Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Chapter 71

tucia was trying to focus.

That was the worst part.

Everything around her looked normal: Calm. Controlled. Like nothing was burning beneath the surface.

She sat across from Alexander at the long glass table in his office. Papers spread out. A tablet glowing softly. Numbers. Projections. A tech startup he wanted to invest in.

Something clean. Something simple. Something that had nothing to do with revenge.

Lucia leaned forward slightly, eyes on the report.

“The valuation is too high,” she said quietly. “They’re selling potential, not results. If production fails, the whole thing collapses.”

Her voice sounded steady. Too steady.

Alexander watched her for a second before nodding. “But the concept is strong.”

“It is. If they survive long enough to prove it.”

She picked up the pen beside her, tapping it once against the paper. Small movement. Controlled.

This was what she was supposed to be now.

A businesswoman. A partner. Someone who built things instead of destroying them.

Her phone lay face down beside her.

It had not stopped buzzing all morning.

She had not checked it.

She did not need to.

She already knew what it would say.

Then the door burst open.

No knock.

No warning.

Alexander’s assistant rushed in, breath uneven, face pale.

“Sir… I’m sorry… but there’s a problem downstairs.”

Lucia’s hand froze.

She didn’t look up immediately.

She already felt it.

That shift in the air.

That familiar dread crawling up her spine.

“What kind of problem?” Alexander asked.

“A man… he’s refusing to leave. Security tried but he won’t move. He’s shouting. Causing a scene. He keeps asking for Ms. Smith.”

Lucia slowly lifted her head.

Her heart had already started beating faster.

“Who?” Alexander asked.

The assistant hesitated.

“He says his name is Marco Hart.”

The pen slipped from Lucia’s fingers.

It hit the table with a soft sound.

For a moment, everything inside her went still.

Then it came rushing back.

The memories.

Chapter 71

The anyer.

the humiliation

The night he destroyed her in front of everyone.

Her chest tightened.

“He found me,” she said under her breath.

Alexander stood immediately. “You don’t have to see him. I’ll have him removed.”

“No.”

Lucia stood too fast. Her chair scraped against the floor.

“I’ll see him.”

Alexander frowned. “Lucia…”

“I said I’ll see him.”

Her voice wasn’t loud.

But it was firm.

Final.

She needed this.

Needed to look him in the eyes.

Needed to see what he had become.

Needed him to see her.

“Fine,” Alexander said quietly. “I’m coming with you.”

Lucia didn’t argue.

The elevator ride felt too long.

Every second stretched.

Her reflection stared back at her from the mirrored walls.

Calm face.

Cold eyes.

Nothing like the woman Marco had left.

Her hands curled slowly at her sides.

She did not want him to see her shake.

The doors opened.

Noise hit her instantly.

Voices. Movement. Tension in the air.

And then she saw him.

r

Marco stood in the center of the lobby.

Security surrounded him but kept their distance.

He looked… ruined.

His suit was wrinkled. His tie loose. His hair messy like he had been running his hands through it again and again.

His eyes were wild.

Desperate.

Angry.

Broken.

“I know she’s here!” he shouted. “Stop lying to me! Tell her to come out!”

People had stopped walking.

Employees stood at a distance, pretending not to stare.

Watching anyway.

Chapter 71

Lucia зtepped forward..

Marcu

His head snapped toward her.

Everything on his face changed in a second.

Relief.

Then, anger.

Then something darker.

“Lucia,” he said, almost like he couldn’t believe it.

He took a step forward.

Security shifted.

Alexander moved slightly in front of her.

Marco ignored him.

His eyes stayed locked on Lucia.

“Is it you?”

His voice dropped.

Hoarse.

“Tell me the truth. Is this you?”

Lucia didn’t answer immediately.

She walked closer instead.

Each step slow.

Measured.

Controlled.

She stopped a few feet away from him.

Close enough to see the crack in his lip.

The exhaustion in his eyes.

The fear he was trying to hide.

“What if it is?” she said.

Marco blinked.

“What?”

“What if I’m the one doing all of it?” Lucia said. “What would you do?”

Silence fell around them.

Heavy.

Marco stared at her like he didn’t understand.

Then it hit him.

“You…” His voice shook. “You’re admitting it?”

Lucía tilted her head slightly. “I’m asking you a question.”

“You destroyed my company?” he demanded. “You exposed Margaret? You did all of this?”

Her gaze didn’t move.

“Answer mine first.”

His hands clenched.

“You ruined everything,” he said. “Everything I built. Everything we had.”

Lucia laughed softly.

It wasn’t a happy sound.

“You’re talking about what we had?”

Chapter 71

Marco’s jaw tightened “Don’t twist-this-”

You stund in front of a room full of people,” Lucia cut in, hier voice rising slightly now, “and you humiliated me. You made me took like nothing. Like I meant nothing.”

“That’s not=”

“You replaced me before was even gone.”

Her chest rose and fell faster now.

“You married her. You let our children turn against me. You watched me break and you did nothing.”

Marco shook his head. “You’re exaggerating-‘

“I am not exaggerating!”

Her voice cracked.

The sound echoed in the lobby.

People flinched.

Lucia took a step closer.

“You destroyed me first.”

Marco went still.

For a second, something like guilt flickered across his face.

Then it hardened.

“So this is what you do?” he said. “You ruin lives because you’re hurt?”

Lucia stared at him.

“You ruined mine.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to destroy everything!”

“It gives me a reason.”

Marco let out a harsh laugh.

“This isn’t justice. This is revenge. This is obsession. You’ve løst your mind.”

Lucia felt something twist inside her.

But she didn’t step back.

“You think I wanted this?” she asked quietly. “You think I wanted to become like this?”

“You chose it,” he snapped.

“No,” she said. “You pushed me into it.”

Marco’s eyes darkened.

“Don’t blame me for what you’ve become.”

Lucia swallowed.

Her throat felt tight.

“I was your wife,” she said. “I loved you. I trusted you. And you threw me away like I was nothing.”

“You were nothing,” Marco said.

The words landed hard.

For a second, Lucia couldn’t breathe.

୮

“You were boring,” he continued, voice cold now. “Predictable. I stayed out of obligation, not love. Margaret gave me something you never could.”

Something inside Lucia snapped.

Her hand clenched so tight her nails dug into her palm.

“And look where she got you,” Lucia said quietly.

Marco flinched.

“You lost everything,” she went on. “Your company. Your reputation. Your pride. All for her.”

“At least I chose what I wanted,” he shot back. “Not this… this bitter version of you.”

Chapter 71

Lucia laughed again

his time it broke at the edges.

“You don’t even hear yourself,” she said.

Marco stepped closer.

“You think you’ve won?” he said, “You think this makes you powerful?”

Lucia met his gaze.

“I know it does.”

“You’re wrong.”

His voice dropped.

“You’re empty.”

That hit deeper than everything else.

Lucia’s fingers trembled slightly.

“You’re not the woman I married,” Marco said.

“No,” she said. “I’m not.”

Silence.

Thick.

Heavy.

Then Marco’s voice turned sharp.

“You’re worse.”

Alexander moved before Lucia could react.

His fist slammed into Marco’s jaw.

The sound echoed through the lobby.

Marco stumbled back, losing his balance, hitting the floor hard.

Gasps filled the space.

“Don’t speak to her like that again,” Alexander said, his voice low and controlled.

Marco wiped blood from his lip, breathing hard.

Security rushed forward.

They grabbed him, pulling him up.

Marco struggled.

“This isn’t over!” he shouted. “You think I won’t fight back? You think I’ll just let this go?”

Lucia watched him.

Calm again.

Cold again.

“You already lost,” she said.

Marco froze.

For a second, their eyes locked.

Then security dragged him toward the doors.

His voice faded as he was pulled outside.