to fix the past but just be there for me now.

"Richard," I said, my voice softer now, "this... it's too much. I told you we can't go back to how things were."

"And I'm not asking for that," he said quietly. "I'm not asking for anything, really. I just want to be someone you can count on, even if it's just as a friend." His words hung in the air, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't know what to say.

This was the Richard I always wanted-someone who saw me, who supported me without any hidden agenda. But it was too late for that now, wasn't it?

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"Be friends with you," I admitted. "It's... complicated."

"I know," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "But I'm willing to try if you are."

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I stared at the floor, my thoughts swirling. Could I really let him back into my life, even just as a friend?

Could I trust him not to hurt me again?

"I'll think about it," I said finally, knowing it was the best I could offer.

He nodded, not pushing me any further. "That's all I'm asking."

Over the next few days, I couldn't stop thinking about what he'd done. Not just the West Coast deal, but everything.

The way he'd been showing up, supporting me, trying to prove he was different.

It was hard to ignore. And harder still to ignore the feelings that were starting to creep back in.

I didn't want to admit it, but being around Richard was stirring up emotions I thought I'd buried long ago.

I still remembered the pain, and the loneliness of our marriage, but now there was something else-something that reminded me of the man I once loved.

But every time I felt myself softening toward him, I'd remind myself of the years I spent trying to make it work, of the way he'd neglected me, pushed me aside, and made me feel like I didn't matter. That pain didn't just disappear because he was being nice now.

Still, it was getting harder to keep my guard up. Richard was chipping away at the walls I'd built around my heart, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold them in place.

One evening, I sat on my couch, staring at the phone, my thumb hovering over Richard's number.

Part of me wanted to call him, to tell him I was willing to give this "friendship" a shot.

But another part of me- the part that had learned to be strong on my own-was terrified of what that would mean.

I sighed, tossing the phone onto the coffee table. "Why does this have to be so complicated?" I muttered to myself. Because it's Richard, I thought. And nothing with him was ever simple.