Chapter 4

*** Rising from the Ashes***

Three months pass. Lucia wakes up different.

Not healed. Not whole. But different.

She sits at the desk in her room. Notebook open. Pen in hand. Ideas flowing.

Skincare. She always loved skincare. Before Marco. Before everything. She used to make face masks from scratch. Natural ingredients. Honey. Oatmeal. Lavender.

Her mother called it a waste of time. Sandra laughed. Said real careers don't involve mixing lotions in the kitchen.

But Lucia loved it. The science. The art. The way skin could transform with the right care.

Maybe she can do this. Build something. Create something that's truly hers.

She writes the name at the top of the page. Big letters. Bold.

LUXÉA.

It sounds expensive. Elegant. Like something that matters.

Luxury organic beauty products. For women who deserve to feel beautiful. Who deserve to invest in themselves.

Women like her. Women who forgot they were worth anything.

The door opens. Adrian stands there. Coffee in both hands. He does this now. Brings her coffee every morning.

"You're up early." He hands her a cup.

"Couldn't sleep." Lucia takes it. The warmth feels good in her hands. "I had an idea."

"Tell me."

She hesitates. Old fear creeping in. What if he laughs? What if he thinks it's stupid?

But Adrian just waits. Patient. Kind.

"A skincare company." The words tumble out. Fast. Nervous. "Luxury organic products. Natural ingredients. Beautiful packaging. Something that makes women feel special."

Adrian sits on the edge of the bed. Studies her face.

"Show me."

Lucia flips the notebook around. Her sketches are rough. Amateur. But the vision is there. Bottles. Jars. Creams. Serums. All natural. All elegant.

Adrian looks at each page. Really looks. His face serious. Focused.

"This is good." He taps the page. "Really good."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Adrian looks up. "How much do you need to start?"

The question catches her off guard. "What?"

"Money. To launch this. How much?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far." Lucia's heart races. "I was just dreaming. I didn't think it could actually happen."

"Make it happen." Adrian stands. "I'll invest. Whatever you need."

"No." The word comes out sharp. Panicked. "I can't take your money. You've already done too much."

"It's not charity. It's business." Adrian's voice is firm. Final. "I believe in this. In you. Let me help you build it."

"But what if I fail?"

"Then we learn and try again." He walks to the door. Stops. "But you won't fail. I've seen you work. Seen you think. You're brilliant when you're not being told you're nothing."

He leaves. The door clicks shut.

Lucia stares at her notebook. At LUXÉA written across the top.

Maybe this is real. Maybe this can happen.

The fear is still there. Clawing at her chest. Whispering that she's not enough.

But something else is there too. Something stronger.

Determination.

Weeks blur together. Lucia throws herself into work. Research. Formulas. Suppliers. Packaging designers.

Adrian introduces her to his contacts. Business partners. Investors. People who matter.

They look at her funny at first. This quiet woman with sad eyes. But then she speaks. Explains her vision. Shows them numbers. Projections. Quality standards.

And they listen.

Really listen.

One manufacturer laughs. Tells her organic luxury doesn't sell. Too expensive. Too niche.

Lucia smiles. Polite but firm. "Then you're not the right partner for LUXÉA. Thank you for your time."

She walks out. Head high. Hands shaking but chin up.

Adrian is waiting in the car. "How'd it go?"

"He said no."

"Good." Adrian starts the engine. "His products are trash anyway. You deserve better."

Better. She's starting to believe she deserves better.

Six months in. LUXÉA launches. Small at first. Online only. Limited products. But perfect products.

Face cream with rose oil and vitamin C. Serum with hyaluronic acid and green tea. Night mask with lavender and chamomile.

Natural. Effective. Beautiful.

The packaging is white and gold. Clean lines. Elegant script. It looks expensive because it is expensive.

But worth it. Every penny worth it.

The first order comes in. One bottle of face cream. Customer name: Jennifer Park. Address in California.

Lucia stares at the screen. This stranger. This woman she'll never meet. Just bought something she made.

Tears fall. Happy tears this time. Proud tears.

"I did it." She whispers to the empty office. "I actually did it."

More orders come. Slowly at first. Then faster. Word spreads. Reviews appear. Five stars. Glowing descriptions.

"This cream changed my skin."

"Finally something that works and doesn't have chemicals I can't pronounce."

"LUXÉA is my new obsession."

A journalist reaches out. Wants to interview her. Write a feature about the brand.

Lucia almost says no. Fear grips her throat. What if Marco sees? What if Sandra finds out?

But Adrian encourages her. "This is your moment. Take it."

The interview happens. A coffee shop downtown. The journalist is young. Eager. Takes notes on everything.

"What inspired LUXÉA?" She asks.

Lucia thinks carefully. Chooses her words. "I wanted to create something for women who deserve to feel beautiful. Who deserve to invest in themselves without guilt or shame."

"And the name? LUXÉA?"

"It combines luxury and the idea of light. Of glowing. Because every woman should glow."

The journalist smiles. Writes faster. "You're very graceful. Poised. Have you always been like this?"

No. She hasn't. She used to apologize for breathing. Used to shrink herself to fit into spaces too small.

But she doesn't say that. Just smiles. "I've learned to value myself. That makes all the difference."

The article publishes two weeks later. Front page of the lifestyle section. Beautiful photos. Her products displayed like art.

The headline reads: "Local Entrepreneur Launches Luxury Skincare Line with Heart."

Orders triple overnight. Then triple again.

LUXÉA isn't just surviving. It's thriving.

Luis starts kindergarten. Lucia takes him on his first day. Holds his hand. Walks him to the classroom.

Other mothers stare. Whisper. She hears snippets.

"That's her. The one from the article."

"Her skincare line is amazing."

"She's so elegant."

Elegant. Her. The woman who was shot and left to die. The woman who signed away her son.

But they don't know that. They just see LUXÉA. Success. Grace.

Luis tugs her hand. "Mommy Lucia, can you pick me up after school?"

The words stop her cold. Mommy Lucia.

He said it. Out loud. In public. In front of everyone.

Her throat closes. Can't speak. Can't breathe.

"Mommy Lucia?" Luis tilts his head. Worried. "Are you okay?"

She kneels down. Eye level. Her hands shake as she cups his face.

"Yes baby. I'm okay. And yes, I'll pick you up after school."

Luis grins. Kisses her cheek. Runs into the classroom.

Lucia stands. Turns. The other mothers are watching. Some smile. Some look curious.

She doesn't correct Luis. Doesn't explain. Just walks to her car with her head high.

Mommy Lucia. He called her mommy.

Not his real mom. She knows that. Will always know that. But he chose her. This little boy chose to call her mommy.

That night Adrian cooks dinner. Pasta. Luis's favorite. They eat together. Like a family.

Luis chatters about school. His new friends. The art project. The playground.

"And I told everyone that Mommy Lucia makes the best face cream in the world." He scoops more pasta. "My teacher said her sister uses LUXÉA."

"Really?" Lucia smiles. Can't help it. "What did you say?"

"I said of course she does. Because you're the best." Simple. Easy. Like it's fact.

Adrian catches her eye across the table. Something warm in his gaze. Something that makes her heart beat faster.

But she looks away. Too soon. Too complicated. Too much.

The doorbell rings. Adrian frowns. "Expecting someone?"

"No."

He gets up. Walks to the door. Lucia hears voices. Low. Urgent.

Adrian returns. Newspaper in his hand. He sets it on the table. Front page. Business section.

The headline is huge. Bold. Impossible to miss.

"The Phoenix Woman: Lucia Monroe's Meteoric Rise."

Lucia's photo stares back at her. Professional. Confident. A stranger wearing her face.

The article goes on. Details her success. LUXÉA's growth. Her vision. Her grace. Her intelligence.

It calls her inspiring. A role model. A woman who built an empire from nothing.

From nothing. If only they knew. From death. From betrayal. From bullets and blood and darkness.

"This is national." Adrian's voice is quiet. Amazed. "Everyone will see this."

Everyone. Including Marco. Including Sandra. Including her parents.

The fear hits. Sharp. Violent. What if they come back? What if they try to destroy this too?

"Hey." Adrian's hand covers hers. Warm. Steady. "You earned this. Don't let fear take it away."

Lucia looks at the headline again. The Phoenix Woman.

Rising from ashes. Born from fire. Stronger after destruction.

Is that what she is now? A phoenix?

She doesn't feel strong. Feels terrified. Feels like an imposter. Feels like any moment someone will expose her. Reveal she's just broken Lucia. Nothing Lucia. The woman who lost everything.

But Luis looks at the newspaper. Points to her photo. "That's my Mommy Lucia!" Pride bright in his voice. "She's famous!"

And Adrian squeezes her hand. Believes in her. Sees something she doesn't see in herself.

Maybe she is rising. Maybe this is real. Maybe she can be this person the article describes.

The Phoenix Woman.

Lucia touches the headline. Traces the letters with her finger.

Outside the window the city glows. Lights everywhere. Life everywhere. Possibility everywhere.

Tomorrow Marco might see this. Sandra might know. Her parents might call.

But tonight. Right now. In this moment.

She's not nothing. She's not invisible. She's not broken.

She's LUXÉA. She's Mommy Lucia. She's the Phoenix Woman.

And maybe. Just maybe. That's enough.