Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 160

Chapter 160

Chapter 160

The car ride home felt longe than usual despite the afternoon traffic moving smoothly. Lucia sat in the back with Ria, watching her daughter stare out the window with red-rimmed eyes. Alexander drove in silence, his jaw set in a way that told Lucia his mind was already working through plans and contingencies.

When they pulled into the driveway, Monica burst through the front door before the car even stopped. Lucas and Lena followed close behind, their faces anxious and hopeful at the same time.

“Well?” Monica’s voice came out breathless. “What happened? What did the judge say?”

Lucia stepped out of the car and looked at her three children standing on the front steps. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the driveway, and for a moment, she couldn’t find the words. Her throat felt tight with emotion.

“We won.” The words came out as a whisper first. Then louder. “We won. You’re staying with us. All of you.”

Monica let out a scream that was half sob, half laugh. She launched herself down the steps and into Lucia’s arms with such force they both nearly fell over. Lucas ran forward too, wrapping his arms around both of them. Lena joined the embrace, and soon they were all tangled together in the driveway, crying and laughing at the same time.

“We don’t have to go back?” Monica pulled away to look at Lucia’s face, needing confirmation. “Never?”

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“Never.” Lucia cupped Monica’s cheeks in her hands. “You’re mine. Legally. Officially. Forever.”

“What about him?” Lucas asked quietly. “What did the judge say about our father?”

“He can request supervised visits once a week if you agree to see him. But only if you want to. And he has to complete anger management counseling first.

“I don’t want to see him.” Monica’s response came immediate and fierce. “Not ever.”

“You don’t have to.” Alexander spoke from where he stood near the car. “None of you have to do anything you don’t want to do. That’s what the judge made very clear.”

They moved inside together, gathering in the living room where the afternoon light streamed through the large windows. Mrs. Chen had prepared tea and cookies, sensing they would need comfort food when they returned.

Monica curled up on the couch next to Lucia, refusing to let go of her mother’s hand. Lucas sat on the floor with his back against the sofa, looking more relaxed than Lucia had seen him in days. Dena perched on the arm of Alexander’s chair, her hand resting on his shoulder.

But Ria stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself, staring out at the garden without really seeing it.

“Ria?” Lucia called gently. “Come sit with us. This is a celebration.”

“Is it?” Ria turned from the window, her face pale. “Did you see him in the courtroom? Did you hear what he said?”

The joy in the room dimmed slightly. Monica’s grip on Lucia’s hand tightened.

“What did he say?” Lena asked, looking between Ria and Lucia with concern.

Ria’s voice came out shaky. “He threatened us. All of us. He said we’d made an enemy today. That we’d regret what we did for the rest of our lives.”

Monica’s face went white. “He threatened you? In front of the judge?*

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Aher the judge le Ria moved away from the window but didn’t sit down. “He was so angry. His face was like stone, but his Leyes were full of hate. And when I tried to talk to him, to tell him maybe we could still have a relationship, he called me a

traitor.”

Her voice broke on the last word. Lucas stood up and went to his sister, pulling her into a hug.

“What exactly did he say?” Alexander’s question came calm but serious. “Word for word if you can remember.”

Ria took a shaky breath. “He said we’d humiliated him. Destroyed his reputation. Turned his children against him. He asked if we thought our money and lawyers made us untouchable.”

“And then?” Alexander prompted gently.

“Then you

stood up and asked if he was threatening us. And he said he was promising us. That we’d made an enemy we’d regret” Ria’s hands were shaking now. “He looked right at Mom when he said it. Like he was planning something already.”

Monica started crying quietly. “What if he comes here? What if he tries to hurt us?”

“He won’t.” Alexander’s voice came firm and absolute. “I promise you, he won’t.”

“How can you promise that?” Ria asked, her own tears starting to fall. “You didn’t see his face. He meant every word. And he has nothing to lose now. The judge took everything from him.”

“The judge took nothing from him that he didn’t already throw away himself.” Lucia spoke up, her voice strong despite the fear curling in her stomach. “But Ria’s right that we need to take his threats seriously.”

Alexander set down his teacup and looked at each of the children in turn. “I want you all to listen to me very carefully. Your father is angry right now. Angry people say things. But saying things and doing things are very different.”

“But what if he does do something?” Lucas asked. “What if he tries to take us back by force?”

“Then he’ll have to go through me first.” Alexander’s words came quiet but deadly serious. “And I have resources your father can’t even imagine.”

“What kind of resources?” Monica wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

Alexander leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “Starting tomorrow, we’re going to have security personnel on the property twenty-four hours a day. Not just at the gate, but patrolling the grounds. Nobody gets in without our permission.”

“Like bodyguards?” Lena asked.

“Exactly like bodyguards. Trained professionals who know how to keep people safe.”

Ria shook her head. “But we can’t live like prisoners in our own home.”

“You won’t be prisoners. You’ll be protected.” Alexander stood up and moved to where Ria stood with Lucas. “There’s a difference. You’ll still go to school, see your friends, live your normal lives. But you’ll have someone watching over you. Someone who can respond if your father tries anything.”

“What about at school?” Monica asked, her voice small and scared. “Can he come to our school?”

“I’m going to speak with your principal tomorrow morning.” Lucia answered. “We’ll make sure the school has photos of your father and Margaret. They won’t be allowed on campus. If they try to approach any of you, the school will call the police immediately.”

“And we’re installing new security cameras around the entire property.” Alexander continued. “Top of the line surveillance system. If anyone comes near this house, we’ll know about it.”

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This is really happening.” Monica looked around at her family. “We really have to be scared of him now.”

“No.” Lucia pulled Monica closer. “We don’t have to be scared. We have to be careful. There’s a difference.”

“Your mother’s right.” Alexander sat back down. “Fear is what your father wants. He wants you to feel unsafe, to doubt your decision, to regret standing up against him. Don’t give him that power.”

“But he sounded so serious.” Ria’s whisper came broken. “When he called me a traitor, when he said the father I remembered was dead. He meant it. And I don’t know what he’s capable of anymore.”

“Which is exactly why we’re taking precautions. Alexander’s gaze swept across all four children. “I’ve already contacted a private security firm. They’re the best in the country. Former military, law enforcement, people who actually know what they’re doing. They’ll be here by tomorrow afternoon.”

“What else?” Lucas asked. “What else can we do to stay safe?”

“You stay together as much as possible. No one goes anywhere alone. If you need to go out, you tell us first. We’ll have a security detail take you.” Alexander counted off on his fingers. “You keep your phones on you at all times. We’ll install a panic button app. One touch and security will be notified of your location immediately.”

“This sounds expensive.” Ria bit her lip. “All of this. The security, the cameras, the bodyguards.”

Alexander’s expression softened. “Money is not an issue. Not when it comes to keeping my family safe. I would spend every penny I have before I let anything happen to any of you.”

“But what if it’s not enough?” Monica’s question came out barely audible. “What if he finds a way anyway?”

“Then we’ll deal with it.” Lucia spoke firmly. “Together. As a family. But Monica, sweetheart, look at me.”

Monica lifted her tear-stained face.

“Your father is one man. Angry, yes. Possibly dangerous, yes. But we are not helpless. We have money, we have lawyers, we have security, and most importantly, we have each other. We’re stronger together than he could ever be alone.”

“Your mother’s right.” Alexander stood up again, moving to the center of the room so all the children could see him. “Marco Hart had seventeen years to be a good father. He chose not to be. He chose to hurt you instead. And now he’s lost you because of his own actions. That’s not our fault. That’s his.”

“But he doesn’t see it that way.” Lucas pointed out. “He thinks we betrayed him.”

“Which tells you exactly how twisted his thinking is.” Alexander’s voice grew harder. “A real father would be devastated that his children felt unsafe with him. A real father would want to fix that, to rebuild trust. But your biological father doesn’t want to fix anything. He wants revenge. And that tells you everything you need to know about his character.”

“So what do we do now?” Lena asked quietly. “Just wait and see if he does something?”

“No.” Alexander shook his head. “We live our lives. We go to school, we have family dinners, we watch movies, we laugh. We don’t let his anger steal our happiness. But we stay alert. We stay smart. And we trust the security measures we’re putting in place.”

“And if he does show up?” Ria asked. “What do we do?”

“You call for help immediately. You don’t engage with him. You don’t try to talk to him or reason with him.” Lucia’s instructions came clear and firm. “You get somewhere safe and you let the professionals handle it.”

Monica looked around at her siblings, then at Lucia and Alexander. “I don’t want to be scared anymore. I spent so long being scared in his house. I don’t want to feel that way here too.”

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You don’t have to Alexander moved to sit on the coffee table in front of the couch, putting himself at eye level with Monica. “Being cautious isn’t the same as being scared. We’re just making sure everyone is safe. That’s what parents do. They protect their children.”

“You’re really going to protect us?” Monica’s voice came out small. “No matter what?”

“No matter what.” Alexander reached out and took her free hand. “I’m your father now. Not by blood, but by choice. And I choose to keep you safe. All of you. Whatever it takes.”

Ría finally moved from where she’d been standing and sat down next to Lucia. “I’m sorry I’m being so negative. We should be celebrating. We won.”

“You’re not being negative.” Lucia wrapped an arm around her eldest daughter. “You’re being realistic. And that’s okay. We can celebrate and be cautious at the same time.”

Mrs. Chen appeared in the doorway. “Dinner is ready when you are. I made everyone’s favorites.”

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