She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

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Celia got out of the car and walked toward the office building. At the entrance, she turned back for a

moment.

Elliott’s car was still parked at the curb, window rolled down, and he was watching her with calm, steady eyes.

She gave him a small nod, then turned and disappeared into the lobby.

Only after Celia’s figure had vanished did Elliott slowly roll up his window.

The cabin still held a trace of her scent, something clean and faintly clinical, like a hospital corridor. He leaned back in his seat, looked at the building for a long moment, and only then started the engine and drove away.

*****

On the twelfth floor of Walsh & Associates, Celia pushed through the glass doors, and the receptionist Cara immediately stood up with a warm smile. “Ms. Ross, you’re here. Ms. Dalton is waiting for you in her office.”

“Thank you,” Celia said with a slight nod.

“Right this way.”

Cara led her down a bright hallway and stopped at a dark wooden door giving it a soft knock.

“Come in,” came Haley’s voice from inside.

The door opened. Haley’s office wasn’t large, but it was cozy. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf filled one wall, comfortable couches sat in the seating area, and a few potted plants lined the windowsill.

Haley was on the phone behind her desk, and when she saw Celia, she quickly said into the receiver, “Xavier, she’s here. Okay, we’ll wait for you.”

She hung up and hurried over to take Celia’s hands. “Cece, you’re here. How was the trip?”

Then Haley tilted her head and gave Celia a puzzled look. “Wait a minute. Since when do you drink milk shake?

“I’ve offered to buy you one before and you always said no. ‘Too much sugar, too much fat, too many calories, you’d say. What’s different about today? Something’s off.”

“A friend gave it to me,” Celia said as she sat down on the couch. “They said it would improve my mood. I didn’t want to say no.”

Haley nodded and didn’t push further when she saw that Celia didn’t want to talk about it. She sat down beside her and studied her face carefully. “Cece, you look very calm.”

“What else should I look like?” Celia gave a soft laugh. “Crying wouldn’t help.”

I’m glad you see it that way.” Haley took her hand. “Cece, I reached out to my senior, Xavier Lawson. He’s

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Chapter 23

the best divorce lawyer at this firm, and he’s really reliable.”

Just then, another knock came at the door.

“Come in,” Haley said.

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The door opened, and a man walked in. He looked to be around thirty-five, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit with gold-rimmed glasses and a folder in his hand.

His presence was both scholarly and sharp, and behind his lenses, his eyes were keen and observant.

“Xavier,” Haley stood up. “This is my good friend Celia Ross. Cece, this is Xavier Lawson, my senior from law school and the head of the divorce litigation department here.”

Xavier stepped forward and extended his hand. “Ms. Ross, it’s nice to meet you. Haley has told me a bit about your situation.”

Celia stood and shook his hand. “Mr. Lawson, I appreciate your help.”

His handshake was warm and firm, with just the right amount of pressure.

“Please, sit.” Xavier settled into the armchair across from them and set the folder on his lap. “Ms. Ross, Haley gave me the general outline, but I’d like to hear it in your own words so I can better understand what you’re looking for.”

Celia nodded and summed up their three years of marriage in the simplest terms as a union in name only, followed by separation, then Beckham having a child with another woman who had now moved into the family home with her child.

She spoke calmly, like she was telling someone else’s story.

Xavier listened carefully, jotting down a few notes now and then. When Celia finished, he looked up. “Ms. Ross, what exactly are you seeking? Do you have any demands regarding asset division?”

“Nothing,” Celia said without hesitation. “I just want a divorce as quickly as possible.”

Xavier and Haley exchanged a glance.

“Nothing?” Xavier’s brow furrowed slightly. “Ms. Ross, under marital property law, you’re fully entitled to a share of the joint assets. The Lucero family has a substantial fortune. Even a small fraction would be more than enough to…”

“I don’t need it. I have plenty of my own.” Celia cut him off, her voice still calm. “I don’t want any more ties to them. The cleanest break possible is what I’m after.”

Xavier was quiet for a few seconds, then pushed up his glasses. “I understand your position. But Ms. Ross, I have to be honest with you. Even with no financial claims, a contested divorce can still take time.

“If Beckham decides to drag his feet, we could be looking at a year or two just from court scheduling and paperwork.”

“Two years is fine,” Celia said. “As long as I get the divorce in the end.”

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

Chapter 23

Xavier looked at her with a new flicker of respect in his eyes. He had handled countless divorce cases and had seen spouses tear each other apart over assets. A client like Celia, who wanted nothing but her freedom, was rare.

“Since you’ve made up your mind,” Xavier opened his folder, “I’ll start putting together the paperwork and file the petition as soon as possible.

“But Ms. Ross, I want you to be prepared. Beckham is not going to agree to this easily, especially right

now.”

Celia looked up. “Why?”

“All the recent publicity about his personal life,” Xavier said bluntly. “If he gets divorced at this moment, the public backlash will be severe. Given what I know about Beckham, he’ll likely try to stall until the public outcry dies down.”

Celia was quiet for a moment. She thought about how Beckham had exploded at her in his office today, and the smug look in Laylah’s eyes.

“That’s fine too,” she said softly. “I can wait.”

Xavier nodded and pulled several documents out of his folder. “This is the retainer agreement, and this is a list of documents we’ll need for the filing. Take a look, and if everything looks good, just sign where

marked.”

Celia took the papers and went through them page by page, her focus sharp and thorough. Then she signed her name where needed, her handwriting clean and each stroke firm.

“Thank you, Mr. Lawson.” She slid the signed documents back across the table. “I’ll transfer the fee to you

later.”

Haley patted Celia’s hand. “Oh, speaking of which, let’s have dinner together tonight. I already made a reservation. Consider it a preemptive thank you to Xavier for taking your case.”

Celia checked the time; it was 3:30 PM.

“Okay,” she said. “But I need to do something first.”

“What?”

Celia pulled a document out of her bag. It was the divorce agreement she had printed out earlier, the simplest possible version. She took out her phone, hesitated for a few seconds, then dialed a number.

The phone rang a few times before someone picked up.

“Hello?” A warm male voice came through the line.

“Dad, it’s me, Celia.” Her voice was soft. “Do you have a moment to talk?”

There was a brief silence on the other end, then Tanner’s concerned voice came back. “Celia? What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“I…” Celia paused. “I’d like to see you in person. I need to talk to you about something. About Beckham and

me.”

12:57 Sat, May 9 MMO

Chapter 23

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