Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Lucia woke to sunlight streaming through curtains. December morning. Cold outside. Warm inside.

She stretched. Looked at the clock. Eight AM. Late for her. Usually up at five. Training with Dieter. Studying financials. Planning.

But today felt different. Quieter.

She got up. Showered. Dressed. Went downstairs.

The house was silent. Strange. Usually Lena was at the kitchen table studying. Alex making coffee. Marie cooking breakfast.

Nobody.

“Hello?” Lucia called.

Nothing.

She walked toward the kitchen. Pushed open the door.

“Surprise!”

Lucia jumped. Hand to chest.

Alex and Lena stood by the table. Grinning. Behind them. Balloons. Silver and gold. A cake. Candles. Presents wrapped in blue paper.

“What is this?”

“Happy birthday!” Lena bounced. Excited.

Lucia stared. “It’s not my birthday.”

“Yes it is.” Alex held up his phone. Showing the date. “December eighteenth. You’re forty today.”

Forty. Right. She’d forgotten. Completely.

“How did you know?”

“We both grew up together, Remember.”

Lucia looked at the table. The cake. Chocolate. The balloons. The effort.

When had anyone ever.

“I don’t understand.”

Lena grabbed her hand. “It’s your birthday. We’re celebrating. Come sit.”

They guided her to a chair. Alex poured coffee. Lena put the cake in front of her. Forty candles. Lit. Glowing. “We’re supposed to sing,” Lena said. “But Dad’s voice is terrible. So maybe we skip that.”

“My voice is fine,” Alex protested.

“It’s really not.”

They bickered. Playful. While Lucia stared at the candles.

“Make a wish,” Lena said. “Before the wax melts.”

Lucia closed her eyes. Blew them all out. One breath.

Lena clapped. “Now presents!”

“You didn’t have to…”

“Too bad.” Lena handed her a small box. Wrapped in purple paper. Messy. Clearly done by Lena herself. Lucia opened it. Inside. A bracelet. Handmade. Silver chain. Small charms hanging. A book. A mountain. A lightning bolt. A phoenix.

“I made it,” Lena said. Shy now. “Each charm means something. The book because you’re always studying.

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Chapter 28

The mountain because you climbed yours. The lightning because you’re powerful now. And the phoenix because. Because you rose from ashes. Like. Like you died and came back different. Stronger.”

Lucia’s throat tightened. “Lena. This is. This is beautiful.”

“My mom used to make me things. For birthdays. Before she got sick. Before she couldn’t anymore. Handmade stuff. Not bought stuff. Because it meant more. Meant she thought about me. Spent time. Cared.” Lena’s eyes were wet. “I wanted. I wanted you to have that. To know someone thought about you. Spent time. Cared.”

The tears came. Lucia couldn’t stop them.

She pulled Lena into a hug. Tight. “Thank you. This means. This means everything.”

When she pulled back. Alex was watching. Eyes soft.

“My turn,” he said. Handed her a small velvet box. Navy blue. Expensive looking.

Lucia opened it.

Inside. A ring. No. Not a ring. Too large. A pendant maybe. But the stone. The stone was.

“Is this,” she whispered.

“The Sea of Hart diamond. Yes.”

Lucia stared. The diamond was massive. Blue. Deep ocean blue. Flawless. Set in platinum. Breathtaking.

“This is. This has to be worth.”

“Twenty million. Give or take.”

Her hands shook. “I can’t accept this.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s. It’s too much. It’s insane. It’s.”

“It’s a statement.” Alex’s voice was calm. Certain. “Marco gave you nothing. Seventeen years. Three children. A life built together. And what did you get? Grocery money. A minivan. Hand–me–down jewelry from his mother.” Lucia flinched. True. All true.

“This.” Alex gestured to the diamond. “This is what you deserved. What you were worth. What you are worth. Twenty million dollars. And it’s still not enough.”

“Alex.”

“Wear it. When we go back. When you face him. When you take his company. Wear this. Let him see what you became. What you’re worth. What he lost.”

Lucia looked at the diamond. At the way light caught in its depths. Blue fire. Ocean depths. Power.

Marco had never given her anything like this. Had never spent real money on her. Had never valued her enough to.

To what? To prove her worth? To show the world she mattered?

This diamond. This gift. It wasn’t just jewelry.

It was a weapon. A statement. A declaration.

“Okay,” Lucia said. “I’ll wear it.”

Alex smiled. Took the pendant. Fastened it around her neck. The weight settled against her collarbone. Heavy. Real. There.

“Perfect,” Lena said. “You look like. Like a queen. Like someone who could destroy kingdoms.”

“Let’s eat cake,” Alex said. “Before breakfast. Because birthdays mean breaking rules.”

They sat. Alex cutting slices. Lena pouring juice. Lucia touching the diamond at her throat. Still unable to believe it was real.

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Chapter 28

“My family never did this,” Lucia said quietly. “Birthdays. They were never. Never important.”

“Never?” Lena’s eyes widened. “Not even when you were married?”

“Marco would send flowers. From his assistant probably. Or buy jewelry. Cheap. Impersonal. Things he could delegate.”

“And your kids?”

“They’d make cards when they were little. Crayon drawings. But as they got older. Marco would just buy a card. Tell them to sign it. Generic. Quick.”

“That’s awful,” Lena said.

“It was normal. I thought I didn’t deserve more.” Lucia touched the bracelet on her wrist. The charms Lena had chosen. Thought about. Made. “But this. What you both did. This is. This is more than anyone ever.” “You’re worth more than anyone ever gave you, Alex said. “And we’ll make sure everyone knows it.”

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