She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Chapter 76

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Elliott jerked, as if he’d been forcibly pulled from an intense dream. He blinked, his long lashes casting shadows on his eyelids.

When he looked up again, the daze and shock from moments before were swiftly buried beneath his usual, unfathomable calm. Yet beneath that calm, something had been irreversibly altered. Undercurrents surged in the depths.

He turned to Lucas, his gaze sharp and clear now, tinged with irritation at the interruption. “What is it?”

Lucas watched as Elliott snapped back to his usual calm, and he quietly breathed out, though his suspicions only grew. He lowered his voice. “The luncheon’s all set. But…”

His tone got more serious as he quickly showed Elliott his phone. On the screen was a live feed from a major news channel, with a bold headline: [Live Coverage of Eastetille’s ‘New Life, Gratitude’ Special Ceremony).

The camera swept across the VIP section, catching Elliott’s profile as he stared at the stage, and a bit away, Celia’s calm face as she accepted a wreath, both in the same shot, oddly harmonious.

Lucas’s voice was tight, every word landing clearly in Elliott’s ears.

He said, “Mr. Perry, look. We’re on live TV right now. It’s an official broadcast, going out to all the big platforms back home and some international media.”

Elliott’s gaze snapped to the small screen. The live feed was crystal clear. He could catch the calm glimmer in Celia’s eyes. Only now did it dawn on him that he’d been so focused on the stage, he’d completely tuned out everything else.

Up above and to the sides of the VIP section, a whole array of professional cameras had been set up, some from Kenyelle National Television, some from International News Agency, and a few news outlets he recognized.

The reporters, moments ago swept up in Eddie’s story and Celia’s appearance, were now busy adjusting their cameras, trying to capture every reaction from the VIPs and the unfolding ceremony.

Especially the reporters from the outlets he knew had expressions that shifted from professional focus to an undisguised excitement and pride.

One veteran female correspondent had slightly red eyes as she addressed the live feed, speaking rapidly and emotionally, her voice low but brimming with feeling.

Elliott’s heart skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, he swiped on the screen and opened the live chat.

The comments were scrolling by at lightning speed.

[Oh my god! Is that Celia? Beckham’s ex-wife?]

[You’re not seeing things! That’s her! But seriously, what’s going on? How did she end up in Eastetille? And why is she being called a ‘Rose Angel’?]

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[I was crying when Eddie’s words were translated. She saved so many people here three years ago! They built a statue of her!]

[I’m getting goosebumps. That line ‘I’m a doctor’ is so powerful!]

[Where are those gossip accounts back home who said she was into gardening and living off her family? Step up and see what she’s really doing!]

[This is what a true beauty with a good heart and real talent looks like. Was Beckham blind? He let a gem like her slip away and chose Laylah instead?]

[Laylah isn’t even fit to carry her bag. One’s all about gossip and using her kid for attention, while the other’s actually out here saving lives and getting honored with a statue in Eastetille. Total night and day!]

[Am I the only one who noticed that insanely handsome Tarsian guy in the front row? Isn’t that Elliott from Perry Group? He’s here too?]

[The way Elliott’s looking at Dr. Ross. There’s definitely some sparks flying.]

[No matter how you slice it, Celia deserves the best! I used to think she was the pitiful one, but now it’s clear Beckham’s the real loser here!]

[She’s a true national hero! The way she got dragged through the mud back home was unreal.]

[I’m a total fan now! This is the kind of idol we should be stanning!]

The comments were pouring in, almost all of them filled with shock, awe, and people completely flipping their old opinions.

All those labels they used to slap on Celia, like “cast-off trophy wife” or “the useless ex”, looked laughable and pathetic now, totally crushed by these real, moving moments and legendary stories that hit everyone right in the feels.

Elliott’s eyes stayed locked on the flood of comments, especially the ones comparing Celia to Beckham and Laylah, and those praising her real worth.

A strange, vivid feeling crept up on him, like vines breaking through the earth, quietly wrapping around his heart.

It was a sense of shared pride, almost as if her glory reflected onto him.

Celia’s achievements and the respect she’d earned had nothing to do with Elliott. He was one of the few insiders who’d witnessed all this up close.

But he saw the genuine praise on the screen, watched people back home swell with pride because of her, and saw her earn a kind of honor that made any rich family’s reputation look trivial.

He found himself feeling an odd, almost proud sense. It was like her brilliance made his own world feel brighter, more worthwhile.

He’d never felt anything like this in his thirty years. He wasn’t someone who showed his emotions easily, and

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Chapter 76

he definitely wasn’t the type to feel proud of others.

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But right now, seeing that comment, “Beckham’s the real loser here”, a cool, almost ruthless sense of agreement stirred deep inside him, along with a kind of satisfaction he couldn’t quite name.

‘What am I satisfied with? Is that Beckham a loser? That I’m here, witnessing her shine in person? Or is it that all the dirty schemes and rumors could never hide the real star?’ he wondered.

He didn’t dare dwell on it.

“Mr. Perry,” Lucas spoke up again, this time with a clear warning. He moved the phone aside, signaling Elliott to pay attention to what was happening around them. “The cameras could swing over here any second.”

As Elliott’s assistant, Lucas had to remind him to keep up his public image, especially with this kind of global broadcast. If the cameras caught him zoning out, people started reading too much into it.

Elliott took a deep breath, handed the phone back to Lucas, and pushed down that strange rush of emotion in his chest.

He straightened up, his face settling back into its usual calm. He adjusted his posture a bit, making himself look more composed and confident for the cameras. But his gaze kept wandering back to where Celia was.

She was back in her seat, tilting her head as she listened to William, a faint, focused smile on her face. It was like all that jaw-dropping honor she’d gotten barely fazed her; it was another day at work, another page turned, nothing more.

*****

Meanwhile, in the Lucero Group CEO’s office, Beckham stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window, his back stiff. On his desk, a tablet was quietly streaming the same live broadcast. His assistant, Nick, stood off to the side, barely daring to breathe.

On the screen, Eddie was passionately recounting the story of the “Rose Angel.” The camera cut to the simple yet striking wooden statue, then lingered on Celia as she calmly walked up to the stage and accepted the wreath.

Beckham’s fists clenched at his sides, veins popping on the back of his hands. He stared at the screen, at that face, so familiar, yet suddenly so distant.

The same eyes, the same features, but an expression he’d never seen before, calm but full of strength, humble yet unbreakable, like all the messy baggage of high society had been scrubbed away, leaving only her pure professionalism and the brilliance of her humanity.

“She…” Beckham’s voice was hoarse, gritted out between his teeth. “When did she go to Eastetille? Three years ago? Rose… Doctor?” Every word hit him like a punch, making him rethink everything he thought he knew about her.

Nick steeled himself, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. “Mr. Lucero, we… we ran the usual background check on Ms. Ross when she was overseas, but honestly, what we found was super basic, surface-level stuff.

“All we got was that she went to some top university abroad, and the official records said her major was plant

science.

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“But when it comes to what she actually did in Eastetille, her role in the Rose project, and all these… stories, our channels came up totally empty. It’s like there’s some invisible firewall keeping all her real achievements locked away.”

He hesitated, his voice getting more awkward. “And, if you look at the live comments and the trending topics, they’re exploding right now. Public opinion has completely flipped.

“All the old negative takes about Ms. Ross are getting drowned out by a tsunami of praise. The whole internet’s focused on her medical breakthroughs, her humanitarian impact, and…”

He took a shaky breath. “And the massive gap between her and Ms. Stein.” The last few words were barely audible, but Beckham heard them loud and clear.

“Massive gap?” Beckham whipped around, his gaze razor-sharp, shock and disbelief swirling in his eyes. He felt utterly played, rage boiling up inside him, along with a stabbing pain he could barely admit.

He thought, ‘Can’t find anything? Even I can’t get the truth? Plant science? Then who is this Angel on the live stream, honored with a statue for her medical miracles?’

Nick dropped his head, unable to meet Beckham’s stare. “Yes. The public’s completely flipped. Everyone’s saying Ms. Stein and Ms. Ross aren’t in the same universe.

“Ms. Ross earned top-tier international respect purely on her own merit, while Ms. Stein…” He fell silent, the comparison too awkward to finish.

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