Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart
Chapter 73

RICHARD POV.

I pulled her close, letting her rest her head on my shoulder. "I'm not letting her ruin what we have," I said firmly.

Sarah lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine. "Neither am I. We've been through too much to let her-or anyone-come between us."

I kissed her forehead gently. "Exactly. This is our life now, and no one gets to dictate how we live it."

She smiled, her eyes shining with warmth. "I like the sound of that."

"Well," she said, breaking the silence and tapping her fingers on the side of her leg, "I think this calls for a drink, don't you?"

I laughed, nodding in agreement. "Perfect idea."

We made our way into the kitchen, and I pulled out a bottle of champagne that I'd kept stashed away for a special moment.

This felt like just the right time. I poured us each a glass, and as I handed hers over, I could see the sparkle in her eyes that reminded me of why I'd fallen for her in the first place.

"To new beginnings," I said, raising my glass.

She raised hers too, clinking it lightly against mine. "To not letting anyone get in our way."

We took a sip, and she leaned back against the counter, looking more at ease than I'd seen her in a long time.

"I have to say," I started, leaning back beside her, "after all we've been through, I don't think anyone could get between us now." I put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in. "Not even Susan, in all her drama."

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "She'll probably be back with some new plan, thinking she can throw us off. But honestly, I'm done giving her any space in my head."

"That's what I like to hear." I lifted my glass again, but this time I held it out toward her. "Here's to finally being free of the past."

She clinked my glass with a grin, and we both drank to that. But as I watched her, I felt the gravity of the moment settling over me.

This wasn't just about shaking off the past-it was about building a future with her, one that wasn't tainted by old mistakes or half-measures.

I wanted us to start fresh, together, on solid ground.

"Sarah," I said, setting my glass down and reaching for her hand. "There's something I want you to know."

She looked up at me, her expression shifting to something softer, waiting.

"I know I've said it before, but I want you to hear it again... I'm all in. No more doubts. I don't want anything else but you, here, now, and every day after that." I squeezed her hand. "I'm ready to make a real life with you."

A smile slowly spread across her face, and I could see that my words had touched her. She didn't say anything at first, just wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a tight hug.

I held her close, feeling the warmth of her embrace, the steadiness of her heartbeat against mine.

It was moments like this that reminded me why I was willing to fight for us, to face whatever challenges came our way.

"I believe you, Richard," she whispered against my shoulder. "And I'm all in too."

I pulled back slightly, just enough to look into her eyes. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

She smiled, her eyes shimmering with emotion. "I think I do."

We stood there in the quiet of the kitchen, wrapped in the comfort of each other, until the shrill ring of my phone broke the moment.

With a sigh, I reached for it on the counter, already knowing who it was before I even looked at the screen.

"Work?" Sarah asked, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Yeah," I muttered, my tone tinged with frustration. "I'll just be a minute."

She nodded, giving me a reassuring pat on the arm. "Take your time. I'll be here."

I stepped into the study, closing the door behind me as I answered the call. It was the usual business-related issue, something about a deal needing my immediate attention. I handled it as quickly as I could, eager to get back to Sarah.

When I returned to the kitchen, she was seated at the island, her fingers tapping absently on her glass. She looked up as I entered, offering a small smile.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just some business that couldn't wait."

She nodded, leaning into my touch. "You know, for a guy who's trying to leave his past behind, you sure do have a lot of it knocking at the door."

I chuckled, appreciating her ability to lighten the mood. "True. But I'm learning to handle it better. One step at a time."

Her smile widened. "I can work with that."

We finished our champagne, the conversation flowing easily between us. It felt good, natural, like we were finding our rhythm again after everything that had happened.

The past didn't feel as heavy anymore, and for the first time in a long while, I could see a future where we weren't constantly looking over our shoulders.

As the evening wore on, we found ourselves in the living room, curled up on the couch with a movie playing in the background.

It wasn't about the film, though-it was about being together, finding peace in the simple things.

Just as I was about to drift off, her head resting against my chest, she murmured, "Do you think we'll ever truly be free of the past?"

I ran my fingers through her hair, thinking carefully about my response. "I think the past will always be there, but it doesn't have to define us. What matters is how we move forward." She looked up at me, her eyes filled with trust and hope. "Then let's keep moving forward, together."

I smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let's do this."