Hello everyone! Welcome back to this exciting story that you have chosen. Although the app invited me to create it, you are the ones who really decide. Thank you for the support of my other novels. This is my first story about an older woman and I hope you like it.

Before the negative comments appear, I want to clarify for those who have not read me before that I update daily. I greatly appreciate your support with votes and "likes." Thank you again and, without further ado, welcome to "The Forty-Year-Old Divorced Woman and the Arrogant CEO." I hope you enjoy reading!

The afternoon sun filtered through the silk curtains, filling the room with a golden light. Alessandra Ferrari, standing in front of the mirror in her dressing room, adjusted the final details of her gala dress. Today was her forty-first birthday, and although she had been through difficult times, she was determined to enjoy the evening. The Fiorucci mansion, a symbol of her life of luxury, was ready to receive guests.

Alessandra looked at her reflection. Her brown hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and her brown eyes sparkled with a mixture of hope and determination. She had been through a lot in recent years, but tonight she wanted to forget her problems and celebrate with her family and friends.

"Mom, are you ready?" The voice of Alessia, her twelve-year-old daughter, echoed from the door. Alessandra turned and smiled as she saw her youngest daughter, dressed in an elegant blue dress.

"Yes, honey. And you?" "You look beautiful," Alessandra replied, reaching out to give her a hug.

"Thank you, Mom. I'm excited for the party. "Do you think Dad will arrive on time?" Alessia asked innocently.

Alessandra felt a knot in her stomach. Roberto, her 44-year-old husband, had been distant lately, and his late arrivals had become more frequent. But she didn't want to worry her daughter on such a special day.

"I'm sure he will, Alessia. Now, go help Luca with the final preparations, okay?" Alessandra kissed her daughter's forehead and watched her run out of the room.

With a sigh, Alessandra turned to the mirror once more. She knew something wasn't right in her marriage, but she didn't want to think about it now. Today was her day and she wanted to enjoy it.

The mansion was full of life. Guests were beginning to arrive, and soft music filled the air. The place was beautiful, full of luxury and sophistication, huge, with white walls and black furniture, paintings and sculptures of art, all decorated by herself. Alessandra had excellent taste and she was very good at all of that.

Alessandra greeted each one with a smile, grateful for their presence. However, her mind kept returning to Roberto. "Where was he?"

"Friend, you look beautiful, congratulations on your birthday and for your good taste, everything turned out perfect," said one of her friends from her social circle.

"Thank you, Amanda, yes, everything turned out perfect," she smiled kindly. The rest of her friends approached to congratulate her; others asked about Roberto. She, with her biggest smile, excused him, although her head was thinking about why he had not arrived.

"Mom, and my dad hasn't arrived yet? "Don't tell me you made him angry again with your stupid fights, but what can you expect from a forty-one-year-old woman," says her sixteen-year-old daughter Roberta. Unlike her siblings, she was haughty, classist, and rebellious.

"No, your father hasn't arrived yet, and listen to me well, you will respect me, young lady, okay," Alessandra says discreetly, and the young woman rolls her eyes before leaving.

"Whatever the old lady says," she laughed mockingly, walking away. Alessandra didn't know what else to do; Roberto's friends and family kept asking about him, so she made a decision.

Finally, she decided to go look for him; after apologizing for a moment, she couldn't bear the idea of ​​celebrating without him. She took her car and headed to Roberto's company; on the way she remembered what their years together had been like.

She met him at seventeen and felt a great attraction to him; he was always very handsome and charismatic. At the age of twenty, his parents and hers, who were great friends, decided on a marriage of convenience to save the Fiorucci companies. It was a marriage with a document of separation of assets, although for her it was not a business; she loved him and still does as the first day. She graduated in administration and public relations, although she never practiced despite being very applied and the best in her class; she didn't have to, she would only dedicate herself to her husband.

Years passed and they had three children: Luca, Roberta and little Alessia. Alessandra's family's company was declining until it was ruined; Alessandra's father couldn't stand it and crashed his car, losing his life. Her mother couldn't stand it and died of cardiac arrest. This left Alessandra alone with her husband and children; that's how she was able to cope with the pain.

Roberto absorbed the company and kept it; this did not bother Alessandra. Either way, it would stay in the family or so she thought.

He had been the perfect man until some time ago when he began to act distant and cold, to arrive late, to travel a lot and not to have much intimacy with her and this was worrying her.

Alessandra got out of the car and headed to Roberto's office, hoping to find him working late, as usual.

Upon arrival, the receptionist greeted her with a nervous smile. "Mrs. Fiorucci, the gentleman is in his office, but..."

Alessandra didn't wait for her to finish. She walked quickly down the hall, her heart beating fast. She opened the door to Roberto's office and what she saw took her breath away.

Her husband, the man she loved and to whom she gave 21 years of marriage, was there, but he was not alone. A young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, no older than twenty, was leaning against the desk with her dress at her waist and without panties, and Roberto was ramming her from behind. Roberto's shirt was on the floor and his pants down; the young woman's perfume filled the room, making her nauseous.

"What's going on here?" Alessandra's voice trembled, full of disbelief and pain.

Roberto recoiled, pushing the young woman aside. His erection firm and visible. "Alessandra, this is not what it seems..."

"It's not what it seems?"How can you say that?"Alessandra felt the world crumbling around her."Today is my birthday, Roberto. "How could you?"

The young woman got up, adjusting her dress with an arrogant smile. "I think it's time you know the truth, Alessandra. Roberto and I are together. He doesn't love you anymore."

Alessandra felt tears fill her eyes. "Is it true, Roberto? "Is this what you want?"

Roberto looked down, unable to hold her gaze. "Yes, Alessandra. I'm sorry, but I can't go on with this farce anymore. "I want a divorce."

Roberto's words were like a blow to the stomach. Alessandra backed away, her face a mess from the mixture of makeup and tears, feeling the air escape her. "Divorce? What about our children? What about our life?"

"You will keep the mansion that your parents left you and the car. But don't expect more from me. There's nothing between us anymore; I'm going to marry Chiara, I love her." Chiara was the daughter of an associate of Roberto with one of his friends from the club. Roberto turned to the young woman after dressing completely and took her hand. "Come on, Chiara." They left, leaving Alessandra shattered and wanting to die.

Alessandra. 41 years old

Roberto. 44 years old

Roberta, 16 years old.

Luca, 19 years old.

Alessia.

Chiara 20 years old.

Alessandra watched them leave, feeling her world crumble. Tears streamed down her face as she leaned on the desk to keep from falling. Everything she had known, everything she had loved, had vanished in an instant.

Devastated and heartbroken, she returns to the mansion to cancel the party and faces the curious stares of the guests, who see her with smudged makeup and swollen eyes.

"Mom, what happened?" "Are you okay?" her eldest son asks, worried to see her like this.

"No, son, I'm not okay, get these people out of here, please," she says and goes upstairs. Everyone murmurs speculating; while Luca empties the mansion, she locks herself in her room, crying until she runs out of tears.

"Why? Why if I have always loved you?" she asks into the void between sobs, her lip trembling. Alessandra knew she had to be strong for her children, but at that moment, she felt completely alone, mocked, and reduced to nothing.

She spent the whole night crying, not opening the door to anyone, she just wanted to scream.

Divorce, a word that weighed too much. What would she do now? What was she supposed to do? She was never interested in pursuing her careers, she has no experience, and not only that, she is not a young girl, she is forty years old and it will be difficult; she is very clear about that.

The following days were a whirlwind of emotions; she didn't even want to eat, she was broken, with no desire for anything. Roberto had not returned to the mansion; her children wanted to know, but she was not in the mood to do so.

A week after what happened, she decided to leave the room, since she only ate little and did not want to see anyone, a moment with her children and returned to cry.

Alessandra goes downstairs and finds Roberto in the living room with her children; they have an expression of terror on their faces. He was telling them that he was leaving.

"No, daddy, don't go! I know that mom is already an old woman who only makes you angry, but don't leave us," said Roberta. She was always spoiled, she did what she wanted because, even though Alessandra punished her, Roberto lifted the punishment.

"See, you caused this, because of you, he's leaving, I hate you," said Roberta crying as she saw Alessandra approaching.

"Shut up, Roberta, mom is not to blame for anything; he's the one who wants to leave," says Luca, firmly; he disagrees with his father's attitude.

Little Alessia just cries; her parents are separating and she doesn't even know what to feel.

"Enough, Roberta, now leave me alone with your father," she said and two of her children nodded, but Roberta shouted at her.

"I'm going with you, dad, I don't want to be here, I won't be a joke, a poor nobody," she said and ran for her suitcase.

"You are welcome, daughter, you and those who wish to come with me," he said and Alessandra just stared at him; the vein on her forehead throbbed with the headache, and the knot in her throat threatened to suffocate her.

Once they were alone, Roberto observed her and sighed.

"I want a divorce, these are the papers, you know well that our marriage was for separate property, so it will be quick," said the man observing Alessandra. She was in short pink pajamas. Although she looks thinner and a little tired, she still looks divine. The body of that woman is something incredible: big butt, good breasts; her curves are perfect.

"Okay, I'll sign the divorce quickly; I just want to stop seeing your face," she says with the accumulated hatred of the past days.

"Do you want me to leave quickly? Please, Alessandra, you love me and you know it, you have only loved me and it will always be like that." He approaches her and observes how she tenses; he still causes havoc in her. He knows very well that she loves him and would never belong to anyone else, especially not now.

"Don't come near me, and yes, I love you, I'm so stupid that I still do, although I swear I will make sure that not even the slightest memory of you remains in my mind." She speaks wanting to cry, but her voice is firm.

"Come on, Alessandra, you love me, love, you love how I kiss you, how I make love to you, you are fascinated that I come inside you." She feels her body burning, but she controls it; she will not give him the pleasure of making fun of her.

Roberto, seeing no response, gets frustrated and takes a step back; he is upset. Alessandra is a woman in every sense of the word, she is hot and fiery, but Chiara is novelty, youth, zero problems.

"What will you do, Alessandra? Tell me what you will do, you don't know how to do anything, you have never worked and you are over forty years old, for God's sake," he speaks and she just wants to punch his face.

"I propose a deal: I will continue to pay for everything, you will live as you have always done, surrounded by luxuries, jewels, you will go to the clubs as much as you want," he begins and she looks at him attentively, she wants to know what he is talking about.

"You just have to be my lover, no one will know, just us. You drive me crazy, love, and you know it." He approached her to kiss her and she, lost in the moment, lets herself be kissed. Roberto invades her with his tongue; he wanted to kiss her. She was always a woman made for him and is a knockout despite her age, which she does not even look.

Roberto smiles in the middle of the kiss, takes her cheeks and leaves a short kiss on her lips.

"See, my love, no one should lose." Alessandra looks at him fixedly and speaks.

"Ready, Roberto, did you like the kiss? I hope so because it will be the last time your lips touch mine," she said and Roberto opened his eyes in surprise.

"Don't be stupid, Alessandra, what will you do without me? Accept being my lover, or I swear I can be very cruel as an enemy," he said and she smiled.

"If you were as a husband, I imagine you will also be as an enemy." Roberto was indignant; he thought she would be happy with that proposal.

"I'll take Roberta; I imagine the others will stay with you. Well, that will be until the pressure makes them understand. I won't pass them a penny; I have so much power that you know no judge will force me." He spoke and he was right: he knew everyone and with a snap of his fingers he would do whatever he wanted and so it was.

"Give me to sign and get out of my house; thank God, this house is mine," said Alessandra, and Roberto scoffed.

"It's a huge mansion, Alessandra, how are you going to support it? From today I'm taking away all the benefits and firing the servants; you won't be able to pay them, so you better think about it," he said again.

"I will not become your lover, Roberto, I do have dignity, not like that, miss," she spoke firmly, wanting to collapse and cry, but she would not give him that pleasure.

"We'll see if when you have nothing to eat you think the same. Now I'm leaving, love." He ironized the last word and went with his children, told them it was their mother's fault, although Luca and Alessia knew it was not so. He offered them to go with him and they did not want to. Alessandra had to face all this alone, but she would do it happily.

Roberto moved in with Chiara, and Roberta, his sixteen-year-old daughter, decided to go with him, preferring the comforts to being with her mother. Alessandra stayed with Luca and Alessia, trying to maintain an appearance of normalcy.

However, difficulties soon arrived. Roberto kept his word and had manipulated the divorce in his favor, leaving her without financial support. Alessandra sold her car to pay for Luca's university for a few months, but she knew that wouldn't be enough.

Alessandra went out every day to look for work and no one gave her any; her ex-husband had closed doors on her as if it wasn't already difficult to get a job at her age.

She cried every day. One day, walking around everywhere, she ran into a childhood friend, Diana. They had been friends since they were little; she was the daughter of who was her nanny, but after getting married, they lost contact.

"Diana, how have you been?" Alessandra greets her.

"Good, friend, long time no see, but come on, let's have a coffee." They talked about everything a little. Diana had been through a lot; her family went through many health problems, her mother died and, not knowing what to do because she couldn't continue studying, she was forced to work in a place that, although it didn't give her pride, was all she knew how to do.

Alessandra told her her story. She told her that she was a month behind on paying for her youngest daughter's school and they made fun of her at school for being poor, because her own eldest daughter took it upon herself to spread the news and bullied her own sister.

"I'm sorry, Alessandra, it's difficult to get a job, I know, especially if that idiot is putting obstacles in your way. I know you're not like that, but well, you can get a job where I do." Alessandra's eyes sparkled with emotion.

"Really, Diana? But, just like that? Where is that and what is it?" Diana smiles at her and answers.

"I work as a dancer in a luxury nightclub; I know you're not like that, but you can just dance. There are also luxury companions and prostitutes there; it's not the same, by the way." The sparkle of emotion on Alessandra's face faded.

"As a dancer?" she speaks doubting her words, but she is desperate.

"I don't know, Diana, working as a dancer, how could I see my children later?" Diana shook her head.

"You can just dance; I dance and I'm a lady companion too, but there they don't force you to sleep with anyone. All that depends on whether you want to do it; it's just accompanying them everywhere like a luxury woman, of course, if that happens and you want to charge, that's up to you," Diana said. She had been working there for a while and was already used to it, so to speak.

"What do you say, do you dare?" Diana asks her, and Alessandra thought about it for a moment. Her daughter was suffering from bullying and her son almost had a breakdown this month that she had paid; even though he supported her, she knew that he was going through hardships. His girlfriend left him when she learned of his new situation, also through Roberta.

"Yes, Diana," she says. Desperate to find a solution, Alessandra accepted the job as a dancer at that luxury club. It was the only place that hired her, and although she hated every moment, she needed the money to support her children.

The place was very luxurious: dim lights, glass tables with black tablecloths, colored lights spinning everywhere, women dancing for everyone, others in the rooms selling their bodies, and others were lady companions. Like Diana, who hardly ever stopped by there; she lived traveling. Alessandra felt overwhelmed by everything.

Every night, she put on her short clothes and danced, dreaming of a better future; she drove men crazy with her beauty and movements. She was tired of going everywhere and that the people who once called her a friend saw her with contempt for being a poor divorcee.

Until one day they asked the owner of the club where she went to kick her and her little daughter out because they were a bad image for the club. Alessandra felt like dying when she saw her daughter's sad face.

The nights continued to pass and she danced for everyone. There she wore a wig and, because of the dim lights, if someone saw her, it would be difficult to recognize her. The debts were being paid off little by little and she even had a person helping her in the mansion. Her son sat down with her to ask her and she told him that she had gotten a job and not to worry, since he wanted to sell his car to help her and she didn't want to.

Roberto continued to stir up trouble to turn Alessandra's other children against her, but he didn't achieve anything.

Alessandra knew she had to do something to stop working there. It wasn't a good idea; if Roberto found out, he might take her little one away from her too, and she didn't want that. She couldn't hold Roberta back, but at least she would continue to look after her other children while she came to her senses.

The pay was excellent; she kept dancing, refusing to do anything else. She didn't want money for luxuries, just to survive, and she had it. They always offered her money for other things and she kept refusing, until she was called from a company where she had left her resume...

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Ferrari, you have an interview with us tomorrow; don't miss it, it's at 8 in the morning." Alessandra was happy; everything was finally being fixed. This was her ticket to leave that nightclub and she would give it her all to do it; that was a good company and they paid more than well.

Alessandra put on a suit and went to the job interview; the company was immense, more than her ex's. They asked her if she had experience and she said no, but she could learn and so it was. The woman was the assistant to the CEO of the company, whom she did not yet know, and everyone there was already wishing her luck because he was a man of a horrible character.

"Welcome, I'm Aitana Santos and I'm Mr. Mancini's secretary. He's a sweetheart, but your boss is to be feared," she said, and she didn't know what she would face, but she would do it for her children and for herself.

"Thank you, I'm Alessandra Ferrari. Don't worry, he can't be more of an idiot than my ex, so I can handle him," she said, laughing, and went home with a huge smile on her face.