She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Chapter 68

46

55 vouchers

The jeep rattled along the rough dirt road for nearly two hours. Outside the window, the scattered settlements near the airport gradually faded into a wide savanna dotted with acacia trees, until they finally entered a zone enclosed by tall walls and barbed wire.

The sky was turning to dusk, and the sunset set the horizon ablaze with gold and crimson. Far off, the majestic snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanivelle glowed with a sacred light in the fading sun.

“Dr. Rose, we’re almost there,” David said, turning from the driver’s seat. His smile was still honest, but now there was a natural reverence in his eyes. The jeep slowed as the first checkpoint appeared ahead.

Two soldiers in camouflage, AK-47s in hand, stood behind a makeshift barrier. Their skin was dark, their eyes sharp as hawks. David rolled down the window, exchanged a few quick words in Maraese, and handed over

his ID.

The soldier took it, checked it with a flashlight, then scanned it with a handheld device. His gaze shifted past David, sizing up Celia in the back seat.

“Your ID, ma’am,” one of the soldiers said in Averonian with an accent.

Celia calmly took out her passport and a letter with a special insignia from her bag and handed them over.

The insignia was simple yet dignified. It was an abstract rose encircling a medical caduceus, with small text below: [International Medical Research Alliance. Lifetime Honorary Fellow, Chief of the Rose Project.]

When the soldier saw the insignia, his eyes widened, then filled with barely contained excitement. He carefully compared the photo to Celia’s face. When he saw her calm features, the young soldier almost held his breath.

With hands trembling a bit, he handed the documents back, straightened up as best he could, and spoke, his words a bit clumsy but full of respect, “It’s you… Dr. Rose! Welcome back! May you be safe here!”

He stepped back, snapped to attention with a sharp salute, his eyes burning with sincerity. His companion, a bit confused at first, saw his partner’s reaction and the special insignia and quickly followed suit with a salute.

The barrier was quickly moved aside. The jeep rolled in, passing at least three more checkpoints like the first. Each time, as the sentries caught sight of Celia’s ID and that rose insignia, their stern, guarded expressions would melt into awe and respect.

Some couldn’t help but whisper, “That’s Dr. Rose!” Others made an effort to shout, “Hello, Dr. Rose!”

One burly officer with a scarred face, after checking her ID, placed his right fist over his heart and bowed deeply toward the car, a gesture of the highest honor among the local tribes for their most revered healers and benefactors.

Celia responded to every salute with a calm nod, her eyes serene, as if this was nothing new to her. David watched all of this through the rearview mirror, his honest smile brimming with pride.

Finally, the jeep stopped in front of a sturdy, unassuming stone building. It was only three stories high but sprawled across a wide area. Every window was reinforced with thick bulletproof glass, and the entrance was

19:39 Mon, May 11 d

Chapter 68

guarded by a heavy double-layer alloy door.

46

65 vouchert

Out front, four fully armed guards in black tactical uniforms patrolled with rifles at the ready, their eyes sharp and vigilant as they watched every corner.

This was no ordinary hotel. This was the Kilimanivelle Safehouse, a luxury eco-lodge on paper. But in truth, it only welcomed a select few, such as high-ranking officials, senior members of international organizations, and special guests like Celia, who required the highest level of protection.

The place had deep connections with top international medical research institutes and rescue organizations. Most who stayed here were the best of the best, leaders in science and medicine who had braved the world’s most dangerous frontlines and saved countless lives.

David got out and opened the door for Celia. “Dr. Rose, Dr. Carter asked me to let you know he was called to an emergency meeting in Nairuby. He’ll be back to see you by tomorrow morning at the latest.

“Your room is ready, and dinner will be sent straight to your room. If you need anything, use the call button in your room, or ask for Mr. Finch, the manager here.”

“Thanks, David. You really went through a lot to get us here,” Celia said with a nod, grabbing her travel bag.

As soon as she stepped onto the stairs, the heavy alloy door swung open from the inside. A tall, middle-aged man in a crisp white uniform strode out, his face serious, followed by two young men in waiter uniforms, their faces lit up with excitement.

But the moment he saw Celia, his stern expression melted like ice in the sun, breaking into a radiant, almost ecstatic smile. “Dr. Rose! It’s really you!” Bobby’s voice boomed, trembling slightly with emotion.

He practically jogged down the steps, arms outstretched, but caught himself in time and gave a deep bow instead. “When I saw your name on the reservation list, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest!

“Welcome home! Welcome back to the foot of Kilimanivelle! Your room will always be here for you!”

“Mr. Finch, it’s been a while,” Celia said with a gentle smile, extending her hand.

Bobby immediately clasped her hand with both of his, not a polite handshake, but a warm and strong grip, as if he needed to make sure this wasn’t a dream. “Please, come in! You must be exhausted after such a long flight.

“Your room is the same one you requested last time, the one with the best view. We’ve kept it ready for you, cleaning it every day, hoping you’d come back.”

As he led the way, he spoke quickly but clearly to the young waiters behind him, his tone unusually solemn, almost reverent. “Take Dr. Rose’s luggage to room 301 right away. Treat it like the most precious research sample. Handle it with care!

“Go to the kitchen and tell the chef that Dr. Rose is back! Activate the highest hospitality protocol! Dinner should be light, nutritious, and easy to digest.

“Dr. Rose prefers natural cooking philosophy, so prepare several organic vegetable dishes, and the soup must be made with a base broth simmered for at least eight hours!”

19:39 Mon, May 11 d

Chapter 68

46

56 vouchers

“Yes, Mr. Finch!” the two young waiters replied in unison, their voices ringing out. They looked at Celia with almost pilgrimage-like reverence and curiosity, carefully stepping forward to take her travel bag, treating it as if it were a sacred relic.

Inside the lobby, the decor was simple yet solid with rugged stone walls, sturdy wooden furniture, woven tapestries with motifs, and black-and-white wildlife photos hanging here and there.

The air was cool and dry, carrying a faint hint of sandalwood and the freshness of newly filtered air. There were only a handful of people in the lobby. A middle-aged white man in a suit was tapping away at his laptop.

An elderly couple, scholarly in appearance, quietly discussing something, and a black woman sitting alone in the corner with a glass of water, sitting ramrod straight, her gaze steady and piercing. She definitely had a military vibe.

As Celia walked in with Bobby, almost everyone glanced up without thinking.

The elderly gentleman adjusted his glasses, peered at Celia, and his expression shifted from curiosity to a look of profound respect and realization.

He gently tapped his wife, and both stood up, offering Celia a slight academic bow, the kind reserved for legends and trailblazers in their field.

In the corner, the black woman caught sight of Celia’s profile and Bobby’s reverent attitude. Her calm gaze suddenly blazed with intensity.

She shot to her feet, movements crisp and military-sharp, lips pressed tight as if she had a thousand things to say but held them back.

Instead, she squared her shoulders, raised her right hand, and delivered a textbook-perfect salute, her eyes burning with gratitude, admiration, and a surge of emotion she could barely contain.

Celia met her eyes, nodded gently, and the faintest hint of a knowing smile curved her lips. She clearly recognized the woman, but chose not to say a word.

Bobby led Celia toward the private elevator, his voice lowered, full of sincerity and gratitude. “Dr. Rose, look. Everything’s as you remember, maybe better. Last year, we upgraded all the security and emergency medical systems using the blueprints you helped design.

“The dedicated medical suite was expanded as you requested, and all the equipment is state-of-the-art. Everyone here… Honestly, they never stop talking about you. The old chief Eddie’s chronic illness hasn’t come back since he followed your treatment plan.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify