Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 62: What Does She Mean?

Chapter 62: What Does She Mean?

"Ruby, stop this madness!" Regina snapped. "You’re embarrassing yourself."

But Ruby didn’t even flinch. She looked right at Stefan. "I was going to tell you everything today," she whispered, voice thick with unshed tears. "I had so much to say, but I guess there’s no point now."

"Ruby—" Stefan called, but she stopped him with a raised hand.

"Someone else got you now so I have to leave now, Stefan." Her voice cracked. "I hope you enjoy your marriage," she said and with that, she walked away.

Each step down the hallway echoed louder in her chest than it did in the walls. She felt numb. Like the ground beneath her had shifted. Like the world had gone silent, except for the sound of her breaking heart.

Her hand cradled her stomach unconsciously. For their child, she had stayed strong. For their child, she had waited. But now... she wasn’t sure what came next.

Only one thing was certain: She was done waiting to be chosen or seen. He made his choice and now, they’d have to live with it.

The room fell silent after Ruby left, but Stefan’s mind was anything but quiet.

He sat there frozen, her words echoing in his head.

"You’re still blind, Stefan."

"Someone else got you now."

"I hope you enjoy your marriage."

A strange weight pressed against his chest. He glanced around the room—his mother Elizabeth, Ivy, and Ruby’s mother Regina were all trying to act as though nothing had happened.

Ivy clung to his side, wiping away the last of her tears, but Stefan’s gaze lingered on the door Ruby had just walked out of.

There was something about her. The way she spoke. The fire in her eyes. The pain behind her voice. It wasn’t just some dramatic show. It had felt real. Too real.

"Are you okay?" Ivy asked softly, slipping her arm around his.

"Yeah," he replied absently, though the word tasted like a lie. "Just... confused."

Elizabeth approached with a comforting smile. "Don’t let her get in your head, darling. She’s always been the difficult one."

"She’s just jealous," Regina added quickly. "Always trying to take what Ivy has. It’s nothing new."

Stefan nodded slowly, but his thoughts were still spinning. He wasn’t the type to jump to conclusions, but nothing about that encounter felt normal.

"Can I just..." He paused, rubbing his temples. "Can I have a moment? Alone?"

Ivy’s grip on his arm tightened ever so slightly.

"Of course, sweetheart," she said, even though her voice betrayed her reluctance. "But don’t think too hard about what she said. You don’t need to."

He gave a small nod, waiting until they all reluctantly exited the room. Only when the door shut behind them did he release the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

He sat down slowly, his fingers brushing his temple as a dull ache settled in. His mind replayed everything—every word, every expression on Ruby’s face. free we\bnove(l).com

Her voice rang with a strange kind of familiarity. Like it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it whisper his name. Like it had whispered it a hundred times before.

Why did it feel like I knew her? Why was she speaking like someone who’d been betrayed?

His eyes traveled around the room, searching for something—anything—that could ground his spiraling thoughts. He wasn’t just confused; he felt disoriented. free\we\bnov(e)(l).com

The first time she entered the room, he’d thought she smelled and seemed familiar. But he’d brushed it off. After all, Ivy had told him stories about her.

But now he wasn’t so sure. Was it just all he’d heard from Ivy that made it seem so?

If not, then why did her presence stir something in me?

Why did her scent, her voice, her very energy feel so...mine?

He stood up, pacing the room slowly. "She said she loves me," he whispered to himself. "She said it’s all a lie."

But what lie? What does she mean by all she said?

His gaze hardened as he stared out the hospital window. If there was one thing he hated, it was being manipulated. And right now, something didn’t sit right.

He thought back to the past few months. All the times Ivy had been by his side, helping him with work, acting like the perfect fiancée-turned-wife. She’d been sweet, kind, almost too agreeable. At the time, he appreciated it. But now, thinking back—there were gaps.

Little things. Like how Ivy sometimes hesitated when he’d bring up childhood memories she should’ve known. Or how she’d avoid holding his hand in public places. Or how she never once said I love you without him saying it first especially when he was suspicious of her?

His brow furrowed. She was perfect. Too perfect that he’d suspected her or could it be true? That the Ivy he thought he’d lived with wasn’t the same Ivy he’d seen when he regained his sight? f .r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om

Though he’d never met Ruby... but the Ruby he saw today had been raw. Unfiltered. Real and didn’t seem like who was meeting him for the first time.

When he touched Ivy’s hand, it was calm, familiar. But when Ruby had spoken... there had been a strange ache inside him. Like something lost had just brushed past him. Like a memory trying to return. What exactly was going on and what did it have to do with Ruby? Why does it seem like the more he was trying to brush it all off the more it seemed like he was doing her wrong?

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He was supposed to be happy. He could see again. He was with his wife.

So why did he feel like a part of him had just walked out that door when Ruby did? Someone else got you.... "Got you." That used to be his Ivy’s words so why was Ruby using it? Was it because they were so close they know each other and say thesame things?

He sat back down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

Who are you, Ruby? And what did you mean by all you said? What were you trying to tell me? What was it? And why do I feel like... you’re the one I’ve been living it?

He didn’t understand it, but something inside him whispered that the truth hadn’t been told. That what he’d seen, what he’d been told—was only the surface. Just like Ruby had hinted.

But strangly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to take anyone’s word for it anymore.

He needed answers. He needed the truth. And if Ruby had it... he was going to find her. He thought as he picked up his phone which was lying on the shelf close to the hospital bed.

He needed to keep an eye on Ruby abd he needed to do so fast.

Having decided that, he dialed Ethan’s number. He was the only one he could trust right now.

He waited for Ethan to pick up and when he didn’t, he dialed the line again, not wanting to give up.

Away from there, the atmosphere in the hospital lounge was heavy with tension, even though the surgery had been a success as Regina, Elizabeth and Ivy paced back and forth, brainstorming on what they could do about the situation.

"We need to act," Elizabeth said in a hushed but firm voice, pulling the two women closer into a corner of the room. "Before she gets another chance to come back. I don’t think she’d give up on Stefan just like that after spending the last six months with him."

Regina looked visibly stressed, her fingers nervously clutching her purse. "I knew she’d cause trouble. That was why I didn’t want her to continue staying by Stefan’s side. She knew very well he was never hers to start with so why would she want to do this? You saw how she spoke in there. It’s like she’s obsessed."

"No," Ivy said quietly, straightening her back and wiping her eyes with a new surge of determination. "She’s not obsessed. She’s dangerous. She’s threatening everything we’ve worked for."

"Exactly," Elizabeth agreed, eyes hardening. "That’s why we can’t afford to let her near Stefan again. Not now. Not ever."

Regina swallowed. "Then what do we do?"

Elizabeth lowered her voice, her tone growing cold and calculated. "We send her away."

Ivy’s head snapped toward her. "Send her away? How?"

"How else? Offer her money to leave. All this started because of me.... No. Because of you Ivy. If you hadn’t left that day, none of this would be happening now. I don’t even know why you decided to come back—"

"If you blame me so much then why didn’t you let Ruby reveal the truth? Why did you help me?" Ivy cut in, clearly irritated by Elizabeth trying to turn everything on her.

How could they even think of blaming her for leaving? Why would they think she’d happily and willingly marry a blind man? They must be fools.

*****

I’m so sorry about the mix up earlier. My baby was sick so I guess I got disoriented and copied the wrong Chapters. Please, in case something like this happens again, though I’m hoping it wouldn’t, do well to bring it to my notice early.

I wouldn’t have realized had I not seen your comments.

Thank you all for your patience. I love you and I’m sorry. Posted two Chapters as compensation. Hope I’m forgiven.