Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO
Chapter 91: Expired

Chapter 91: Expired

Stefan narrowed his eyes. Something about her tone was off. Too casual. Too... slick and more than that, he needed to know why she was in his house, relaxed and talking to him the way she was. He folded his arms slowly. "What exactly are you implying?"

Eliana tilted her head, the soft curls of her dark hair falling slightly to one side. "Only that for someone so intelligent, you’ve been rather blind to Ivy’s manipulations all these years. It’s tragic, really. She’s a pitiful little fool, and somehow you still let her crawl back every time."

Stefan’s jaw tensed. His expression darkened, but he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he stared at her—really stared. The angles of her face, the curl of her painted lips, the bitterness in her gaze as she spoke about the woman she called her friend.

For some weird reasons, Ruby had never liked Eliana, even he never did and now... now he could see why. She was a snake.

He took a slow step forward. "Tell me something," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "Isn’t Ivy your best friend? Or was all that just for show too? I wonder what she’ll say when she hears the poison you’re spitting behind her back."

Eliana chuckled. The sound was humorless, cold. "Oh, please. I’m not losing sleep over Ivy. I came here to warn you, Stefan. Because whether you like it or not, she’s planning something. Something desperate. You might think she’s given up on you but I tell you, she’s not."

He raised a brow. "And what makes you think I care?" he asked, not wanting to give her the benefit of thinking he was enjoying listening to her rubbish.

Eliana’s eyes gleamed. "Because it concerns her. Ruby."

At the sound of her name, something shifted behind Stefan’s eyes. A flicker of rage. A thread pulled taut but Eliana didn’t stop. Infact, she knew that was when she needed to continue.

"Ivy’s scared, Stefan. She knows she can’t compete with Ruby. She never could. So now she’s planning her next move—cooking up meals, and delivering it to you, pretending to be some mysterious caterer, hoping you’ll soften up. She was going to show up at your office when you’re vulnerable and say she cares." Eliana scoffed. "She’s trying to manipulate you, Stefan. To keep you from going after the woman you actually—"

"Eliana," came a sharp, breathless voice from the hallway.

Both Stefan and Eliana froze as they heard the voice, louder and clear. It was Ivy’s.

She was standing near the arched entryway, her eyes wide, face pale, one hand trembling beside her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, disbelief carved into every inch of her face.

"Eliana... how could you?" Ivy whispered, her voice thick with betrayal.

How could the only person she’d decided to trust and take like a sister betray her this way? Did she have any iota shame? What did she want betraying her like this? Where had she gone wrong in treating her like a real friend?

Was she doing this because she was still mad at her leaving the way she did? Couldn’t she have just said so? Why do this to her? Didn’t she suggest to speak to Stefan? Was this what she’d planned to tell Stefan all these while?

Was that why she’d showed up here at the mansion without so much as call? Had she been a fool trusting this snake blindly? How could Eliana of all people do this to her? What the hell had gotten into her? Ivy thought, unable to provide answers to the questions burning to be answered.

The room fell deathly still as even Stefan had his own thoughts occupying his head.

Stefan’s head turned slowly toward Ivy, his gaze dark and unreadable. And Eliana? For once, her mask cracked.

Hadn’t he asked her to leave? What was she thinking still doing in his house? He looked at the scene going on and he couldn’t help but compare it to what had happened that day at the hospital. That day, she had also betrayed her sister in the worst way possible so why was she looking hurt just because her friend betrayed her? .com

What did she think? That she could have loyal friends when all she knows what to do to people are betrayal? She shouldn’t be hurt, not at all, Stefan thought. She was just getting a taste of her own medicine.

"Ivy," Eliana began, her voice suddenly soft. "You weren’t supposed to—"

"No," Ivy said, stepping further into the room, fury building with each stride. "I wasn’t supposed to hear you. That’s what you were going to say, right? I wasn’t supposed to know you’ve been stabbing me in the back while pretending to be my friend. How could you?"

"I was trying to help you," Eliana snapped, eyes flashing. "You’ve embarrassed yourself enough, Ivy. Someone had to make you see—" .com

"Help?" Ivy nearly laughed, but it came out hollow. "You think this is help? Betraying me to him?" Her voice cracked, and she turned to Stefan, her eyes glossy with emotion. "She offered to talk to you for me. She said she’d help me apologize, tell you I was wrong and that I was sorry and I believed her. I fucking believed her!" Ivy said feeling very hurt.

She never would’ve thought Eliana could do this to her in a million years and seeing her betray her this way just seemed to tore at her heart. How was she ever going to get past this betrayal? One thing was sure: she would never not in this life or after, forgive this lying snake. Never.

Stefan’s gaze stayed locked on Eliana. His voice was calm, but icy. "You said you were here for her. Said you wanted to help."

Eliana’s lips tightened. "I was helping you too. You don’t see what she’s doing. She’s desperate—she’ll do anything to stop you from going after Ruby." .com

Stefan turned fully to face her now, and this time, there was no kindness in his eyes. No softness. Only clarity—sharp and unforgiving. "You don’t get to talk about Ruby. Not in this house. Not ever again."

Eliana opened her mouth, but the words died on her tongue.

Ivy stepped back, her fists clenched. "You need to leave," she said, voice trembling with restrained fury. "Now."

Eliana’s eyes darted between them, realizing the power she thought she had was rapidly slipping away. Still, she raised her chin defiantly. "Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Stefan."

She turned on her heel and strode out, her heels echoing like gunshots against the floor.

When the door slammed shut, silence swallowed the room.

Stefan didn’t look at Ivy immediately. He stood there, absorbing everything, his mind spinning. When he finally turned toward her, her eyes were already brimming with unshed tears.

"I didn’t know," Ivy said quickly, her voice cracking as she blinked back the tears threatening to fall. "I never thought she’d twist things like that. I never—"

"Stop," Stefan cut in, his tone flat and final. There was no softness in it—only a steel edge that made Ivy flinch. "You shouldn’t be here."

Her lips parted, stunned. "What?"

"You heard me," he said, arms folded tightly across his chest. "I told you the last time—explicitly—that I didn’t want to see you again. That wasn’t a request, Ivy. It was an order. I don’t want to see you anywhere close to me or my house!"

A coldness she hadn’t expected settled in her chest. She swallowed hard, her pride wounded but not enough to back down. "I’m not leaving."

She was going to do it her mom’s way. She’d said they were still married whether Stefan liked it or not. Her name was on their marriage certificate and as long as it remained so, they were legally married.

His brow arched sharply. "Excuse me?" He never would’ve thought Ivy could be so bold as to say that to him. What was it she was planning? Eliana had been right.

"I said I’m not going anywhere." She held her ground even though her knees felt weak. The storm in Stefan’s grey eyes was almost unbearable to look at, but she did. "I belong here. This is my house too. I’m married to you, Stefan."

He scoffed—low and bitter. "Married," he repeated, the word like poison in his mouth. "Right. The marriage you walked out on without a second thought leaving your sister to go through with it. Don’t play that card with me, Ivy. It’s expired."

"I know I hurt you," she said, her voice cracking again. "I know I made mistakes but I came back because I—"

"Don’t," he snapped, voice rising slightly. "Don’t stand there and try to spin this into some emotional revelation. You’re only here because your schemes fell apart. Because you realized too late that someone else stepped into the life you abandoned."

"That’s not true!" she cried, shaking her head. "It’s not about jealousy, or regret. I just want a chance to explain—"

"You’ve had your chance!" Stefan exploded, his voice thundering through the silence. "And you wasted every damn one of them."