She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Beckham stood in the hallway outside the ICU at Mercy Hospital.

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He was holding a bouquet of carnations, dressed in a dark gray suit without a tie. He seemed less like the sharp businessman people were used to and more quietly thoughtful than usual.

He’d been standing there for ten minutes.

At the end of the hallway was Seamus’s room. Through the glass, he could see the busy medical staff inside and that familiar figure standing by the bedside.

It was Celia.

She wore a light blue sterile gown and a mask, only her calm, focused eyes visible. She was leaning over as she checked the numbers on the monitor, her profile looking soft yet resolute under the hospital lights.

Something gave Beckham’s heart a gentle jolt.

He’d heard Seamus was in critical condition, and that Celia had rushed back from Eastetille overnight to personally handle the surgery. He showed up claiming to be a younger family member and her ex-grandson-in-law, but honestly, he thought that excuse was pretty ridiculous.

Truth was, he wanted to see her.

Since that night at his father’s birthday party, he hadn’t seen her. Everything he knew about her came from news articles, online videos, and that heart-stopping live stream from Kenyelle.

He’d seen the statue of her as the Rose Angel, watched those chiefs and big shots pay their respects, and witnessed her lighting up the international stage.

What really threw him was that viral video from two days ago: Celia was saving a kid with a congenital heart defect at Oak Veranda. Her cool, professional back and the way she took charge in a crisis had the whole internet in awe.

And all he could do was watch from behind a screen, like he was some outsider.

Now, she was right there in front of him.

Beckham took a deep breath and walked over.

Celia had stepped out of the room, taking off her mask. When she saw Beckham, she paused for a second and then quickly regained her composure.

“Mr. Lucero,” she said, nodding, her tone as distant as if he were just another visitor. “Seamus needs his rest, so you can’t see him right now. I can pass the flowers to the nurses’ station for you.”

She reached out for the bouquet, but Beckham didn’t let go.

“Celia,” he said, his voice a little rough. “Can we talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Celia said, pulling her hand back and turning to leave.

Beckham suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. “Why did you hide this from me?”

Celia stopped and glanced down at his hand on her wrist, her eyes turning cold. “Let go.”

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11:57 am

Chapter 87

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“Dr. Rose,” Beckham said, locking eyes with her, his voice tight with emotion. “All this time, you were Dr. Rose. Three years. and you never told me?”

Celia stared at him for a few seconds and then gave a soft, almost mocking smile. “Is it really that important?”

“It is!” Beckham’s grip unconsciously tightened. “If I’d known you were Dr. Rose, if I’d known you had that kind of status and ability, I never would’ve-”

“Never would’ve what?” Celia cut him off, her voice calm but almost merciless. “Never would’ve acted so cold toward me? Never would’ve let Laylah move into your family?

“Or maybe your mom would’ve finally thought I was worthy enough to be part of the Lucero family?”

Beckham was left speechless.

“Beckham,” Celia said, her voice steady and deliberate, “if the Lucero family only recognizes their daughter-in-law when she has some prestigious status, then you shouldn’t have agreed to the marriage in the first place.

“I had my reasons for marrying you, but it was never necessary. If you really didn’t want it, do you honestly think your dad could’ve made you?”

Her words stabbed Beckham right in the heart. His dad had said almost the same thing back then: “Beckham, if you really didn’t want it, I wouldn’t have forced you.”

He was the one who chose this marriage.

“I…” Beckham’s throat tightened, and without realizing it, he squeezed her wrist harder. Celia winced in pain.

“Everyone online is calling me a fool for not seeing your worth,” Beckham said, his voice simmering with barely contained anger. “Phoebe’s media company is on my case every single day, and the board is all over me.

“I’ve been alive for twenty-eight years, and I’ve never been this humiliated!”

Celia looked at his face, twisted with anger, and suddenly found it almost laughable.

“So what?” she asked softly. “You think I’m the one who made you look bad?”

“Isn’t it?” Beckham gritted his teeth, snapping. “If you’d told me sooner, if-”

Before he could finish, Celia’s phone rang.

She glanced at the screen and saw the caller ID: [Emily.]

Celia gave a cold, inward laugh. ‘What a pair, these two, she thought.

She hadn’t planned to answer, but seeing Beckham still holding onto her, she suddenly changed her mind.

“Hold on,” she said as she pulled her hand free, answering the call and putting it on speaker.

Emily’s sharp voice exploded from the phone. “Celia! You need to post a statement online right now! Say you were the one who cheated, and it has nothing to do with Beckham!

“Don’t think just because you’re Dr. Rose, you can make a comeback! I’m telling you, I won’t acknowledge it!”

Beckham’s face changed. “Mom-”

2/4

11:58 am

Chapter 87

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“And another thing!” Emily cut him off, not letting him get a word in. “If you don’t do what I say, I’ll leak those photos of you drugging Beckham! Let’s see how you keep calling yourself Dr. Rose after that!”

Celia asked calmly, “What photos?”

“Don’t play dumb!” Emily’s voice got shriller. “A few days ago, you tried to drug my son, hoping to trap him into sleeping with you! Too bad it only helped Laylah and Beckham get together!

“Using dirty tricks like that… How shameless can you be? Listen, Laylah is the only daughter-in-law I recognize, not you. Three years of marriage and you haven’t given me a single grandchild. You’re useless.”

Laylah, standing nearby, tried to intervene. “Emily, please, don’t say that…”

“Did I say anything wrong? Laylah, you’re so thoughtful, always trying to calm me down. Unlike that Celia-”

“Mrs. Lucero,” Celia interrupted, still perfectly calm. “You’re really overthinking things. I couldn’t care less about your family, and your son interests me less. Sorry, I’m not a hen, so I can’t lay eggs. If you can, feel free to lay a few yourself.”

“You-!” Emily was so angry that her voice was trembling.

Beckham finally couldn’t take it anymore. He snatched the phone from Celia. “Mom! That’s enough!”

He switched off speakerphone, pressed the phone to his ear, and lowered his voice. “I’ll talk to you when I get home.”

After hanging up. Beckham glared at Celia, his face dark with anger. “Celia, how could you talk to her like that? She’s your mother-in-law!”

“Ex-mother-in-law,” Celia corrected. “And if she wants respect, she should at least act like a decent human being.”

“You-!”

“And another thing,” Celia said, rubbing her wrist where he’d left a red mark. “That person in the photos isn’t me. I have zero interest in drugging you.

“If you really want to talk about drugging, you should ask the Steins. After all, when Aiyana drugged me, she was pretty damn good at it.”

Beckham was stunned. “What? Aiyana drugged you? When did that happen? Are you okay?”

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