Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE
Lillian Harper dropped out of nursing school to become a housewife to Nathaniel Brooks, through a contract marriage arranged by their families
During their marriage, Nathaniel brought other women into their home and made it clear that their union was nothing more than a contract agreement.
Then one evening, he handed her divorce papers and sent her packing out of the house.
But the next morning, he was standing on her mother's porch, begging her to come back.
What changed overnight?
William Brooks is dead. And his will contain a single clause that neither of them saw coming. If the couple divorced within twelve months after his death, every controlling share of the Brooks Group of Companies transfers to entirely to Lillian Harper.
The empire Nathaniel was born to inherit now sits completely in the hands of the woman he divorced.
Will Lillian sign the papers and walk away with empire he never thought she deserved? Or..... will she give Nathaniel a second chance, knowing his motives may never be entirely pure?
Lillian Harper is done being weak. She will not sign the divorce papers and set him free. She will not take him back and make things easy. She is going to finish her degree, live life to the fullest, and watch Nathaniel Brooks watch every single moment of it while he slowly comes to understand what he has lost.
But there is a problem!
Vanessa Clarke, Nathaniel's current girlfriend and the woman he humiliated Lilian with for three years, has no intention of watching quietly. She wants Nathaniel, she wants the empire, and she wants Lillian goen by any means necessary.
What follows is twelve months of social warfare, failed schemes, family secrets, and a love story that neither of them planned for
Baca
Chapter: Chapter 102: Live StreamLillian Carter hurried straight to the foundation. As the taxi came to a halt, her eyes caught two people live streaming, passionately discussing the city’s women.The moment they saw Lillian stepping out in scrubs, the chat exploded into chaos.“Whoa! That's Lillian Harper!! Am I seeing things?”"No way, it’s real! There are only two in all of Los Angeles—the other belongs to some mysterious billionaire, and I hear the one who brought it was a rich stranger!"“She’s, the one divorced by her husband, the one who put Patricia Brooks behind bars.”“Yeah, I saw that… It was trending not long ago. Wasn’t it some big shot? The Elite and their secrets,” another commentator added.“Streamer, get closer! Ask her something!”As Lillian made her way to the foundation office, the chat went into overdrive.The three streamers stared in disbelief, stunned that they were staring directly at Lillian.“What? Rich people dress down? Look at her in those scrubs. Is she even the right person, or just on
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-28
Chapter: Chapter 101: Nathaniel’s ConfessionLillian's phone buzzed on her kitchen counter.It was not a text. It was a photo. Then another. Then another. Twelve in a row.Nathaniel's love letters. But Lillian didn't open it, she hurried straight in scrubs to the cab waiting for her.She was headed to Arthur's Vance estate. As they reached the gate in the blistering rain. The driver honked but no response till two burly men walked, the mansion security detail. One of knocks at the window while Lillian's phone kept ringing Arthur Vance but he didn't pick. “This is private property, you need to leave.” One of them said. Fisting angrily at the vehicle.The other pulls out a radio communicating with someone over the phone. Examining the vehicle like a decoy as they circle round. “I'm Lillian Brooks, I'm here to see Arthur Vance.” She yelled her voice cutting throw the noisy droplet and thunderstorm. Lillian steps in the cold rain, like a woman crazy sending them off the Cab.She stood drenched in the rain, insisting they let her
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-26
Chapter: Chapter 100: One Day leftOne day left.One day left on the twelve-month clause that said if Lillian divorced in twelve months, she gets controlling shares. One day left before she could file for divorce and keep 50% or not file and keep 50% anyway because she filed the deed at 11:47 p.m. One day left before she had to decide if she wanted to be Mrs. Brooks or just Lillian Harper, nurse, who happens to own half a company and happens to be married to a man who is learning how to live inside a fortress.One day left and three white bottles on her sill that said For Lillian and For Gerald and For the next one.One day left and ten letters, two lockets, three diaries, three plants, one toolbox with empty bottom compartments, one briefcase full of security footage, one adoption papers, one torn page 48, one succulent that survives even if you forget it.One day left and a photo of herself being watched through her own window at 3:08 a.m. by someone who wrote You have one day left. Decide. Or I decide for you. - P.
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-26
Chapter: Chapter 99: The Tenth LetterThe tenth letter was from Victoria.Not William. Victoria.Lillian opened it at 3:07 a.m., sitting on her apartment floor, surrounded by soil from three plants that survive even if you forget them, even if someone overturns them, hugging Vanessa, with Nathaniel replanting, with Victoria shouting from the street.Inside, in Victoria's neat, ruthless handwriting:Lillian, You have to decide tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight. Because tomorrow the clause expires and you have to file or not file divorce and keep 50% or not keep 50% and be Mrs. Brooks or just Lillian Harper, nurse. You have to decide what kind of powerful woman you want to be. Not the kind who takes $50,000 and thanks for service. Not the kind who takes 50% and thanks for service. The kind who decides, not because a clause says so, not because a deed says so, not because a mother forced a father, not because a lawyer added a line, but because she wants to. So decide. Tonight. And whatever you decide, I will file it. For free.
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-25
Chapter: Chapter 98: The ApartmentLillian ran to her third-floor apartment at 2:17 a.m., alone, because she had learned not to come alone to the Brooks estate, but she had not learned not to come alone to her own apartment about freedom.The front door was open, just like in the photo. The three plants overturned on the floor, soil spilled, one expensive green one, two small succulents that survive if you forget them, now not surviving.And written on her living room wall in red lipstick, in her own handwriting from three years ago, and William's shaky handwriting underneath:IF YOU ARE READING THIS, SOMEONE DID NOT WANT THE WILL TO BE READ. TRUST NO ONE. - L.H.You were right, Lillian. Someone didn't want the will to be read. It was me. I didn't want you to read it because I knew you would become more powerful than any of us. And you have. - W.Lillian stared at her own handwriting on her own wall, in her own apartment about freedom, and felt the floor shift again, just like that first night with divorce papers on a
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-25
Chapter: Chapter 97: The Ninth Letter That Doesn't ExistThere was no ninth letter.Victoria said there was no ninth letter. Gerald said there was no ninth letter. William only wrote eight. The white bottles were the last secret. The rest they have to write themselves. Without $50,000 and thanks for service.But Lillian found a ninth envelope anyway.It was taped under William's desk, where Patricia's shotgun once rested, where James's toolbox once sat, where Grace's adoption papers were stolen, where Eleanor's diary was hidden.Cream envelope, single initial: L. Again. Same as the eighth. Same handwriting. But fresher ink. Not shaky. Neat.Lillian opened it at 2 a.m., alone in William's study, while everyone else slept on cold marble or on couches or in police cars, while Nathaniel slept on Margaret's couch holding soup, while Grace slept in Lillian's old apartment with three plants, while James slept with his empty toolbox, while Vanessa slept in stained scrubs holding a briefcase.Inside was not a letter from William.Inside was a letter
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2026-08-24
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