Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

*

The Grandview Estate looked like something from a magazine. White roses everywhere. Crystal chandeliers. Silk draping the walls. Tables set with china that cost more than most people’s cars.

Two hundred guests. All dressed in designer clothes. Jewels glittering under lights.

Marco stood at the altar. Navy suit. Custom tailored. Thirty thousand dollars. Worth every penny. He looked/good. Felt good.

The wedding march began.

Margaret appeared at the back of the ballroom. White dress. Thousands of crystals sewn into the fabric/The train stretched fifteen feet behind her. Josh walked beside her. Uncomfortable in his rented tux. But beaming.

Marco watched her approach. She looked perfect. Young. Beautiful. Everything Lucia hadn’t been in years.

The tiara on her head caught the light. Antique. Diamonds and sapphires. It had belonged to Lucia’s grandmother. Passed down through generations.

Margaret had found it in the safe. Asked if she could wear it.

Marco had said yes immediately. Why not? Lucia wasn’t using it. Lucia wasn’t here. The jewelry belonged to the Hart family. And Margaret was a Hart now.

Besides. Seeing it on Margaret’s head instead of Lucia’s felt right. Like an upgrade. Like everything else in his life now.

Josh kissed Margaret’s cheek. Handed her over.

The ceremony blurred. Words spoken. Vows repeated. Rings exchanged.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Applause erupted. Margaret kissed him. Hard. Possessive.

Marco kissed her back. Not thinking about Lucia at all. Not comparing. Not remembering his first wedding in a small church with a simple dress.

This was better. This was what marriage should look like.

They walked back down the aisle. Married. Official. Finally.

In the receiving line, guests offered congratulations. Commented on the venue. The flowers. The bride’s dress.

“Gorgeous wedding,” someone said.

“Must have cost a fortune,” another whispered.

It had. Two million dollars. Marco didn’t care. He could afford it. That’s what money was for. To show the world you’d made

David, his CFO, approached. Face serious. “We need to talk. About the company.”

“Not today.” Marco said. Dismissive.

“It can’t wait.”

“It has to.” Marco barely looked at him. “It’s my wedding day. Whatever it is can wait until Monday.”

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Chapter 17

David’s jaw tightened. But he nodded. Walked away.

The reception started. Dinner was served. Eight courses. Expensive. Extravagant. Exactly what Marco wanted.

Ria stood to give her toast. Maid of honor. Wearing a dress Margaret had picked. Blue silk. Sophisticated.

“I want to thank Margaret,” Ria said. Microphone in hand. Voice confident. “For bringing joy back to our family. For showing us what real happiness looks like. For being the mother figure we actually needed.”

Marco smiled. Proud of his daughter. She understood. She saw the truth. That Lucia had been holding them back. That Margaret was the future.

“My father deserves someone special,” Ria continued. “Someone who appreciates him. Who supports his success. Who makes him smile. Margaret is everything he deserves and more.”

Applause. Glasses raised. Margaret glowed. Marco squeezed her hand.

This was right. This was how it should be.

Monica had been flower girl. Throwing petals down the aisle. Eight years old. Wearing a white dress with a pink sash. She’d loved every second. The attention. The pretty dress. The cameras.

She’d barely mentioned Lucia in months. Kids adapted. Moved on. That’s what they did.

Lucas stood next. Fifteen, Tall. Uncomfortable in his suit.

“To my father and Margaret,” Lucas said. Flat. Reading from a card. “May you have a long and happy marriage. Congratulations.”

He sat down immediately.

Marco’s jaw tightened. Ungrateful. After everything Marco had done for him. The private school. The football equipment. Everything

He’d deal with Lucas later. About his attitude. About showing proper respect.

Then it was Marco’s turn.

He stood. Champagne glass in hand. The room quieted.

“I want to thank everyone for being here,” he began. “To celebrate this day with us.”

He paused. Looked around the room. At the success. The wealth. The proof of what he’d built.

“My first marriage,” Marco said. Clear. Confident. “Was a mistake. I married young. Married someone who didn’t understand ambition. Who was content being ordinary. Being a housewife. Being Nothing.”

He heard a few gasps. Didn’t care.

“I wasted seventeen years on someone who couldn’t grow. Who couldn’t evolve. Who held me back from my potential. But i am glad that our divorce is now finalized.”

Margaret’s hand found his. Squeezed. Supporting him.

“But Margaret,” Marco turned to her. “Margaret is everything I needed. She’s ambitious. She’s driven. She understands success. She pushed me to leave behind dead weight. To focus on what matters. On building something real.”

He raised his glass higher. “I’m grateful I finally found someone worthy of being my wife. Someone who adds value instead of taking it. Someone who makes me better instead of dragging me down.”

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Chapter 17

“To Margaret,” he declared. “The woman who saved me from a life of mediocrity.”

“To Margaret!” the room echoed.

They drank. Applauded. Celebrated.

Josh leaned over to Marie. Whispered something. Marie looked uncomfortable. But Josh just grinned. Drunk already.

The dancing started. Marco and Margaret took the floor. First dance.

She pressed against him. “That was perfect,” she whispered. “The way you talked about her. She deserved it

“She did,” Marco agreed. Meaning it completely. “She needed to hear it. Wherever she is. She needed to know she wasn’t good enough.”

“You’re so strong.” Margaret said. “Most men would be too weak to tell the truth like that.”

Strong. Yes. That’s what he was. Strong enough to cut out what didn’t work. To move forward. To win.

After the first dance, Josh grabbed the microphone. Drunk. Tie loosened.

“I just want to say,” he announced. Volume too loud. “My daughter. She done real good. Married herself a rich man. We’re so proud.”

Nervous laughter from the crowd.

“We come from nothing,” Josh continued. “Nothing. And look at her now. Smart girl. Knew what she wanted. Went and got it.”

Margaret’s face tightened. But Marco just smiled. So what if Josh said it out loud? Everyone knew it anyway. Margaret married up. That’s what smart women did.

Security appeared. Guided Josh back to his seat.

“It’s fine.” Marco said to Margaret. “He’s just proud.”

“He made me sound like a gold digger.”

“So what? You are.” Marco shrugged. “And I’m fine with it. We both got what we wanted.”

Margaret stared at him. Then laughed. “You’re right. We did.”

David appeared beside him again. “The board wants a meeting. Monday. About the missing funds.”

“How much?”

“Twelve million. And climbing.”

Marco waved a hand. “I’ll handle it. Always do.”

“This is serious.”

“Everything’s serious to you. David. Relax. Enjoy the party.”

David walked away. Frustrated.

Marco didn’t care. The company would be fine. It was always fine. He always figured it out.

And if he didn’t. Well. He’d sell something. Cut costs. Fire people. Whatever it took.

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Chapter 17

He looked around the ballroom. At the success on display. At Margaret in her expensive dress wearing Lucia’s heirlooms. At his children. Ria thriving. Monica happy. Lucas. Well. Lucas would come around.

At Josh and Marie. Uncomfortable but grateful. Knowing their daughter had escaped poverty.

This was winning. This was success. This was what happened when you were strong enough to cut out the weak/parts of your life.

Lucia. With her boring cardigans and her mediocre dreams. With her satisfied smile over dinner and her simple happiness. With her pathetic attempts to be enough.

She’d never been enough. Never would be.

And now she was gone. Finally. Completely.

Good riddance.

Margaret appeared beside him. “Dance with me again. People are watching.”

He took her hand. They moved onto the floor.

“Happy?” Margaret asked.

“Very,” Marco said. Meaning it. “This is exactly what I wanted.”

“Good. Because this is just the beginning. Wait until you see what I have planned for the honeymoon. For the house renovations. For our future.”

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