Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 52: It’s Done

Chapter 52: It’s Done

By the time they got to the office that morning, the tension from Friday which they had left behind in the office had enveloped them once more as Stefan began thinking of ways to wrap up things with Ashford and Richard before Ashford visits to ask for his answer.

Ruby stood near Stefan’s desk, arms folded tightly across her chest, eyes still fixed on the door. The tension hadn’t lifted—not even a little. If anything, the files Ashford dropped which Ruby had brought out on Stefan’s request had thickened the air in the office.

"I don’t like him and all this," Ruby said finally.

"Ashford? I don’t either," Stefan replied, his voice low, but steady. "But I like what he brought."

His fingers brushed the surface of the folder in front of him—a folder filled with damning truths. He didn’t need to see it to know the weight it carried. He could feel it in his bones.

"Call Naomi. I want Naomi to verify every document in that folder," he said after a long pause. "Cross-reference it with our financial reports and employee benefit ledgers. If it checks out, we strike."

"You want to involve her now?" she asked and he nodded.

"I’ve thought about it. She’s really trust worthy and I want to get this over with. I’ve thought about it all through the weekend."

Ruby nodded, but her concern lingered in the lines of her face. "So, are you still thinking of working with Ashford?"

Stefan tilted his head, his dark glasses catching the faint glint of sunlight from the windows. "Not exactly. I’ll use him like I said. But I won’t give him anything he can turn into leverage."

There was something ruthless in the way he said it, the kind of calm that came from knowing exactly what you were about to do—and doing it anyway.

He picked up his phone and pressed a familiar number.

"Get Oliver in here," he said. "Now."

Twenty Minutes Later

Oliver entered after a small knock, seeing Ruby, he quickly composed himself not want to be the object of scream or displeasure to anyone.

"You know, I was hoping for a quiet Monday," he managed to say. "What’s wrong and why did you need my urgent attention?"

Stefan gave Ruby a nod and she slid it toward Oliver who began flipping through the pages.

"This... is serious," Oliver muttered, brows knitting. "These are offshore accounts. Dummy corporations. Benefit theft?"

"Yes and years of it," Ruby said.

Oliver leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "If we go public with this, Richard’s reputation won’t survive. But the fallout will hit the board hard."

"Unless," Stefan said, "we show them a solution. A new structure. I take the lead as CEO. Ashford lends his name to stabilize our international relations. The rest is noise."

"And what’s to stop Ashford from pulling something slick once Richard’s gone?"

Stefan’s jaw tightened. "Me. I’ve dealt with worse than Ashford in the dark. He thinks blindness is weakness. He’s wrong."

Oliver was quiet for a beat, then grinned. "All right. Let’s burn the old man down."

"Yeah. Have Naomi set up the meeting with the board members," he said and Oliver nodded before stepping out to do as he’s been asked.

A short while later, the executive boardroom was packed, the air charged with nervous energy. Twelve members sat in their assigned seats, murmuring among themselves. At the first chair on the right side of the table sat Richard Winters, polished, composed—and oblivious to the avalanche headed his way.

Stefan entered with Ruby guiding him gently to the head of the table. His white cane tapped once against the polished floor before he folded it and set it down. Naomi placed the evidence-filled folder before him.

Ashford entered last, fashionably late. His steps echoed with purpose as he crossed the room and took a seat—away from Richard.

Richard’s gaze followed him, frown deepening. "Ashford, you’re late."

"I wanted to make an entrance," Ashford said smoothly. "You’ll see why."

Stefan rose. His face was calm, unreadable behind the dark lenses.

"I’ve called this meeting to address misconduct at the highest level," he said. "Over the past decade, Richard Winters has been embezzling funds from employee benefit accounts, funneling them into offshore holdings through dummy corporations."

A stunned silence fell across the room the moment Stefan said that. Richard’s heart skipped a beat as he wondered how Stefan must have gotten to know about that.

Not wanting to show his anxiousness, Richard laughed, eyes narrowing. "Is this your attempt at a power grab, Stefan? That’s some serious accusation, you know that right?"

"No accusation," Stefan replied. "Only facts."

He nodded to Naomi, who distributed copies of the documents to each board member.

Ashford finally spoke, tone cool and precise. "The documents have been verified by my own team. All signatures match. The trail is undeniable."

Richard’s voice sharpened. "You verified this? You were supposed to back me, you fool!"

Ashford didn’t look at him. "I never promised loyalty. Just interest." fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)

The board members flipped through the pages, eyes widening. Murmurs rose like waves across the room. Several paled. Others glared at Richard with disgust.

"You forged employee benefit withdrawals?" one member asked. "That’s pension money."

"All in the name of ’expansion,’ right?" another added bitterly.

"Enough," Stefan said, voice cutting cleanly through the noise. "A vote. Now."

One by one, the board members raised their hands.

"Remove Richard Winters from Winters Corp effective immediately," Naomi read aloud. "Begin legal proceedings based on financial misconduct."

Not longer than she said it, hands began going up and soon eleven hands were up.

Only Richard abstained, trembling with fury.

"You’ll regret this," he hissed, standing. "You blind little snake. You don’t deserve this company."

"No," Stefan said, slowly rising. "But I earned it and I’m trying to preserve it. Unlike you that’s trying to ruin it."

Outside the boardroom, security was already waiting with Oliver.

Richard, red-faced and livid, shoved past the guards, shouting, "I built this company with my brother, your father! You think you can erase me?"

One of the guards blocked his path. "Sir, you need to come with us."

"I’ll see you all burn for this!" he roared. "Especially you, Ashford!"

Ashford, sipping from a glass of water like a man watching a stage play, didn’t even flinch. "Try not to drop the soap, Richard."

The elevator doors closed behind Richard and the guards, his protests echoing until they were gone.

Back in the boardroom, Stefan exhaled quietly, gripping the edge of the table to steady himself.

Ruby moved to his side. "It’s done."

He nodded slowly. "Justice was blind... but not powerless."