Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 144: Courting Rayna 2

Chapter 144: Courting Rayna 2

How could he be talking about that when she was crying moments ago? She mused, amused by how he was trying to cheer her up.

Ethan laughed, enjoying her reaction. "Are you saying you want me to court you properly?"

She shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Maybe."

"Alright," he said, nodding like it was a deal. "Then I’ll officially begin the courtship of Rayna Hart. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

She burst into laughter, finally relaxing a little, the tension easing from her face. "We’ll see about that," she murmured.

Ethan grinned. But he meant it.

He was going to court her. For real.

The air in the car felt different now—lighter, warmer. The ache in Rayna’s chest hadn’t disappeared, but it had softened. And maybe, just maybe, it was being replaced with something new. Something exciting.

She looked at Ethan again. His hand was still on the steering wheel, his other resting on the center console. His profile was strong and calm, and his smile lingered like sunlight.

As they drove through the winding road back to town, a quiet peace settled between them.

Rayna didn’t know what the future held. But at least, she knew she wasn’t alone in it.

As they approached the street leading to Rayna’s neighborhood, Ethan made a sudden turn and pulled up near a small corner shop with a flower symbol on its signboard.

Rayna looked at him, puzzled. "What are we doing here?"

"Hang tight," he said, winking at her before stepping out of the car.

Rayna watched him walk into the flower shop, confused. She leaned forward, trying to peek through the window. A few minutes later, Ethan stepped back out holding a stunning bouquet—bright red roses, yellow tulips, and white lilies all tied in a silky pink ribbon. Her heart skipped.

Was that for her?

But when he slid into the car with the bouquet and placed it beside his seat without saying a word about it, Rayna blinked.

"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath. He wasn’t giving it to her?

The drive continued, and Ethan acted as though nothing had happened. No mention of the bouquet. No sweet words. No nothing even though he could see Rayna fuming from the corner of his eyes.

By the time they got to her house, Rayna was already bubbling with silent annoyance.

She tried to keep a neutral face, but inside, she was screaming. What was he planning to do with that bouquet? Was he going to give it to someone else? Or was it just there to confuse her? Why did he have to buy it with her in the car when he knew he wasn’t giving it to her?

They pulled up in front of her house and Ethan turned to her, flashing a smile.

"Well, here we are. Get some rest, okay?"

Rayna stared at him, then at the bouquet, then back at him. She wanted to ask. She really wanted to ask. But her pride said no.

So she gave him a tight-lipped smile and got out. "Yeah. Thanks."

Once she got off, he drove off without another word to her.

Rayna stood on the porch, arms folded and face twisted in frustration. "I knew it," she growled under her breath. "He wasn’t even planning to give me the flowers. What in the world was that about?"

She entered her house, muttering to herself. She slammed the door behind her and kicked off her shoes harder than necessary.

Why did he even go into a flower shop then? she thought, throwing her keys on the table.

She sat on the couch, scowling. "I can’t believe I got excited about flowers, thinking it was for me."

Just then, there was a knock.

Rayna frowned, dragging herself up. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Maybe her neighbor needed something.

She swung open the door, ready to snap if neccessay but then froze when she saw who was at the door.

Ethan was standing there, with the bouquet in his hands and a knowing smile on his face.

"Ethan?" she blinked.

He smiled. "Sorry for just showing up again. But I figured... since I said I was going to court you, I should probably start with these," he said as he held out the flowers.

Rayna stared. Her heart flipped once, then again.

"You... you came back just to give me these? Why did you have to make it seem like they weren’t for me?"

"Well, yeah," Ethan said, shrugging. "Didn’t feel right giving you flowers while I was just dropping you off. Felt too casual. Too easy. But now," he stepped closer, "this is me officially starting the courtship of Rayna, Queen of my heart."

She stared at him, speechless.

"These flowers," he said softly, "might not compare to your beauty. But I hope they can brighten your day even half as much as your smile brightens mine."

Rayna blinked fast, trying to hide the way her chest swelled with warmth. She reached out and took the bouquet gently.

They smelled heavenly.

She looked up at him again, trying to be cool. "Well... that’s more like it."

Ethan grinned. "So... how am I doing so far?"

"You’re doing okay," she said, looking away to hide her blush. "But you still have a long way to go, Mr. Courter."

He chuckled. "Challenge accepted."

As he turned to leave, Rayna looked down at the bouquet, her lips twitching into a smile.

Maybe this new Chapter—this courtship—was exactly what she needed to fill the space Ruby left behind.

After reeling her up when he knew he would still give her the flowers, Rayna couldn’t help but look forward to seeing more of his mischievousness.

*******

Hello, dearest readers! How are you all doing today? I see your votes, your comments and I want to say thank you all.

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