Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 103: I’ll Handle It

Chapter 103: I’ll Handle It

The sun had long climbed its way into the sky over Zeden, casting bold rays across the polished streets and rooftops. It was just past noon, and the city moved in its usual quiet rhythm—people rushing to meetings, children out of school laughing in clusters, and cars honking lazily as they rolled past traffic lights. But none of it registered in Elizabeth’s mind.

She had just left Winters Corp after finding out there would be meeting that day abd though Stefan had Oliver take things up, she still needed to see how well he’d do.

The meeting had gone as expected—numbers, updates, decisions. Her presence, once commanding and unwavering, now felt weighty with a strange kind of guilt. A guilt that never really left her since Stefan discovered the truth... about Ruby, about Ivy, about the damage her silence had also caused.

As she sat behind the wheel of her dark sedan, the engine purring beneath her hands, her thoughts were elsewhere. She tapped her fingers gently against the leather steering wheel, staring blankly out the windshield.

"Maybe she’s signed them already," she murmured to herself, trying to shake the growing unease in her chest.

But she knew Ivy.

And Ivy didn’t do anything she didn’t want to. Not when it involved her pride.

Which was exactly why Elizabeth found herself turning in the direction of Stefan’s estate instead of going home. She needed to make sure Ivy had signed those divorce papers. She needed to make sure that when Stefan returned after finding Ruby, there wouldn’t be anything left standing in the way of him and Ruby.

Because Ruby was the one who had suffered the most.

The drive to Stefan’s house was short but felt strangely long. Every red light, every slow pedestrian crossing made her fingers tighten on the wheel. As she turned into the gated estate, the guards gave a polite nod, recognizing her instantly. The gates opened smoothly and closed behind her with a quiet thud.

She parked and stepped out, her heels clicking softly against the smooth stone driveway. The early afternoon sun cast long shadows over the lawn, and a light breeze rustled the leaves in the hedges. Elizabeth walked up the porch steps and rang the bell.

Soon, the butler came to get the door and after greeting her, disappeared back into the hallway and to the workers quarters.

Seeing that Ivy wasn’t in the living room, Elizabeth then headed straight to stairs and to Stefan’s bedroom where she knew Ivy would be if she was still in the house.

"Ivy?" she called when she got just outside the room but there was no answer.

She tried again. But still nothing. Then her brow furrowed in confusion.

Maybe Ivy was asleep? But even that didn’t feel right. Ivy was many things, but she wasn’t careless. If she was inside, she would have answered.

When she stood there for a few minutes abd still didn’t get any answers, she opened the door and peeked through. When she saw Ivy wasnt there, she went ahead peeking through every other room—each one empty, untouched, sterile and serene, telling her Ivy wasn’t here.

Her frown deepened as she came back down the stairs. Just then, she spotted Mariana, one of the house staff she’d brought in, coming in from the garden.

"Mariana!" Elizabeth called, striding over.

The young woman turned and offered a polite bow. "Madam Elizabeth. Good afternoon."

"Have you seen Ivy today?" Elizabeth asked quickly.

Mariana paused, brushing a curl of hair back behind her ear. "No, Madam. Madam Ivy left yesterday, sometime after lunch and she hasn’t come back since then."

Elizabeth’s heart gave a small jolt. "Since yesterday?"

"Yes, Madam. I thought maybe she had informed you."

Elizabeth stared at her, a flicker of worry creeping up her spine. "No, she didn’t. Did she say where she was going?"

"No," Mariana said, shaking her head. "She just said she needed air and left. I haven’t seen her since."

Elizabeth pressed her lips together. Her thoughts began to race.

Where could Ivy have gone? Was she intentionally avoiding them? Did she know the lawyer would come? Was this her way of dodging the divorce? Did she even know about the divorce?

Just then, as if fate were answering her, the doorbell rang. Elizabeth turned quickly, heading back toward the main entrance. She opened it to see a tall man in a dark blue suit holding a leather folder under one arm.

"Eric," she greeted, recognizing Stefan’s attorney immediately.

"Mrs. Winters," he said with a polite nod. "I hope I’m not intruding."

"Not at all," she replied, stepping aside to let him in. "You’re here to see Ivy, I assume."

He smiled faintly. "Yes. I have the divorce documents. Stefan told me she would be served today." f.(r)eewe/bnov\ll.com

Elizabeth gave a dry chuckle, shaking her head. "That’s why I’m here too. I wanted to check if she’d signed them yet."

Eric lifted an eyebrow. "Is she in?"

Elizabeth closed the door and turned back toward him. "No. I was told just now that she left the house yesterday and hasn’t returned since. None of the staff have seen or heard from her."

That made Eric pause, his expression growing serious. "That’s odd. Do you think she’s avoiding signing the papers?"

Elizabeth gave him a look. "Does that sound like something I should know?"

He smiled tightly. "Fair point."

There was a beat of silence between them before he added, "So what now? Without knowing where she is, it’s not exactly possible to get her signature."

Elizabeth reached out her hand. "Give me the papers."

Eric blinked. "Pardon?" .com

"You heard me. Give them to me. I’ll handle it."

"But... how?" he asked, confused. "If you don’t know where she is—"

"I have a very good idea of where she might be," Elizabeth cut in, her voice calm but resolute. "There’s only one place Ivy goes when she wants to hide from responsibility and avoid consequences."

Eric studied her face for a long moment. "And where’s that?"

"Ivy’s mother’s place," Elizabeth replied without hesitation. "When she’s scared, when she doesn’t want to face what she’s done, she runs there. Because she knows her mother will coddle her, let her throw tantrums, and never hold her accountable."

Eric looked like he wanted to ask more, but wisely held back. Instead, he handed over the leather folder.

"Everything’s in there. Stefan’s already signed. She just needs to read through and sign on the last page. There are two copies—one for each party." f r\eew,eb novel.c(o)(m)

Elizabeth nodded and took it, her fingers tightening around the folder like it weighed a hundred pounds. "Thank you."

"Will you be alright?" Eric asked, clearly still uncertain.

"I’ll be fine," she said, moving toward the door. "I just need to do this."

As she stepped outside again, the sun still shining but her chest heavier than ever, Elizabeth took a moment to breathe. Her eyes flicked toward the sky, then toward the direction she would need to drive. The mansion Ivy’s mother lived in wasn’t far, but it felt like entering enemy territory.

What if Ivy refused? What if she caused a scene? What if her mother sided with her and turned this into another dramatic spectacle?

Elizabeth shook her head, firming her shoulders.

"No," she muttered to herself. "I won’t let her manipulate this anymore. Stefan deserves better than this limbo. Ruby deserves clarity. And Ivy needs to understand that choices come with consequences."

With that, she strode to her car and slid into the driver’s seat. She placed the folder carefully beside her and took a deep breath before starting the engine.

Her hands trembled slightly on the steering wheel—not out of fear, but out of the deep sense of responsibility she carried. This was her doing in many ways. And now, she had to be the one to help make it right.

As she pulled out of Stefan’s estate and merged onto the road, her thoughts drifted again.

Ruby, she thought. Wherever you are, I hope you’re safe. And I hope you know—someone is finally fighting for you.

And with that quiet vow, Elizabeth drove on, determined to face whatever storm waited for her on the other side of town.