Rise of the Formidable Ex-wife (Lucia and Alex) novel Chapter 89

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Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Marco sat in his living room, staring at his laptop screen where he had been typing angry emails to private investigators for the past hour. The house felt empty and cold since Ria had stormed to her room. The sound of the front door opening made him look up, expecting to see Margaret returning from her lunch with Harrison Blackwell.

Instead, he heard multiple voices in the hallway, Margaret’s laugh mixed with two others he recognized with growing dread.

“Marco, darling!” Margaret called out. “Look who came to visit us!”

Marco closed his laptop as Margaret entered the living room, followed by Robert and Patricia Sullivan. Margaret’s parents looked around the expensive room with obvious awe, while Margaret beamed with pride at their reactions.

“What are they doing here?” Marco asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.

“They drove all the way from the city to see us,” Margaret said, settling onto the couch and patting the space beside her for her parents. “Isn’t that sweet?”

Robert Sullivan, a large man with calloused hands and teeth stained yellow from years of smoking, sat down heavily. His wife Patricia perched beside him, her eyes darting around the room taking in every expensive detail.

“Nice place you got here, son,” Robert said, his voice carrying the rough accent of a warehouse worker. “Real nice.”

“We weren’t expecting you,” Marco said coldly.

“Surprise visits are the best kind,” Patricia said with a nervous laugh. “Margaret’s always telling us how busy you are, so we thought we’d just drop by.”

Margaret moved to sit on the arm of her father’s chair. “They have something important to discuss with us. Something exciting.”

Marco felt his stomach drop. “What kind of something?”

Robert leaned forward, his expression growing serious. “Well, Marco, we’ve been doing some thinking. About family. About opportunities.”

“What kind of opportunities?” Marco asked, though he was beginning to suspect where this conversation was heading.

“The kind that could benefit all of us,” Robert said. “You see, we’ve been looking at some investment possibilities upstate. Real estate ventures that could make us all very wealthy.”

Patricia nodded eagerly. “There’s this beautiful piece of land outside Albany. Perfect for development. Condos, shopping centers, maybe even a casino.”

Marco stared at them. “A casino.”

‘The potential is enormous,” Robert continued. “But we need capital to get started. Seed money to buy the land and get the permits.”

‘How much seed money?” Marco asked, though he already knew the answer would be outrageous.

Robert grinned. “Fifteen million. That’s all. Pocket change for a man like you.”

The number hit Marco like a physical blow. “Fifteen million dollars.”

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‘Think of it as an investment,” Margaret said quickly, seeing Marco’s expression. “An investment in our family’s future.”

“Our family?” Marco repeated slowly.

“Of course,” Patricia said. “When this development takes off, we’ll all be rich. Richer than we ever dreamed.”

Marco looked at Margaret, who was nodding enthusiastically. “You support this?”

“Absolutely,” Margaret said. “My parents have excellent business instincts. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Your parents,” Marco said carefully, “want me to give them fifteen million dollars to buy land for a casino.”

“Not give,” Robert corrected. “Invest. This is a legitimate business opportunity.”

Marco stood up and began pacing. “Do you have any experience in real estate development? Any background in casino management? Any idea what you’re talking about?”

Robert’s face darkened. “I know a good opportunity when I see one.”

“Do you?” Marco’s voice was getting colder. “Because from where I’m standing, this sounds like a fantasy. A get-rich-quick scheme dreamed up by people who have never run a business in their lives.”

“Marco,” Margaret said sharply. “Don’t be rude to my parents.”

“I’m being realistic,” Marco shot back. “Your parents want fifteen million dollars for a project they know nothing about, on

Chapter 89

land they don’t own, for a business-they have no experience running.”

We’ve done our research, Patricia protested.

“Have you?” Marco challenged. “Do you have feasibility studies? Market analysis? Zoning permits? Construction estimates? Or do you just have a dream and a very large number?”

Robert stood up, his face fushing red. “You don’t need to talk down to us like we’re idiots.”

“Then don’t act like idiots,” Margo said bluntly.

Margaret gasped. “Marco! How dare you speak to my father like that!”

“How dare I refuse to hand over fifteen million dollars to people who think running a casino is easy money?” Marco’s voice rose. “How dare I ask basic business questions before writing a check that could buy an entire building?”

“It’s cur money too,” Margaret said, her voice taking on a whining tone. “We’re married. What’s yours is mine.”

“Not fifteen million dollars for your parents’ pipe dream,” Marco said firmly.

Robert stepped closer to Marco, his hands clenched into fists. “You think you’re better than us, don’t you? You think because you got money, you can look down on working people.”

“I think I earned my position through hard work and smart decisions,” Marco replied. “Not through fantasy schemes and family handouts.”

“This isn’t a handout!” Patricia cried. “This is an investment opportunity!”

“This is a con job,” Marco said coldly. “And I’m not falling for it.”

Margaret’s face twisted with anger. “These are my parents, Marco. My family. They came to us for help, and you’re treating them like criminals.”

“They came here demanding millions of dollars for a project that exists only in their imagination,” Marco corrected. “If they wanted help, they could ask for a reasonable amount for a real need. But fifteen million for a casino? That’s not help. That’s greed.”

Robert took another step toward Marco. “You calling me greedy?”,

“I’m calling you delusional, Marco said. “You think because your daughter married a wealthy man, you’ve hit the lottery. You think you can waltz in here and demand millions without offering anything in return.”

“We’re offering you the chance to be part of something big,” Robert insisted.

“You’re offering me the chance to lose fifteen million dollars on your amateur hour business plan,” Marco shot back.

Margaret stood up, her face red with embarrassment and fury. “Marco, stop this right now. These are my parents. They deserve your respect.”

“Respect is earned,” Marco said. “And showing up uninvited to demand millions of dollars doesn’t earn respect. It earns contempt.”

“How can you be so cruel?” Patricia asked, tears forming in her eyes. “We’re family now.”

“Are we?” Marco looked at each of them in turn. “Because real family doesn’t see each other as bank accounts. Real family doesn’t show up with their hands out demanding millions.”

“We’re not demanding,” Robert said. “We’re offering you an opportunity.”

“You’re offering me nothing,” Marco interrupted. “You want my money for your dream. You want me to fund your retirement without any guarantee, any collateral, any reasonable business plan.”

Margaret moved to stand beside her father. “If you loved me, you would trust my family.”

“If you loved me,” Marco replied, “you wouldn’t ask me to throw away millions on your parents’ fantasy.”

The room fell silent except for the sound of heavy breathing and Patricia’s quiet sobs.

“You know what your problem is?” Robert finally said, his voice shaking with rage. “You think money makes you special. You think it makes you better than people like us.”

“Money makes me careful,” Marco corrected. “Money makes me smart enough not to hand millions to people who have never successfully managed anything more complicated than a warehouse shift.”

“We work hard for everything we have!” Robert shouted.

“Do you?” Marco’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Because it looks to me like you’re trying to avoid work. You’re trying to get rich without effort, without risk, without any of the sacrifice that real success requires.”

He turned to face all three of them. “You want to know the truth? In ten lifetimes, you could never achieve what I’ve built

Chapter 89

with my own hands You don’t have the intelligence, the discipline, or the vision. You’re small people with small dreams and his appetites for other people’s money.”

Margaret’s mouth fell open in shock. “Marco.”

“Your parents are users, Março continued relentlessly. “They raised a daughter who sees marriage as a business transaction, and now they want to cash in on her success at finding a wealthy husband.”

“How dare you!” Patricia screamed.

“How dare I what? Tell the truth?” Marco moved toward the door. “Your daughter married me while I was still married to someone else, and now you want some of my money too. Well, here’s some free advice: get jobs, save your pennies, and stop expecting other people to fund your delusions.

Robert’s face turned purple with rage. “You arrogant piece of-”

“Get out,” Marco said quietly.

“What?” Robert asked.

“I said get out. Both of you. Now.”

Margaret stepped forward, her face flushed with anger. “Marco, you can’t talk to my parents like this!”

“I can and I will,” Marco replied coldly. “They came to my house demanding millions of dollars for a fantasy project. When I refused, they insulted me. Now they can leave.”

“They’re my family,” Margaret protested.

“And this is my house,” Marco shot back. “Your family can find somewhere else to discuss their get-rich-quick schemes.”

Robert stood up, his fists clenched. “You think you’re so high and mighty.”

“I think I’m smart enough not to throw away fifteen million dollars on people who couldn’t successfully run a lemonade stand,” Marco interrupted.

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