All Chapters of From Ex-wife to his Uncle's Obsession : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The fountain in the restaurant’s courtyard stopped me cold. I stood there staring at the coins scattered across the bottom, catching the afternoon light. I had tossed two coins in here earlier this week, made two wishes. The first: win the patent case against Stefano Conti. It was done. The second: cut that rotten marriage out of my life completely and never look back. I thought about Adelina’s pinched expression every time she looked at me. About watching Stefano and Tiziana circle each other at family dinners, all loaded glances and accidental touches. About Bianca Conti screaming at me in front of Tiziana, calling me names, and Tiziana standing there with that small, satisfied smile. Let them have each other. They deserved every miserable moment they would spend together. I was not losing a family. I was shedding dead weight. “Making another wish?” Vincenzo’s voice came from just behind me, low and unhurried. I turned. He was closer than I expected, watching me with those

“I tried to recruit her for my doctoral program years ago,” Lewis muttered. “I heard she got married and left science to work at her husband’s company. I did not expect to see her here. Lorenzo waved Celeste Moretti over. She stepped out of the sterile zone, removing her mask, her eyes widening when she recognized the visitor. “Professor Lewis,” she said respectfully. “Celeste,” Lewis replied, his tone half-scolding. “You vanished. I thought you had forgotten us old men and science altogether.” Celeste did not lower her gaze. She met his eyes with a calm, self-aware confidence. “I did not forget, Professor. I just took a long educational detour. Consider it a field trip through life’s mistakes. But I am back now, and I am more focused than ever.” Vincenzo raised a brow, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. As they moved deeper into the lab, whispers spread among the researchers. Many were stunned that the new recruit had direct ties to a figure like Professor Lewis.

Celeste's POV Warmth flooded my chest as I looked at Professor Lewis with quiet gratitude. Without him, I would never have found the courage to face this moment. Professor Enrico turned to me, and the anger in his eyes had faded into something deeper, something that ached. “I was not just angry that you left, Celeste,” he said, his voice rough. “I was angry because you took the brightest mind I have ever taught and let a mediocre man bury it. Do not waste your gift again.” My eyes burned, but I forced the tears back. “I will not, Professor. I am going to take back everything that belongs to me. With interest.” “Celeste has always been your weakness,” Lewis said gently. Then his tone shifted into something more practical. “Still, to be fair, Vitale Group International has the best laboratories in the world right now. The resources she has access to there are beyond what we can offer.” Enrico sighed, the last of his resistance slipping away. “I will not speak from anger anymore. V

(Celeste Moretti’s POV) The door opened and Vincenzo stepped out in a charcoal suit that looked like it had been tailored to perfection for his frame. There was something about the way he carried himself that always made it seem like the world adjusted slightly to accommodate him. He lifted his gaze at the exact moment mine met his. A brief silence stretched between us. Then the corner of his mouth curved. “Did you bribe my assistant to get my personal schedule, Dr. Moretti?” My face warmed before I could stop it. “I was invited,” I replied evenly. “By my mentor, Professor Walsh, whom I have known for seven years. This has nothing to do with you.” “Of course.” He did not sound convinced. If anything, he sounded amused in a way that made it worse. I walked past him and pressed the doorbell. Professor Walsh opened the door himself with a broad smile that immediately softened my tension. Mrs. Walsh appeared behind him and pulled me into a warm hug that smelled faintly of rosema

(Celeste’s POV) I didn’t own much. Even after purging the memories, all I had left were two suitcases and two cardboard boxes sitting quietly on the curb, like the remains of a life I had already buried. Vincenzo glanced at the small pile, then gestured to his driver with a simple flick of his wrist. “Put the boxes in the trunk.” The driver obeyed immediately. Vincenzo reached for my suitcases, lifting them as though they weighed nothing. “I can get those,” I said, stepping forward. “They’re heavy.” He sidestepped me without effort, his grip firm and unyielding. “I don’t let ladies carry heavy loads in my presence. It’s basic etiquette. Get in the car.” I didn’t argue. We took the elevator from the garage to the lobby. As the doors opened, Mrs. Gable from across the hall stepped out, her recycling bin in hand. She froze the moment she saw me. “Celeste? Moving out already?” “Just a change of scenery,” I replied, keeping my smile polite and distant. Her eyes shifted to Vincen