Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Margaret’s phone started buzzing before the sun came up.

At first, she ignored it.

She turned over in bed, pulled the pillow over her head, and tried to go back to sleep. It kept buzzing. Again. And again. And again. The sound did not stop. It crawled under her skin. It felt wrong. Urgerit. Like something bad waiting for her.

She reached for the phone without opening her eyes.

Another buzz.

Another.

Her screen lit up.

Notifications. Messages. Tags. Mentions.

Hundreds.

Her chest tightened.

Something was wrong.

She sat up slowly, heart already beating faster, even before she understood why.

Her thumb hovered over the screen.

Then she tapped.

The first thing she saw was a message.

“Margaret, what is this???”

Then another.

“You need to respond NOW.”

Then another.

“This is disgusting. I never expected this from you.”

Her stomach dropped.

She clicked the link.

The page loaded slowly. Too slowly. Her fingers trembled as she waited.

Then it appeared.

Photos.

Her breath stopped.

Her and him.

Jane’s husband.

୮

At a restaurant. His hand on her waist. Her body leaning into his. Too close. Too familiar. No way to explain it away.

Another photo. Hotel entrance. His arm around her shoulders.

Another. Inside a car. His hand on her thigh.

Margaret felt something cold spread through her chest.

No.

No, no, no.

This was not happening.

She scrolled.

The words hit next.

Sharp. Clean. Merciless.

The article laid everything out. Dates. Timeline. Pregnancy. The abortion.

Every secret she had buried.

Chapter 65

Every lie she had told

Exposed

Public.

For everyone to see.

Her hands started shaking.

She dropped the phone onto the bed like it burned her.

Silence.

Then….

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

It would not stop.

She grabbed the phone again. This time faster. Panic taking over.

Comments.

Thousands.

They were pouring in faster than she could read.

“She slept with her sister’s husband while she was pregnant? That is evil.”

“This woman is a snake.”

“Hope she loses everything.”

“Disgusting human being.”

Margaret’s chest tightened. Her throat felt dry.

They did not know the full story.

They did not know how it happened.

They did not know anything.

They were judging her. Destroying her. Tearing her apart like she was nothing.

Her fingers moved fast. Deleting comments. Blocking accounts.

It did not matter.

More came.

Faster.

Endless.

Like the world had decided she was guilty and nothing she did could stop it.

She let out a sharp breath and threw the phone across the room.

It hit the wall hard. Fell to the floor. The screen cracked.

But it still buzzed.

Still lit up.

Still kept going.

Margaret pressed her hands to her head.

“No… no… no…”

Her voice sounded small.

Weak.

Nothing like her.

Her laptop pinged.

She turned toward it slowly.

For a moment, she did not move.

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Chapter 65

Then she stood and walked to the desk.

Lach step felt heavy

She operred it.

Email.

From her agent.

Subject line.

Contract Terminations.

Her heart dropped.

She opened it.

Read.

Once.

Then again.

The words blurred.

Three brands.

Gone.

Just like that.

No warning.

No negotiation.

No chance to fix it.

Morality clauses.

Immediate termination.

No compensation.

Her chest tightened so hard she had to grab the edge of the desk.

“No…”

Another email came in.

Then another.

And another.

She opened them one after the other.

Each one the same.

Termination.

Termination.

Termination.

By the time she checked the time, it was barely past eight.

Six contracts.

Gone.

Six.

Her breath came faster.

Her mind raced.

All that money.

All that work.

All those connections.

Everything she built.

Gone in a few hours.

Because of one article.

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Chapter 65

Because of something that happened years ago.

Something that was supposed to stay buried.

“Who did this?” she whispered.

Her voice shook.

Her eyes darted around the room like the answer was hiding somewhere.

Who had those photos?

Who knew?

Who would want to destroy her like this?

The bedroom door opened.

Marco stood there.

He did not look angry at first.

He looked cold.

That was worse.

He held papers in his hand.

Printed.

The article.

The photos.

The proof.

Margaret’s heart dropped even lower.

“Marco,” she started.

He did not respond.

He walked in slowly.

Stopped in front of her.

Looked straight at her.

“Is it true?”

His voice was quiet.

Too quiet.

Margaret swallowed.

“It was a long time ago….”

“Answer the question.”

She froze.

Her throat tightened.

“…Yes.”

The word barely came out.

Marco let out a breath. Slow. Controlled.

Like he was holding something back.

‘You slept with your sister’s husband.”

Margaret opened her mouth.

‘It wasn’t like…”

“You got pregnant.”

She flinched.

“You had an abortion.”

Silence.

Heavy.

r

Chapter 65 Thick.

Margaret could bear her own heartbeat.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Marco laughed.

It was not a happy sound.

It was sharp. Bitter. Disbelieving.

“We were dating.”

Margaret shook her head quickly.

“We weren’t serious yet…”

“I was leaving Lucia for you!”

His voice exploded.

Margaret stepped back.

“You were telling me you loved me,” he continued. “You were telling me you were different. Better. And the whole time…”

His voice broke slightly.

“You were sleeping with someone else.”

“It wasn’t like that!” she said quickly. “You were still married. You don’t get to judge me for seeing someone when you were still with your wife.”

Marco stared at her.

Long.

Hard.

Then he spoke again.

“I was choosing you.”

The words landed heavy.

“I destroyed my family for you.”

Margaret felt something twist in her chest.

“I thought you were worth it,” he said.

Silence.

The air between them changed.

The doorbell rang.

Loud.

Sharp.

Over and over.

Margaret’s stomach dropped.

Marco turned.

Walked out without another word.

Margaret stood frozen.

Her hands trembled.

A voice echoed from downstairs.

Familiar.

Furious.

Jane.

Margaret’s blood went cold.

“No…”

Footsteps.

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Chapter 65

Fast.

Heavy.

Coming closer.

The door slammed open.

Jane stood there.

Her eyes were red.

Her face twisted with pain.

“You bitch!”

The words hit like a slap.

“You slept with my husband!”

Margaret took a step back.

“Jane, listen….”

“You got pregnant!”

Jane moved forward.

“You had his child!”

“It wasn’t…..”

Jane, grabbed her hair.

Hard.

Pain shot through Margaret’s scalp.

“You destroyed my marriage!”

Margaret cried out and pushed her away.

They stumbled.

Hit the dresser.

Things fell.

Shattered.

“You were my sister!” Jane screamed. “I trusted you!”

Margaret shoved her.

Jane came back harder.

They crashed into the bed.

Hands grabbing. Nails scratching.

Margaret felt sharp pain on her cheek.

Warmth.

Blood.

“Stop!”

Marco’s voice cut through.

He rushed in and pulled Jane back.

Jane struggled.

Kicking. Crying. Trying to break free.

“Let me go!” she screamed. “Let me hurt her!”

Marco held her tight.

“It’s not going to fix anything” he said.

Jane broke.

Her body went weak.

She started crying.

г

Chapter 65 Loud.

Broken

“How do I live with this?” she sobbed. “Everyone knows. Everyone is talking about it. My children… my family…”

Margaret stood there.

Breathing hard.

Hair messy.

Face burning.

Her chest felt tight.

“This isn’t my fault,” she said suddenly.

Jane looked up.

“What?”

“I didn’t release this,” Margaret said. “Someone did this to me.”

Jane stared at her like she was insane.

“You did this to yourself,” Jane said.

But Margaret shook her head.

“No… this is targeted.”

Março looked at her.

Slowly.

“Targeted?”

Margaret’s mind raced.

Everything lined up too perfectly.

Too clean.

Too planned.

“Someone is destroying us,” she said.

Marco went still.

“The company,” she continued. “The investments. Now this. It’s not random.”

Silence.

Then Marco said it.

“Lucia.”

Margaret’s breath caught.

“Yes.”

The name felt right.

Too right.