Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 142

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Chapter 142

Chapter 142

The car pulled up to the Hart house just after eight o’clock. The porch light was on, throwing long shadows across the front yard. Ria felt her stomach twist as she looked at the familiar brick facade that no longer felt like home.

“Thank you for the ride. Lucas spoke to Lucia’s driver, his voice ponte despite the tension in his shoulders.

“Anytime, young man. You both take care now.”

They stood on the driveway watching the car pull away, Its taillights disappearing into the night. The silence that followed felt heavy, oppressive.

“Maybe he’s already asleep.” Ria’s whisper came hopeful but unconvincing.

Lucas looked at the lit windows, the glow from the living room spilling onto the lawn. “We’re not that lucky.”

They walked to the front door together, neither wanting to be the first to go inside. Ria’s hand trembled as she turned the doorknob. The hinges creaked as the door swung open.

The house smelled like whiskey and cigarettes. Margaret must have been smoking again, something she only did when she was drunk or angry or both. The television was off. No sound except the low hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.

Then they saw him.

Marco sat in his armchair in the living room, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He wasn’t looking at the television. He wasn’t reading. He was just sitting there in the dim lamplight, waiting. Margaret stood beside him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, a cigarette dangling from her fingers.

His eyes found them the moment they stepped through the door. Fury burned there, hot and sharp enough to make Ria take an involuntary step backward.

“Where have you been?” The question came quiet. Too quiet. The calm before the storm.

Ria swallowed hard. “We went to visit Monica.”

“Visit Monica.” Marco repeated the words slowly, like he was tasting poison. “Visit Monica where, exactly?”

“At Mom’s house.” Lucas’s voice came steadier than Ria felt. “At the Kane mansion.”

The glass in Marco’s hand shattered. He’d squeezed it so hard it broke, whiskey and blood dripping onto the carpet. He didn’t seem to notice.

“You went to that house.” The words ground out between clenched teeth. “You went to see that woman. After everything she’s done to this family.”

“She’s our mother.” Ria found her voice somewhere deep in her chest. “We had every right to see her.”

“Your mother?” Marco stood up, the broken glass falling from his hand. “Your mother abandoned you! She chose that criminal over her own children! And you repay me by sneaking off to visit her behind my back?”

“We didn’t sneak.” Lucas stepped forward. “We told you we were going out. You just didn’t ask where.”

“Don’t you dare use semantics with me, boy.” Marco’s face flushed deep red. “You knew exactly what you were doing. You’ re betrayers. Both of you. Just like your mother. Just like Monica.”

“We’re not betrayers.” Lucas’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Mom is our mother, Monica is our sister. We have every right to see them.”

Margaret pushed off the wall, her cigarette trailing smoke. “You ungrateful little brats. Your father has given you everything, and this is how you thank him? By running to the woman who destroyed this family?”

“Mom didn’t destroy anything!” Ria’s voice rose despite her fear. “Dad destroyed this family when he cheated! When he brought you into our lives! When he threw Mom away like she was garbage!”

“Watch your mouth.” Marco took a step toward her. “I won’t tolerate disrespect in my own house.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t be in your house!” The words burst from Ria before she could stop them.

Marco’s face went from red to purple. “You want to leave? You want to run to your precious mother and her billionaire husband? Go ahead! See if I care!”

“We came back, didn’t we?” Lucas spread his arms wide. “We could have stayed there. Mom would have let us. But we came back here because we thought you might actually care about where we were.”

“I care that you betrayed me!” Marco roared. “I care that you went behind my back to visit that witch!”

“Stop calling her that!” Lucas stepped between his father and sister. “She’s our mother. She loves us. Something you seem to have forgotten how to do.”

The first punch came se fost flis barely saw it Marco’s fist connected with Lucas’s jaw, snapping his head to the side

as stumbled but didn’t fall

“Dad, stopnia screamed.

But Marco wasn’t listening. He grabbed Lucas by the shirt and hit him again, this time in the stomach. Lucas doubled over, gasping for air

“You think you can talk to me like that?” Marco’s voice came ragged, broken. “You think you can betray me and then stand in my house and defend that woman?”

Lucas straightened up, blood trickling from his hp where it had split open again. The same spot his father had hit before.” She’s not that woman. She’s Mom. And you’re the one who betrayed her. You’re the one who destroyed everything.” Marco pulled his fist back for a third punch.

“NO!” Ria threw herself between them, her arms spread wide. “Stop it! Stop hitting him!”

Marco’s fist froze inches from her face. For a moment, he just stood there, breathing hard, his eyes wild and unfocused. “Move, Ria.” The command came through gritted teeth.

“No.” Her voice shook but held firm. “I won’t let you hit him again.”

“He deserves it for what he said.”

“He told the truth!” Tears streamed down Ria’s face. “Everything he said was true and you know it! You cheated on Mom! You planned to leave her for months! You humiliated her at your anniversary dinner! You threw away seventeen years of marriage like it meant nothing!”

“I said move!” Marco’s hand shot out, grabbing Ria’s arm hard enough to leave bruises.

Lucas surged forward despite his pain. “Don’t touch her!”

Margaret watched from the side, her cigarette burning down to ash. “Let them go, Marco. They’re not worth your energy.” “Not worth my energy?” Marco’s laugh came harsh and bitter. “These are my children! My own flesh and blood! And they’ve turned against me just like everyone else!”

“Because you gave us no choice!” Ria wrenched her arm free from his grip. “You became someone we don’t even recognize! You drink every day! You hit Lucas! You scream and break things and blame everyone else for your problems!”

“I have problems because your mother destroyed my life!”

“You destroyed your own life!” Lucas shouted. “Mom tried to save this family! She begged you to go to counseling! She tried to make things work! But you’d already decided you wanted Margaret instead!”

Marco’s hand went up again, but this time Ria was ready. She grabbed Lucas’s arm and pulled him toward the stairs.

“We’re done with this conversation.” Her voice came cold, final. “We’re going to our rooms.”

“You’re not dismissed!” Marco took a step toward them.

Ria turned on the stairs, looking down at her father with something like pity. “You’re a monster. You’ve become a monster, and one day you’re going to wake up and realize you don’t have a family to come back to. Monica’s already gone. And we’re not far behind.”

“If you walk up those stairs, don’t come crying to me when your mother gets bored with you and throws you out too.” “Mom won’t throw us out.” Lucas wiped blood from his mouth. “Because unlike you, she actually loves her children more than she loves being right.”

They climbed the stairs together, Ria supporting Lucas as he limped from where Marco’s punch had caught him in the ribs. Behind them, Marco stood in the living room surrounded by broken glass and spilled whiskey, his children walking away from him just like his wife had.

Margaret moved to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Let them go. They’ll come around eventually.”

“No.” Marco’s voice came hollow, empty. “They won’t. I’ve lost them. Just like I lost Monica. Just like I lost Lucia.”

“You haven’t lost anything. They’re just confused. They’ll realize where they belong.”

But Marco knew better. He’d seen it in their eyes. The same look Lucia had given him that night in the restaurant when he told her he was leaving. The look that said love had died and couldn’t be brought back.

Upstairs, Ria locked Lucas’s bedroom door behind them and turned on the light. Lucas collapsed onto his bed, holding his ribs.

“Let me see.” Ria pulled his shirt up, revealing red marks that would turn to bruises by morning.

Chapter 142

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