Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 87: Hope

Chapter 87: Hope

A part of him still couldn’t believe it. That all along, it hadn’t been Ivy beside him. It had been her. Ruby. And somehow, everything made sense now. Her warmth. Her hesitation. Her care.

His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone in his coat pocket.

He quickly pulled it out and answered, voice taut with anticipation when he saw who it was.

"Ethan?"

"I found something," his best friend said without preamble.

Stefan’s heart skipped a beat and he sat up straighter. "What is it? What did you find?"

"I’ve been checking travel counters like I told you," Ethan said, his voice calm but urgent. "And I got confirmation. Someone matching her description booked a flight. She left Zeden two days ago."

Stefan’s fingers tightened around the phone. "Where did she go?"

"Florittle."

Stefan’s brow furrowed. "Wait... isn’t that where you are now? For your new company?"

"Yes," Ethan confirmed.

A strange mix of relief and anxiety flooded Stefan.

"She’s in Florittle?" he repeated, trying to wrap his head around it.

"Looks like it," Ethan replied.

"Ethan, I need you to check. Please. Do whatever you can. Talk to airport staff, check CCTV footage from when she landed. I need to know if she really arrived, who she met... anything. I need to know she’s safe. Maybe we can get where she is if she met with someone."

"I’ll do that," Ethan assured him. "Give me a little time, but I’ll get it done."

There was a pause on the line, then Ethan’s tone softened. "How are you holding up, man?"

Stefan exhaled slowly, dragging his hand down his face. "I’m not," he admitted quietly. "Everything feels like a blur right now. The woman I thought I knew... Ivy... she ran away. And Ruby—she took her place. That’s who’s been with me all this time. Ruby."

Ethan was quiet for a moment.

"I guess that’s why we all thought Ivy had changed," Stefan continued, voice strained. "It wasn’t Ivy at all. It was Ruby who stayed. Ruby who cared. Ruby who... who made me fall in love with her without even realizing it."

Ethan sighed. "Damn. That’s a lot."

Stefan chuckled bitterly. "You’re telling me." fre.eweb novel\.c om

"So, what do you plan to do once you find her?"

There was no hesitation in Stefan’s reply. "I want to do right by them, man."

Ethan caught the word immediately. "Them?"

Stefan nodded. "Yes, them. Ruby is pregnant."

The line went quiet for a beat as the word hit Ethan.

"No way..." Ethan finally said, the surprise in his voice unmistakable. Then his tone warmed, laced with a genuine joy. "Stefan, that’s... wow. That’s incredible."

He couldn’t believe that in the midst of all that was happening, at least there was something to be happy about and give his friend the determination to find Ruby.

"It is," Stefan said softly, resting his hand on his chest as if to calm the wild beat of his heart. "But she left. And she’s alone. And I can’t stop thinking about what she must be going through."

"You’re going to be a father," Ethan said, almost in awe. "That changes everything."

"It does," Stefan whispered. "That’s why I need to find her. Not just for me... but for our child. She needs to know she’s not alone in this."

"You’ve got me, Stefan," Ethan said firmly. "I’m going to do everything I can to help find her. I promise."

Stefan closed his eyes, deeply grateful. "Thank you. Just knowing there’s a lead... it’s the first hope I’ve had in days."

"Hang in there," Ethan said. "I’ll call you as soon as I find anything else. We’re going to bring her home."

"Yeah," Stefan whispered. "Home."

As the call ended, Stefan remained in the car, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions—relief, guilt, fear, longing. He leaned his head back against the seat, breathing in deeply.

He was one step closer. She was out there, carrying his child. And he would find her. No matter what it took.

Away from there, the mid morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm golden hue across the bedroom. Ruby stirred, her eyes fluttering open as the soft chirping of birds filled the quiet space. For a moment, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling and letting her thoughts drift.

Three months. That’s how far along she was now.

She pressed her palm gently to her stomach, still flat but holding the tiniest flutter of life inside. A life that changed everything.

It had been three days since she’d arrived in Florittle with Rayna, and just yesterday she’d made the decision to stop running—from her feelings, from the truth, from the man she had unwillingly fallen for. She didn’t know what the future held, but what she did know was that she couldn’t let the past dictate her every step. fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)

With a quiet sigh, she pushed the covers off and sat up, brushing her hair back with her fingers. Her body felt tired but rested, and a faint nausea still lingered as it had every morning lately. She moved slowly toward the door, the scent of something warm and toasty already drifting through the air.

She followed the aroma into the small kitchen and smiled as she spotted Rayna standing over the stove, humming to herself while flipping something in a pan.

"Morning," Ruby said softly.

Rayna turned around immediately, her smile bright and genuine. "Hey, you’re up. I was just about to bring you something in bed."

"I could’ve helped," Ruby said, stepping further into the kitchen.

Rayna quickly waved her off. "No way. You’re not lifting a finger, missy. You’re pregnant, remember?"

"I’m pregnant," Ruby echoed, her voice barely above a whisper as she rested her hand on her stomach again. Sometimes, saying it out loud still felt surreal.

Rayna reached into the fridge and pulled out a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, handing it to her with a smirk. "No coffee for you anymore. Juice it is."

Ruby accepted the glass with a chuckle. "Thanks, Mum."

"Hey, I take my honorary godmother duties seriously," Rayna said with a playful wink before turning back to the stove. "Now, sit your cute little self down and relax. Breakfast is almost ready."