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

Chapter 127 Sarah pov.

It had been a while since I'd been in a meeting like this. The conference room was modern, sleek, and filled with people who all seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

Zoe sat at the head of the table, her posture perfect and her demeanor calm. I had to admit, she looked like she was in her element-so much so that I almost felt like I didn't belong here. I sat in the chair next to her, trying my best to look professional, even though I still felt like a bit of a visitor in my own company.

Zoe turned tojust before the meeting began, her eyes sharp, but with a hint of warmth. "You ready?" she asked.

I nodded, though inside, I was a little nervous. "I think so." She gavea reassuring smile, then turned her attention back to the team. The meeting started with Zoe outlining the agenda.

She was efficient-way more efficient than I'd ever been at managing these kinds of things. As she spoke, everyone around the table nodded, took notes, and chimed in with their thoughts. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. They were all in sync, and I couldn't help but feel a little out of place.

I shifted in my seat, watching as Zoe handled each issue with ease. She wasn't just managing; she was leading. I felt proud of her, but at the stime, a bit of self-doubt crept in.

Had I really been able to let go enough to trust her with all of this? I realized that I hadn't even thought about the day-to-day operations in so long.

I had been so focused on adjusting to my relationship with Richard, the s, then pregnancy, that I hadn't realized how much Zoe had grown into this role.

She glanced atonce, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips as if to say, "I've got this." And I did feel like she had it-she was more than capable. But it also remindedthat I was stepping back from something that had once been mine to manage.

As the meeting wrapped up, I realized just how much I'd missed in terms of growth and progress. The team was doing great things without me. I hadn't realized how much I had underestimated them.

And Zoe? She was killing it.

The meeting ended, and everyone filed out of the conference room, chatting in low voices about the next steps. I stayed behind with Zoe, who was already packing up her things, preparing for the next round of tasks. "Hey, Zoe," I said, trying to act casual, though I could feel a grin forming on my face. "How's everything going with Martins?" Zoe froze for a second, clearly caught off guard by my question. She glanced up atwith wide eyes before quickly looking away, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"I-what do you mean?" she asked, sounding a little too defensive.

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "I don't know. You've been looking a little... distracted lately. You're not still daydreaming about him, are you?" Her face flushed even more. "I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

I grinned and leaned in closer. "You've been looking at your phone every five minutes. Don't tellyou're not missing his jokes by now." Zoe rolled her eyes, clearly flustered but trying to maintain her composure. "Okay, fine," she admitted with a small laugh.

"I miss him. His jokes, his random comments, and-okay, maybe just his presence. He always had a way of making things lighter. And I guess... I guess I miss that." I couldn't help but laugh. "I knew it! It's the way you talk about him. You're totally crushing, aren't you?" Zoe's lips twitched into a smile, but she quickly wiped it away. "No, I'm not," she said, though her voice didn't sound convincing. "I just-he's fun to have around. That's all." I couldn't help teasing her a little more. "Uh-huh. Sure, Zoe. I'm sure that's all it is. You're not waiting for him to cback and sweep you off your feet or anything." She smacked my arm playfully. "Stop it. I don't need you turning this into something it's not." But despite her protests, I could tell she was trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips. She didn't have to say much forto know that she missed him. The way she reacted to my teasing was enough. "Alright, alright," I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. "I'll stop. But I'm just saying-if you're missing his company, don't act like you're too busy to notice. I've got your back, Zoe." She shota grateful look, though she still wouldn't admit it. "Thanks, Sarah. Really. But... I'm good." I couldn't resist one last jab. "You know, when he comes back, I'll be sure to remind him of all the things you said about him. I'm sure he'll love hearing that." Zoe rolled her eyes again, but there was a softness in her expression. She knew I was just teasing, but it was nice to see her finally opening up, even if just a little bit.

The day had been long, but as we gathered for dinner, I felt a wave of contentment wash over me.

We were all together-Zoe, Richard, and me-and for the first tin a while, the mood felt relaxed. No pressure, no work.

Just the simplicity of being together, enjoying a nice meal, and laughing about nothing at all.

We were seated at an outdoor table at one of my favorite restaurants in the city. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over everything, and I felt like I could finally take a & deep breath and relax. Richard leaned back in his chair, a glass of wine in hand. "You know," he said with a grin, "this vacation is supposed to be about you relaxing, but at this rate, I think I'll need a vacation from our vacation." I laughed, nearly choking on my water. "What? You need a break from me?" I teased.

He winked at me. "Not from you.

is From all the 'business talk' and the "'let's check in with the team' stuff. I thought we were here to get away from all that." "I am getting away from all that," I said with a mock pout. "But it's hard when I feel like I'm not doing enough. I can't help myself."

Zoe chimed in, looking atover the rim of her glass. "It's okay, Sarah. You don't need to be on all the time.m You've got a great team here. We're handling things. You should just enjoy the moment." I smiled at Zoe, grateful for her support. "Thanks, Zoe. I know. I just... it's hard to turn off sometimes." Richard reached across the table, placing his hand over mine. "You don't have to turn off. Just take a step back. Enjoy the ride for once." I nodded, feeling lighter. Maybe I didn't have to do everything. Maybe I could just be present, without worrying about what was next or what I was missing.

"Alright, I'll try," I said, glancing at Zoe. "But don't expectto stay quiet forever. You know how I get." Zoe raised her glass. "We'll survive." We all laughed.