She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77 The Lucero and Ross Families‘ Thoughts

In the living room of the Lucero Residence, on the ultra–large–screen LCD television, the international channel was currently broadcasting a special report on the ‘New Life, Gratitude‘ ceremony in Eastetille.

The scene happened to switch to the Chief of Ngombee speaking excitedly, as well as the moment when the Rose Angel statue was unveiled.

Emily’s cup crashed onto the coffee table, coffee splashing everywhere, but she didn’t

notice.

Her eyes were locked on the screen, her voice sharp and trembling with disbelief, and a barely concealed panic. “That’s Celia? How could she possibly? No way! What are those people over there doing? Is this some kind of sick joke?”

Tanner was lounging on the sofa, eyes closed, idly rolling a silver bracelet. Celia had given it to him three years ago, right after she married into the family, because she’d heard he had trouble‘ sleeping.

He’d kept them ever since. Hearing Emily’s startled cry and the vaguely familiar voice from the TV, he slowly opened his eyes.

As the woman on the screen, wearing a flower crown, calm and poised, speaking fluent Maraese, appeared clearly, Tanner’s fingers suddenly froze on the bracelet. He leaned forward, his face going rigid in an instant. First confusion flashed in his eyes, then shock took over.

He wasn’t surprised that she was in Eastetille. What stunned him was the completely different aura she radiated.

That steady, powerful presence, the genuine respect from everyone around her. It was nothing like the quiet, polite girl he’d known in the Lucero family, who always seemed distant and reserved.

“Rose Angel…” Tanner murmured, repeating the title Eddie kept mentioning, along with that abstract rose and serpent staff symbol.

He remembered three years ago, during that major famine and epidemic in Eastetille, when several top medical teams from the country had secretly participated in the

relief effort.

He wondered, ‘Could she have been one of them?‘

He suddenly recalled that Celia had gone abroad for several months for an academic exchange back then. When she returned, she was thinner, but her eyes seemed brighter.

He’d thought she was taking a break, and helped her avoid some unnecessary social

Chapter 77 The Lucero and Ross Families‘ Thoughts

engagements and Emily’s harsh treatment. So that was it.

‘What angel? She’s putting on an act.” Emily’s voice grew sharper, trying to cover up the growing unease and embarrassment in her heart with anger. “She must have bought that title with money, or she made some shady deal with those people. She’s not worthy!”

‘Shut up!” Tanner snapped, his voice low but carrying the authority of someone used to being in charge, and a suppressed fury.

He turned to Emily, his gaze sharp as a knife. “Whether she’s worthy or not isn’t for you to decide! It’s for the people she pulled back from the brink of death!

“It’s for the tribes who built a statue for her and see her as their hope and benefactor! “Look at what the person you call ‘unworthy‘ is doing, and then look at what the one you’ve been pushing is doing! She’s now putting the Lucero family and Beckham right in the eye of the storm!

One is saving lives and earning the world’s respect, the other is desperately scheming to use scandals to get ahead! Emily, your judgment is truly ‘excellent“!”

Emily was stunned by her husband’s unprecedentedly harsh scolding and the blunt comparison, her face turning pale, her lips trembling, but unable to utter a single strong word.

Celia’s calm and powerful presence on the screen was like a silent slap, striking hard at her long–held prejudices and schemes.

Tanner turned his gaze back to the screen.

He watched Celia calmly accept the traditional, ceremonial praise, saw the genuine respect and understanding she showed when interacting with the tribal elders, and caught the deep, unreadable look in Elliott’s eyes as he watched her from below the stage.

A wave of complicated emotions surged in Tanner’s heart, shock, realization, and a sense of guilt for not truly understanding her despite his efforts to protect her in the past. But above all, there was a deep regret and a cold realization.

He slowly leaned back against the sofa, rolling the bracelet, his voice weary but clearer than ever. “Now I finally understand.

“When I agreed to the divorce, it wasn’t me helping her. It was Beckham and our Lucero family, who never had a chance of keeping her. We weren’t worthy of her.”

His words stabbed into Emily’s heart like an ice pick, leaving her utterly speechless. They weren’t worthy of her, the woman she’d always looked down on.

On the TV, Celia’s clear and steady voice rang out. “I’m a doctor.“”

Tanner closed his eyes and let out a long, silent sigh. ‘This girl really kept her secrets

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Chapter 77 The Lucero and Ross Families‘ Thoughts

tight,‘ he thought.

Yet, strangely, he wasn’t really upset about being kept in the dark. Instead, he felt a sense of relief, as if everything finally made sense, and a quiet pride for the girl he’d watched grow up.

But that pride was weighed down by a heavy disappointment in his son and the current state of the Lucero family.

*****

In Seamus‘ quarters at the Ross Residence, his room had an antique charm, the air tinged with a faint aroma. He wasn’t watching TV.

Instead, with his reading glasses perched on his nose, he was absorbed in a tablet, carefully going through a detailed article a friend had sent him about Dr. Rose’s achievements in Eastetille, complete with a short internal summary.

He took his time, reading every word with care.

Jasper was called in by the butler and stood in front of his father, his face still showing the mix of shock and stubborn anger from the live news he’d watched.

“Dad, you saw it too? Celia, she’s unbelievable…” Jasper blurted out, his voice full of frustration and disbelief.

“I saw it,” Seamus replied, slowly raising his hand to cut Jasper off.

He took off his reading glasses and wiped them with a soft piece of deerskin; his unfathomable eyes fixed on Jasper. “Not only did I see it. I know a lot more than you do. More than you could ever guess.”

Jasper was taken aback.

“Just now, some retired elders reached out to me through different channels,” Seamus said, his voice aged but steady, with the clarity of someone who understands the world deeply. “They didn’t say much, but their meaning was clear.

“Celia isn’t Dr. Rose. The projects she’s involved in, the things she’s accomplished. They’re not about her personal abilities or honor. They’re connected to national interests and our country’s reputation.”

He paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he locked eyes with Jasper. “Jasper, I didn’t call you here today to discuss how much Celia has kept from us, or how capable she is. I’m here to warn you.”

“A warning?” Jasper’s heart skipped a beat.

Seamus’s tone suddenly turned stern. “I’m warning you, from now on, put away those scheming thoughts of yours. And don’t think about using Celia’s current reputation and influence to benefit the Ross family or yourself!

Chapter 77 The Lucero and Ross Families‘ Thoughts

“Her current status, that aura she carries, is both a shield and a live wire! Do you think those old men reached out to me for no reason?

“They’re reminding us! They’re telling the Ross family to know our place, not to get carried away, and definitely not to try to tie ourselves to her or exploit her!

“The higher she rises, the more she represents, and it’s no longer something you, or the Ross family, can scheme with!

“If we mess this up, we’ll be tarnishing our country’s name and smearing her hard work. And when that happens, forget about riding her coattails, we’ll end up burning ourselves, and by then, it’ll be too late to regret it!”

Jasper was speechless after his father’s harsh warning. The color drained from his

face.

Even in his shock, he’d already started calculating how to use Celia’s newfound reputation to pull the Ross Group out of its recent slump, and maybe tip the scales in their complicated ties with the Lucero family.

“Listen closely,” Seamus said, each word hitting Jasper like a hammer. “From now on, you care about Celia, but never use her. Support her if you want, but don’t ever try to manipulate her. If she chooses to come home, that’s her kindness.

“If she keeps her distance, that’s her right. The best thing we can do for her is to stay out of her way, and that’s also the best way to keep ourselves safe. Do you understand?‘

Under his father’s sharp gaze and harsh warning, Jasper felt a cold sweat break out on his back, all his earlier calculations instantly snuffed out. He swallowed hard and dropped his head. “I understand, Dad.”

Seamus looked at him, his tone easing a bit, but still brooking no argument. “Good.

Remember, she’s not Celia now. She’s Dr. Rose.

“The place she stands now, the level she represents, is way beyond what a merchant family like ours can meddle in or try to cling to. All we can do is know our place, not embarrass her, and not bring disaster on ourselves.”