Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 56: Not Ivy But Me

Chapter 56: Not Ivy But Me

The hallway outside the emergency room was cold, too cold for a morning that had started with sunlight and laughter.

Ruby sat in the waiting room with her hands clenched tightly in her lap, the skin around her knuckles pale. Across from her sat Elizabeth, her face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

The moment Ruby had rushed into the hospital, time had slowed. The smell of disinfectant, the hum of machines, the hurried footsteps of nurses—it all felt like a nightmare when she realized Elizabeth had been right and Stefan had truly been in an accident. f|ree(w)ebn\o.vel.com

How could he suffer something like this twice in less than a year? The doctors had seemed to make the situation look like it was serious so she didn’t exactly know what to think as all various emotions was running through her.

Ruby glanced sideways at the woman who had pushed her into this life of secrets. A woman who only ever wanted to protect her son. And now, as much as Ruby had hated the plan at first, she found herself silently grateful. Because being here... loving Stefan... carrying his child—it had all come from that one terrible, impossible choice.

"He’ll be fine," Elizabeth whispered suddenly, more to herself than anyone else. "He has to be."

Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, even though her heart was tearing apart inside her chest. "Yes... he has to be."

She didn’t realize her hand had drifted down to rest gently on her stomach until she felt the warmth of her own touch. A part of Stefan was growing inside her—a little heartbeat that depended on hers. She hadn’t even had time to process the pregnancy fully, but now all she could think about was what if this is it?

What if he never woke up? What if he never knew the truth? .com

Her baby would never hear his father’s laugh, never feel his arms, never know how gentle and kind he was. That thought scared her more than anything.

Please... please be okay, she prayed silently, her fingers curling tighter over her abdomen. You have to come back. I have to tell you everything. I need you to know that it’s me... Ruby. That I’ve been with you all this time. Not Ivy but me.

Ruby’s eyes stung, but no tears came. Not yet. She was too numb.

Her mind kept replaying the moment Elizabeth’s voice cracked over the phone. The words "It’s Stefan... he’s been in an accident" had sent her heart into freefall.

She remembered how her breath caught in her throat, how she had whispered, "No... no, please no," as her cab sped toward the hospital.

Now, here they were. Waiting. Hoping. Praying.

She clasped her belly protectively. Her heart whispered a silent prayer.

The minutes dragged like hours. The hallway was too quiet, the fluorescent lights buzzing above them the only sound. No nurses walked by. No one came out.

Until finally, footsteps echoed in the hallway, pulling Ruby and Elizabeth from their thoughts.

A doctor stepped into the room. His scrubs stained faintly with blood, his eyes tired but steady. "Mrs. Winters?"

They both stood quickly.

"How is he?" Elizabeth asked, her voice trembling.

The doctor gave a small nod. "He’s stable now. The accident caused some trauma, and he’s slipped into a coma. But it’s not life-threatening. We believe he’ll wake up and soon."

Elizabeth let out a soft cry, covering her mouth. Ruby exhaled deeply, her knees giving way as she sank back into her chair.

"He’s going to be okay?" she whispered.

"Yes," the doctor said gently. "His vitals are strong, and we’ve stopped the internal bleeding. It’s just a matter of time before he wakes up."

Ruby pressed a hand to her chest. Relief flooded her, but it didn’t wash away the fear completely. "Thank you," she whispered.

The doctor hesitated, flipping through his chart again. "There’s something else," he added. "While we were running tests, we looked again at his eyes. The optic nerves, which were previously too damaged for surgery... they’re healing."

Elizabeth straightened. "What do you mean?" she asked with a slight frown.

"I mean," the doctor said, "they’ve healed enough that we can now proceed with the surgery. The pressure around the nerves has reduced, and the swelling is gone. We believe there’s a high chance of restoring his sight."

Ruby’s heart stopped for a second as her brain went blank and every thought ceased.

"What?" she asked, blinking. "But... but you said it would take up to a year. It’s only been six months..."

"It’s rare, but it happens," the doctor explained. "Everyone heals at different speeds. Mr. Winter’s nerves responded better than we expected. We’ve consulted with a specialist, and we’re recommending the procedure as soon as he wakes up from coma."

Elizabeth’s hands flew to her chest, overwhelmed. "Oh, thank God," she whispered.

Elizabeth was beaming, her tears now flowing freely. "He’ll be able to see again?" she asked the doctor, her voice trembling.

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "We just need his consent once he’s awake, and then we can prepare for surgery."

Ruby stood frozen, too many emotions hitting her all at once.

Happy. Yes. She was happy. How could she not be?

He would see again. He would finally be able to live without relying on anyone. He would finally look at the world again... and maybe even look at her.

But that was the part that scared her. Would he forgive her after she told him the truth? What would he see? Not Ivy. Not the woman he thought he married, but her, Ruby.

The woman who had lied to him every single day since they exchanged vows. The woman who had kissed him, held him, loved him... under a false name.

What would happen when he opened his eyes and saw her standing there? Would he know immediately? Would he notice any difference? Would he feel betrayed?

Her joy was already being chipped away by fear. She had carried this secret for so long, and now there was no running from it. Once he could see, everything would change.

"Are you alright, Ivy?" the Doctor asked, noticing the way her face had paled.

Ruby nodded quickly. "Yes. Just... overwhelmed. It’s a lot."

He smiled kindly. "Understandable. It’s good news. I’ll let you know when he’s transferred to a room."

As he walked away, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Ruby suddenly, pulling her into a tight hug. "He’s going to be fine. Thank God. He’s going to wake up, and everything’s going to be okay." f.(r)eewe/bnov\ll.com

Ruby hugged her back, nodding, though her heart screamed otherwise.

Everything’s going to be okay. But would it? Would Stefan still look at her the same way when he opened his eyes?

Would he forgive her? Would he still love her? Or would she lose everything?

Ruby sat back down slowly, one hand over her heart and the other over her belly. The scan photo still sat tucked in her purse, a secret she hadn’t even had time to share.

One step at a time, she told herself.

First, he had to wake up. Then... she would tell him everything. Even if it broke her because the truth deserved to be known and he deserved to see it—with open eyes.