Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Breakfast was already on the table when Lucia and Alexander walked in.

The smell of coffee filled the room. Fresh bread. Warm butter. Something sweet. Something soft. Normal things. Calm things. The kind of morning Lucia had not had in a very long time.

Amelia moved quietly in the background, adjusting plates, pouring juice. She glanced up once, just once, and her eyes lingered a little longer than usual. Not surprised. Not confused. Just noticing.

Lena was already seated.

She had a book open in front of her, but she was not reading anymore.

Her eyes lifted the moment they stepped in.

And she saw it.

Not the clothes. Not the way they came in together.

She saw the change.

The way Alexander’s hand rested lightly at Lucia’s back. Natural. Possessive in a quiet way. Not forced.

The way Lucia did not move away.

The way they stood close. Too close to be just allies. Too close to be just people living under the same roof.

And the way both of them looked… different.

Lighter.

Softer.

Like something heavy had finally been put down.

Lena slowly closed her book.

“Good morning,” she said, but her voice had a small edge of curiosity.

Lucia felt her heart start to beat faster.

She had faced boardrooms. Faced public humiliation. Faced war.

But this?

This felt harder.

Because this mattered.

“Good morning,” Alexander replied.

His voice was calm, but Lucia could feel the slight tension in him too. Not fear. Just… weight.

They moved toward the table.

Lucia sat beside him. Not across. Not distant.

Beside.

That alone said enough.

Lena’s eyes dropped to their hands.

Alexander’s fingers brushed Lucia’s. Not even fully holding. Just there.

Close.

Familiar.

Lena looked back up slowly.

“Okay,” she said quietly. “Something happened.”

Lucia let out a small breath.

“Yes.”

Silence stretched for a second.

Then Alexander spoke.

“We need to talk to you.”

Lena straightened a little.

Successfully unlocked!

Chapter 79

Not scared. But alert

#5 il bad?”

“No,” Lucia said quickly. Too quickly.

Lena noticed.

Her brows pulled together slightly.

“Then why do you both look like that?”

Lucia hesitated.

She had planned this. Thought about the words. Rehearsed it.

But now, sitting here, looking at Lena, everything felt too real.

Too important to get wrong.

Alexander reached for her hand properly this time. Held it.

Steady.

“I took Lucia out last night,” he said.

Lena’s lips twitched.

“I figured.”

Lucia almost smiled.

“And, I told her something,” he continued.

Lena leaned forward just a little.

“And?”

Lucia felt her throat tighten.

Alexander glanced at her.

She nodded.

He looked back at Lena.

“I told her I love her.”

The room went still.

Not shocked.

Not heavy.

Just… still.

Lena blinked once.

Then twice.

Her eyes moved to Lucia.

“Is that true?”

Lucia swallowed.

“Yes.”

A pause.

Then Lena’s lips parted slightly.

“And?”

Lucia let out a small breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“And I love him too.”

That was it.

Simple.

No performance. No long speech.

Just truth.

And for a second, Lena didn’t move.

Chapter 79

Then suddenly, her chair scraped back loudly against the floor.

via flinched a little

Lena was already walking around the table.

Fast.

Too fast.

Lucia barely had time to stand before tena threw her arms around her.

Tight.

Strong.

“Finally!” Lena almost laughed into her shoulder.

Lucia froze for a second.

Then slowly, she hugged her back.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this,” Lena said, pulling back just enough to look at her.

Her eyes were bright. Almost shining.

“You knew?” Lucia asked softly.

“Knew?” Lena shook her head. “It was obvious.”

Alexander let out a quiet breath behind them.

Lena, pointed between them.

“The way you look at each other? The way you act around each other? You thought no one could see that?”

Lucia felt heat rise to her face.

“I thought… we were being careful.”

Lena laughed lightly.

“You were not.”

She turned to her father.

“And you. You were worse.”

Alexander raised a brow. “Worse?”

“Yes. You looked at her like she was the only person in the room every single time.”

Lucia’s heart skipped.

Lena turned back to her.

“And you pretended not to notice.”

Lucia opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Because… she had noticed.

Every time.

“I didn’t want to complicate things,” Lucia said quietly.

Lena’s expression softened.

“You mean you didn’t want to get hurt again.”

Lucia didn’t answer.

She didn’t have to.

Lena nodded slowly.

“I get that.”

Then she smiled again. Warm. Bright.

“But I’m really happy you did this. Both of you.”

She pulled Lucia into another hug.

This time softer.

Chapter 79 Gentler.

You deserve this Lena whispered.

Lucia’s eyes stung

She hadn’t expected that.

Not like this.

Not so easily.

“Are you sure?” Lucia asked quietly. “This doesn’t… change things for you?”

Lena pulled back.

Looked straight at her.

“It changes things,” she said honestly.

Lucia’s chest tightened.

Lena smiled.

“It makes things better.”

Lucia blinked.

“What?”

“You’re already family,” Lena said simply. “This just makes it real.”

Lucia couldn’t speak for a moment.

Family.

Not something temporary.

Not something fragile.

Real.

Alexander stepped closer.

Placed a hand on Lena’s shoulder.

“Are you okay with this?”

Lena looked at him like he had asked something obvious.

‘I’ve been okay with this for months.”

Lucia let out a small, shaky laugh.

Months.

All this time.

All this hesitation.

And Lena had already accepted it.

Already wanted it.

‘You could have said something,” Alexander said.

Lena shrugged.

“You both needed to figure it out yourselves.”

Then her eyes narrowed slightly.

“So… what else happened last night?”

Lucia felt her heart jump.

Alexander went still beside her.

Lena noticed immediately.

“Oh,” she said slowly. “There’s more.”

Lucia looked at Alexander.

He looked back at her.

A silent question.

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She nodded.

Her heart was pounding now.

Faster than before.

Because this… this was bigger

Alexander stepped back slightly.

Reached into his pocket.

Lena’s eyes widened instantly.

“No way,” she whispered.

Lucia turned to him.

“What are you doing?”

But she already knew.

She felt it.

In the way the air shifted.

In the way her breath caught.

Alexander moved around the table.

Stopped in front of her.

And then he got down on one knee.

Lucia’s world tilted.

For a second, everything went quiet.

Too quiet.

Her heartbeat was loud in her ears.

Her hands started to shake.

“Alexander…” she whispered.

He opened the small box in his hand.

The diamond caught the morning light.

Brilliant. Sharp. Real.

But Lucia barely saw the ring.

She was looking at him.

At his face.

At the way his eyes held hers.

Steady. Certain.

No hesitation.

“Lucia,” he said.

Her name sounded different in his voice.

Softer. Deeper.

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“I didn’t plan this moment perfectly,” he continued. “I didn’t wait for the right setting or the right timing.”

Lucia felt tears blur her vision.

“I just know I don’t want to wait.”

Her breath hitched.

“I’ve watched you fight,” he said. “I’ve watched you break and rebuild yourself. I’ve seen your strength. Your pain. Your kindness, even after everything you went through.”

Lucia’s chest tightened.

“I don’t want to stand beside you just for now,” he said. “I want to stand beside you always.”

Her tears fell.

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