All Chapters of From Ex-wife to his Uncle's Obsession : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

(Author’s POV) Joyce smiled faintly. “I did, actually. Just yesterday. She works in the biotech research division at Vitale Group International. Honey, you have no idea what a coincidence this is. She used to work in the secretarial department at your company. Her name is Celeste Moretti.” The silence that followed lasted only a second. Tiziana’s expression did not change. She lifted her wine glass and took a slow sip, but something cold flickered briefly behind her eyes. It was there and gone so quickly that Joyce almost missed it. “Celeste Moretti,” Tiziana repeated smoothly. “You know her?” “Know her?” Tiziana placed her glass down carefully. Her tone shifted subtly, becoming softer, touched with concern. “Grandma, I know her very well. That’s why I’m worried.” Joyce looked at her. “Worried?” “She’s not what she appears to be.” Tiziana leaned forward slightly. “I know she seems warm and attentive. She’s very good at seeming that way. But she’s Stefano Conti’s ex wife, and t

(Celeste’s POV) I didn’t take the bait. Mr. Sayer was waiting for me to lose my temper. I could see it clearly in the way he leaned back in his chair with his arms loosely crossed and that faint curve at the corner of his mouth. He wanted me emotional. Loud. Easy to dismiss. “Tell me something,” I said calmly. “The student who supposedly threw the paper. How are his grades?” Mr. Sayer hesitated. Only briefly. But I noticed it. “Better than your brother’s,” he replied, though some of the confidence had disappeared from his voice. “Luca’s other exam papers should still be on file,” I said. “Why don’t we have every subject teacher mark them independently? Then we compare both students side by side. Every subject. Every score. And we find out which student actually needed to cheat.” He opened his mouth to interrupt me, but I continued. “Because if Luca’s scores come back higher across the board, then your version of events starts looking very questionable, doesn’t it?” The

(Author’s POV) The next morning, Celeste arrived at the courthouse steps at eight forty-five wearing a black blazer and straight-leg trousers. She spotted Luca across the street already heading toward the coffee shop. Catching his eye, she pointed firmly toward the entrance. He gave her a thumbs-up before disappearing inside. She turned back toward the courthouse doors. “Did your mother know he was coming?” Sebastian asked as he fell into step beside her. “Luca told her he was going to the gym.” Sebastian glanced sideways at her. “Smart kid.” “She would’ve shown up and made everything worse.” Celeste straightened the sleeve of her blazer. “She always does.” “No argument there.” Sebastian checked his watch briefly. “We’re on in ten minutes. Whatever they throw at you, don’t react. Don’t let them see you move.” “I know.” “I mean it. Their entire strategy is going to be making you look unstable.” “Sebastian.” She looked at him calmly. “I know.” He studied her for a second,

(Author’s POV) Stefano stood at the top of the courthouse steps and watched Celeste disappear around the corner of the parking structure. Something inside his chest went strangely quiet, and it had nothing to do with relief. Adelina did not wait until they returned to the car. “Half a billion dollars.” Her voice stayed low and controlled, which somehow made it far worse. “Stefano. Half a billion dollars. Cash transfers. Jewelry. God knows what else. Is that true?” Tiziana pressed her lips together tightly. “That is Celeste’s fabrication,” she said quickly. “She manipulated those records to humiliate me. To humiliate both of us. You cannot seriously believe that...” Adelina’s eyes shifted toward the pearl necklace resting against Tiziana’s throat. Then they stopped there. She did not need to say a word. The appraisal was already happening silently behind her eyes, and the number she arrived at matched exactly what Sebastian had read aloud inside the courtroom. She was not

(Author’s POV) Celeste walked to the door. She opened it. Then she stepped out and closed it quietly behind her. There was no slam, only a soft final click that somehow felt heavier than anger. For a moment, the hallway remained silent. Then Luca heard his own voice rising from inside the room, followed almost immediately by Lavinia’s sharper tone rising to meet it. Celeste did not turn back. Luca stared at the closed door and felt something tighten painfully inside his chest. Slowly, he turned toward his mother. Lavinia was trembling. Her hands shook visibly at her sides, along with the rigid line of her shoulders and mouth. “She’ll come back,” Lavinia said, her voice edged with brittle certainty. “Give her three days. She’ll come crawling back to apologize. She always does.” Luca looked at her silently. Then his gaze shifted toward the dining table. The roast chicken had already gone cold. The mashed potatoes sat untouched beside the untouched salad bowl, the carefully