Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 133

Chapter 133

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Lucia wiped a tear from her cheek. I’m remembering All the times I walked through that front door All the times I climbed thone stars to cheekyo

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were last ni say “We were happy then, weren’t we A

“We were kia confissen “Beine argining wena wrong”

Lucia took a deep breath and opened the car door. Let’s go get Monica”

Ria used her key to open the front door, and Lada stepped inside. Different smell. Margaret’s perfume instead of the cinnamon candles Lucia used to burn. Different furniture. Different paint. Margaret had erased her completely.

Lucia didnterven She just walked toward t

“Where are they? Lucia asked, meaning Marco and Margaret

“Dad’s at the office, trying to salvage what’s left of his business. Margaret went to see her parents‘ Ria spoke quickly. They won’t be back for trois.

Lucia nodded, relieved. The last thing she needed right now was a confrontation with the people who had torn her family apart. All that mattered was getting to Monica

She walked toward the staircase, her feet knowing every step by heart. How many times had she climbed these stairs to comfort a sick child or tuck someone in for the night? How many times had she rushed up here to chase away nightmares or celebrate good report cards?

Each step felt heavy with memory. Halfway up, she paused at the family photo wall. Margaret had replaced all the pictures of Lucia with new photos. Marco and Margaret at their wedding, the children with their stepmother, moments that deliberately excluded the woman who had raised them.

But one photo remained. Hidden behind a larger frame, Lucia could see the corner of an old picture. She moved the frame avide and found a photo of herself with baby Monica, both of them laughing at something off–camera. Monica couldn’t have been more than two years old, her chubby hands reaching up to touch her mother’s face.

“I forgot that was still there” Ria spoke softly, seeing what her mother had found.

“She was so beautiful” Lucia’s whisper came broken as she traced Monica’s tiny face with her finger. “So full of joy and Cysed to wake up every morning with a smiles

Chapter 133

She can sunile again. Lucas spoke firm. “If we help her”

Lucia carefully placed the photo back where she had found it and continued up the stairs. At the top of the landing, she paused outside Monica’s bedroom door. The sange door she had painted pale yellow when Monica was five, decorated with butterflies that matched her laughter’s bedspread.

Now the door was plain white, and it was closed tight

Lucia knocked softly. “Monica? Sweetheart, it’s Mom,”

Silence.

She knocked again, a little louder. “Monica, I know you’re in there. I came to see you”

Still nothing.

“Baby please open the door. I need to talk to you.”

From inside the room came a sound so soft Lucia almost missed it. A gasp, like someone trying not to cry.

“Monica, I’m not going away. I’m going to stay right here until you let me in.”

“Go away.” The muffled voice came through the door. “I don’t want to see anyone.”

“I’m not anyone. I’m your mother.”

“You’re not my mother anymore. You said so yourself.”

The words hit Lucia like a physical blow. She pressed her forehead against the door, feeling tears start to flow down her cheeks.

“I never said that, sweetheart. I could never stop being your mother.”

“You wouldn’t come get me when I needed you.”

“I know.” Lucia’s voice cracked. “I was wrong.”

“You don’t love me anymore.”

“Oh, baby. That’s not true. That was never true.”

Ria and Lucas stood behind their mother, tears streaming down their own faces as they listened to

the pain in both voices.

“Please open the door, Monica.” The begging came raw from Lucia’s throat. “Let me see you. Let me hold you.”

“I’m ugly now. I’m broken. You won’t want to look at me.”

“There is nothing in this world that could make me not want to look at you. You are my baby. You will always be my beautiful baby.”

The silence stretched for long minutes. Then, finally, the sound of a lock turning.

The door opened just a crack, and Lucia caught a glimpse of her youngest daughter. What she saw made her gasp in horror.

Monica looked.

making he

was gaunt and pale, her cheeks hollow with weight loss. Dark circles ringed her eyes, hung limp and unwashed around her shoulders. But worst of all were her arms,

Chapter 133

overed in small hasadages and healing cuts that spoke of unbearable pain.

my God. The whisper tore from Lucia chest “Oh. weetheart, what ever you done to yo

Monica tried to close the door again, but Lucia gently pushed it open and steppedepside. The room scattered everywhere, art supplies broken and abandoned, the walls bare of the cheerful decorations this space feel like a teenage girl’s sanctuary,

“Don’t look at me. Monica backed away from her mother. “I told you

“You are not ugly‘ Lucia’s voice came fierce. “You’re hurting”

She moved toward Monica slowly. “Can I come closer?”

Monica shook her head, arms wrapped around herself. “Don’t”

“Why not?”

Silence.

Lucia crossed the room and pulled Monica into her arms.

“Listen to me” Lucia’s voice came thick with tears. “You are worth loving. You are a good daughter?

Monica’s body was rigid in her mother’s arms. “Then why did you leave me?*

“Because I was hurt. Beca let my pain matter more than yours.” Lucía pulled back to look into Monica’s eyes. Im the adult. I’m the mother.d have fought harder for you.”

You hate me for

“I could never

with the inf

Lucia c

fough

Dad.”

1. a. Never. You were a child caught in the middle of adult problems. You did what you thought was right you had.”

nica’s face in her hands, feeling how thin she had become. “But I’m the adult. I’m the mother. I should have Sr you. I should have made you feel safe and loved no matter what anyone else did.”

so much.” The whisper finally came broken from Monica’s lips as she allowed herself to lean into her mother’s

you too. Every day” Lucia’s tears fell freely now. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry I made you feel like nobody loves

r

hght if I hurt myself enough, it would stop hurting inside.”

sweetheart” Lucia gathered Monica closer, feeling her daughter’s body finally relax. “Hurting yourself won’t make this

appear.

Ria and Lucas stepped into the room, both crying as they watched their mother and sister reunite.

We love you too, Monica” Kia spoke through her tears. “We’re sorry.”

Monica looked at her siblings with surprise. “You brought her here?”

“We were scared we were going to lose you.” Ria admitted.

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C

ding on le the

are muttled agaros Lucia’s woulder Tm

dong her foughter’s her “No more worry. Wene starting sen”

ha mother and dexfter hell each other in the ruins of Monica’s childhood bedroom and neger, wmething began to head that had been broken for too long

Lone was silly th

rounded by the evidence of pain

Parily was forally stronger than pride.

And for the first tune

is the Mona began to believe that maybe, just maybe, she was worth saving after