Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

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Candles flickered across the duing room table, casting dancing shadows on the cream–colored walls of Alexander’s brownstone. Lucia sat across from her fiancé, her hand resting gently in his as they shared the intimate dinner he had prepared himself, herb–crusted salon with roasted vegetables, paired with a bottle of wine they had been saving for a special occasion.

“Two weeks,” Alexander said, his thumb tracing circles across her knuckles. “In two weeks, you’ll be my wife.”

Lucia smiled, feeling warmth spread through her chest at the words. “Mrs. Lucia Kane. It has a nice ring to it.”

“It has a perfect ring to it,” Alexander corrected, lifting her hand to press a kiss against her engagement ring. “I still can’t believe this is real sometimes. That you’re here, that you’re mine, that we’re actually doing this.”

The past few days had been a whirlwind of wedding preparations, choosing flowers for the garden ceremony, finalizing the guest list, selecting the menu for their intimate reception. Everything was planned with precision and care, creating the kind of wedding Lucia had dreamed about when she was young and still believed in fairy tales.

“Lena called this afternoon,” Lucia said, cutting a piece of salmon. “She wants to practice her maid of honor speech one more time before the ceremony.”

Alexander chuckled. “She’s been working on that speech for weeks. I think she’s more nervous about it than we are about getting married.”

“She wants everything to be perfect,” Lucia said fondly. “She keeps asking if there’s anything else she can do to help, any other wedding tradition she should know about.”

“She’s excited to have a mother to celebrate with,” Alexander observed. “She missed so much not having that growing up. Lena’s making up for lost time by experiencing everything with you.”

Lucia’s heart swelled at the thought of her daughter, the girl who had chosen her freely, who had embraced their relationship without reservation or conditions. Lena’s enthusiasm for the wedding had been infectious, her joy pure and uncomplicated in a way that reminded Lucia what unconditional love looked like.

“I’ve been thinking about the honeymoon,” Alexander said, refilling their wine glasses. “Three weeks in Tuscany might not be enough. What if we extended it to a month?”

“A month?” Lucia raised her eyebrows. “What about work? What about the Hart Industries situation?”

“Work will survive without us for a month,” Alexander said firmly. “And as for Hart Industries, the auditors are handling everything. There’s nothing you need to do except wait for their final report.”

Lucia nodded, though something inside her tensed at the mention of Marco’s company. The audit was proceeding exactly as planned, and soon Marco’s financial crimes would be exposed for the world to see. She should feel satisfied, victorious even. But lately, thoughts of Marco facing prison time left her feeling strangely empty.

“You’re thinking about him again,” Alexander said quietly.

Lucia looked up, surprised by his perceptiveness. “How did you know?”

“You get this look,” Alexander explained. “Like you’re fighting a battle inside your head. It happens every time someone mentions the audit or Marco’s legal troubles.”

Lucia set down her fork, no longer interested in the perfectly prepared meal. “I keep wondering if I’m doing the right thing.”

“He committed fraud,” Alexander said gently. “He hid five hundred million dollars from you during your divorce. He lied to

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he courts and cheated you out of your fair share of assets you helped build. The audit is simply exposing the truth.”

“I know that,” Lucia said quickly. “Intellectually, I know he deserves whatever consequences come from his actions. But emotionally

She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. How could she explain that part of her still remembered the young man she had fallen in love with? The ambitious dreamer who had shared his hopes with her in their tiny first apartment? The father who had once been genuinely proud of their children’s accomplishments?

“You still care about him,” Alexander said, his voice carefully neutral.

“I care about what happens to my children when their father goes to prison,” Lucia corrected. “I care about the shame they’ll have to live with, the whispers they’ll endure, the way people will look at them.”

Alexander squeezed her hand. “Those children made their choices when they helped pack your belongings and chose Marco over you. They’re old enough to face the consequences of supporting a criminal.”

Lucia knew he was right, but that knowledge didn’t ease the ache in her chest when she thought about Lucas, Monica, and Ria dealing with their father’s disgrace. They had betrayed her, yes. They had chosen material comfort over family loyalty. But they were still her children, and watching them suffer felt like watching pieces of her own heart break.

Her phone buzzed against the table, interrupting her thoughts. The screen showed a text message from an unknown number, but when she opened it, her breath caught in her throat.

*Hi Mom. This is Ria. I got a new phone. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me, but I was wondering if we could meet for coffee tomorrow afternoon. There’s something important I need to tell you. I understand if you say no, but I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance, – Ria*

Lucia stared at the message, her pulse quickening. Ria wanted to see her. Her eldest daughter, the one who had been Margaret’s biggest supporter, was reaching out after months of silence.

“What is it?” Alexander asked, noting her expression.

Lucia handed him the phone without a word. Alexander read the message, his jaw tightening slightly.

“You’re not going,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

“I don’t know,” Lucia said honestly. “Part of me wants to hear what she has to say.”

“And part of you knows it’s probably another manipulation,” Alexander countered. “Another attempt to get you to drop the charges against Marco or interfere with the audit.”

Lucia took the phone back, reading Ria’s message again. The tone seemed different from their last encounter, less demanding, more humble. But Alexander was right to be suspicious. Ria had proven herself capable of choosing self- interest over truth before.

“I could say no,” Lucia said slowly. “I could ignore the message and pretend I never received it.”

“That would be the smart choice,” Alexander agreed. “The safe choice. You’ve built a good life now, Lucia. You don’t need to risk your peace of mind for people who have already shown you where their loyalties lie.”

Lucia nodded, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Ria’s request than simple manipulation. Something in the phrasing, the humility in her words, suggested genuine desperation rather than calculated strategy.

“What if she really does have something important to tell me?” Lucia asked. “What if something has happened to one of the children? What if they’re in trouble?”

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Alexander was quiet for a moment, studying her face. “You want to go, don’t you?”

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“I want to know what she needs to tell me,” Lucia admitted. “Even if it’s just another attempt to save Marco from the consequences of his actions, ant to hear it from her directly.”

“And if it’s a trap? If Marco is using Ria to get to you somehow?”

“Then I’ll handle it,” Lucia said firmly. “I’m not the same woman who was destroyed by their betrayal a year ago. I’m stronger now. I can face whatever they throw at me.”

Alexander picked up his wine glass, taking a slow sip as he considered her words. “If you’re determined to do this, I want security with you. And I want you to meet somewhere public, somewhere safe.”

“She suggested a coffee shop,” Lucia said, checking the message again. “Brew Haven, downtown. Very public, very safe.”

show mercy to Marco?”

“And if she tries to manipulate you into dropping the audit? If she begs you

to

Lucia met his eyes directly. “Then I’ll tell her no. The audit continues regardless of what Ria wants. But I need to hear what she has to say.”

Alexander reached across the table and took both her hands in his. “I’m worried about you. I’m worried that seeing her will undo all the progress you’ve made in healing from what they did to you.”

“I’m worried about that too,” Lucia admitted. “But I’m also worried that if I don’t hear her out, I’ll always wonder what she wanted to tell me. I’ll always wonder if I missed something important.”

Alexander was quiet for a long moment, conflict playing across his features. Finally, he sighed and brought her hands to his lips.

“Okay,” he said softly. “Meet with her. But promise me something

“What?”

“Promise me that whatever she says, whatever emotional buttons she tries to push, you’ll remember that you have a life now that makes you happy. You have a daughter who adores you a man who loves you completely, and a future that doesn’t depend on the approval of people who threw you away.”

Lucia felt tears prick at her eyes. “I promise.”

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