Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Breakfast. Coffee. Sunlight through tall windows.

Lucia sat at the table. Still adjusting. To being back. To being here. To being ready.

Alex appeared. Dressed already. Suit. Expensive. Sharp.

“Morning,” he said. Pouring coffee. Sitting across from her.

“Morning.”

Lena stumbled in. Hair messy. Still in pajamas. “Coffee. Need coffee.”

Alex slid a cup toward her. “There’s a charity gala tonight. The Louis Foundation. Annual fundraiser. Very exclusive. Very visible.”

Lucia’s stomach tightened. “Okay.”

“I want you to come. As my date. As Lucia Smith.”

Lucia Smith. Her new name. Her new identity. Her shield.

“Will there be. Will people I know be there?”

“Yes. Business contacts. Investors. Society people.” Alex paused. “Marco will be there.”

The name hit like a punch. Marco. Tonight. In the same room. Breathing the same air. Existing in the same

space.

After six months. After everything. After transformation and training and becoming.

She’d see him. Tonight.

“Are you sure I’m ready?” Lucia asked. Voice smaller than she wanted.

“Yes. You’re ready. More than ready.” Alex leaned forward. “This is the opening move. You appear. As yourself but not yourself. As Lucia Smith. Beautiful. Powerful. Untouchable. And Marco. Marco sees what he lost. What he threw away. What became something he could never reach.”

“And if he recognizes me?”

“He won’t. Not at first. Not looking like you do now. Not with the name change. Not with me beside you.” Alex’s voice was certain. Calm. “And when he does recognize you. When it finally clicks. It’ll be too late. You’ll have already won the room. Already made your impression. Already proven you’re not the woman he discarded.”

Lena grabbed a muffin. “This is so exciting. Like a spy movie. Or a revenge thriller.”

“It’s not a game,” Lucia said.

“I know. But still. It’s kind of badass.” Lena grinned. “What are you going to wear?”

“I don’t. I don’t know. I didn’t bring anything for a charity gala.”

“Good thing I did.” Alex smiled. “I had a stylist prepare options. They’re in your room. Lena can help you choose.”

After breakfast. Lucia and Lena went upstairs. To Lucia’s room. Where a rack of dresses waited.

Ten of them. All stunning. All expensive. All. All not her.

Not the old her. The housewife. The mother. The nothing.

These were dresses for someone else. Someone powerful. Someone who mattered.

“Okay,” Lena said. Examining each one. Touching fabric. Checking tags. “Let’s find the perfect one.”

She pulled out a black dress. “Too severe.”

A blue one. “Too safe.”

A silver one. “Too shiny.”

Then. Emerald green. Silk. Fitted. Low back. High slit. Elegant but. But dangerous. Powerful. Unapologetic.

1/4

Chapter 33

“This,” Lena said. “This is the one.”

Lucia touched it. The fabric was cool. Smooth. Expensive.

“It’s. It’s a lot.”

“Exactly. You need a lot. You need to walk in there and make every person in that room look. Make them wonder who you are. Make them want to know you. Make Marco regret every single choice that led to losing you.”

Lucia took the dress. Held it up. Imagined wearing it. Being that person. That woman who could own a room. “Okay,” she said. “This one.”

The afternoon passed. Slowly. Anxiously. Time crawling toward evening. Toward the gala. Toward Marco. At five. The makeup artist arrived. Professional. Efficient. Carrying cases of products.

“Let’s make you unforgettable,” she said.

Lucia sat. Let the woman work. Foundation. Contour. Highlighter. Eyes. Lips. Layer after layer. Transformation after transformation.

The stylist came next. Hair pulled back. Sleek. Sophisticated. Showing the diamond at Lucia’s throat. The Sea of Hart. Twenty million dollars. Glowing against her skin.

She worked carefully. Precisely. Each strand perfect. Each pin placed exactly right.

When she finished. She stepped back. Looked at Lucia. Her eyes widened.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. “You’re. You’re absolutely stunning. I’ve worked with celebrities. Models. Actresses. But you. You’re something else entirely.”

The makeup artist nodded. Packing her brushes. “Agreed. You’re going to stop traffic tonight. Everyone in that room is going to want to know who you are.”

Then the dress. Lena helped. Zipping. Adjusting. Smoothing.

Lucia looked in the mirror. Didn’t recognize herself.

The woman staring back was. Beautiful. Powerful. Dangerous.

Not Lucia Hart. Not the housewife. Not the nothing.

Someone else. Someone new. Lucia Smith.

“Holy hell,” Lena whispered. “Mom. You look. You look incredible.”

Mom. The word grounded her. Reminded her. She wasn’t just revenge. Wasn’t just transformation. Wasn’t just this dress and this makeup and this performance.

She was still. Still Lucia. Still herself. Just. Different. Stronger. Ready.

A knock on the door. Alex’s voice. “Ready?”

“Come in,” Lena called.

The door opened. Alex stepped inside. Looked at Lucia. Froze.

His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Nothing came out.

He just. Stared. Eyes wide. Face shocked. Stunned. Speechless.

Lena tapped his shoulder. “Dad. You’re being weird. Say something.”

Alex blinked. Cleared his throat. “I. You. You look.”

“Incredible,” Lena supplied. “She looks incredible. Right?”

“Beyond incredible.” Alex’s voice was rough. Raw. “Lucia. You look. You look stunning. Breathtaking. I. I don’t have words.”

Lucia felt heat rise in her cheeks. “Thank you.”

“Marco is going to. He’s going to lose his mind when he sees you.”

2/4

Chapter 33

“That’s the plan,” Lena said. Grinning. “Total destruction through sheer gorgeousness.”

Alex couldn’t stop staring. His eyes traced the dress. The diamond. The hair. The face. Everything.

Like he was seeing her for the first time. Like she’d transformed into someone. Someone he’d never seen before.

“We should go,” Lucia said. Breaking the moment. “Don’t want to be late.”

“Right. Yes. The car is waiting.” Alex stepped back. Gestured toward the door. “Shall we?”

Downstairs. Lena grabbed Lucia’s hand. Squeezed. “You’ve got this. You’re going to walk in there and destroy everyone. In the best way.”

“I’m terrified.”

“Good. Terror means you care. Means it matters. Means you’re alive.” Lena hugged her. Quick. Fierce. “Love you, Mom. Go show them who you became.”

Who she became. Someone powerful. Someone undeniable. Someone who mattered.

Lucia could do this. Had to do this.

The car waited outside. Black. Sleek. Driver standing ready.

Alex helped her in. His hand warm on hers. Steadying. Supporting.

He climbed in beside her. Close. Present. There. Lena sat in front.

The door closed. The engine started. The car began to move.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify