Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 16: Rayna

Rayna’s laughter was warm, full of affection, and Ruby could hear the teasing in it. "Sure thing. I’ll text you the details. Don’t take too long though, okay? I’ve got so much to tell you. It’s been way too long since we’ve had one of our chats and you can also tell me about what is going on with you when you show up."

Ruby couldn’t stop the slight smile that tugged at her lips. It felt good to hear Rayna’s voice like this, carefree and playful. For just a moment, she could pretend everything was normal. The world outside her bedroom felt a little less heavy.

"I’ll be there soon," Ruby said, ending the call. She quickly tapped a message to Rayna, asking for the hotel and room number so that Rayna wouldn’t forget.

As she hit send, her thoughts swirled again. Rayna’s arrival was a distraction, but it was the kind of distraction Ruby needed right now.

It felt strange, though, to know that Rayna was so close, yet there was still so much Ruby had to hide. She didn’t want to burden her friend with all the things she was dealing with. But then, there was nothing she could do. Rayna was the only person she could talk to.

Ruby paced across the room, her mind still racing as she waited for the hotel name. What was she supposed to do about everything?

The blackmail, the lies, the secret she was hiding from Stefan. She felt like she was playing a dangerous game, and the stakes were getting higher with every passing day.

But for now, she had a friend to see. And maybe, just maybe, Rayna would help her figure out what to do next. At least, Ruby hoped so. .com

Immediately her phone buzzed, she sighed and glanced at it. "Thank God," she muttered out loud when she saw it was the address.

Ruby hurried out of her room, keys in hand, the weight of her thoughts still heavy on her shoulders. She didn’t want to linger too long in the house; she needed to escape, even if just for a little while. Her friend, Rayna, was waiting for her, and the idea of seeing someone who didn’t expect anything from her felt like a much-needed relief.

But before she could leave, she walked past the wine cellar, a place she knew Stefan should be since that was where she had left him.

She hesitated for a moment, half-expecting him to be there, but the cellar was empty. The shelves lined with bottles seemed untouched like he hadn’t been there at all.

he’s done drinking,"

his time there before dinner, but it didn’t seem so

just thinking in peace. It wouldn’t be unusual for him to seek

a beat as she saw him sitting at his desk, one hand resting lightly on a stack of papers, the

working? Why was he seating in front of so many documents, pen in hand when he couldn’t exactly do

being weighed down by his blindness again? Was that what he was thinking about so

doorway of the study, her eyes lingering on Stefan as he sat in his usual spot at the desk, deep in concentration

with an unexpected pang of guilt. He was here, as always, navigating his world without sight, trying to keep things together despite his blindness. And yet, here she was, lying and hiding the truth

have noticed her for this long, had

the silence. "Stefan?" Her voice was quiet, unsure if she was interrupting something important, but it seemed like he hadn’t noticed her

was aware of her presence before he

tone — the way he was trying to mask something. Perhaps

whatever you had going on in your head," she said and

you? Why are you here? Missing me already?" he teased and she

I’m stepping out," she said, forcing a smile that only felt half genuine. "I’m going to

been expecting her to announce something else — something more urgent, perhaps. His hand

slightly curious, yet reserved. "And who is this

her tongue, but she managed to push it out. "She’s someone I met online. We’ve been talking for a while and decided to meet up. You don’t know her." The lie felt strange in her

returning to its earlier position on the desk. "I see," he murmured. "Well, don’t be too late. My mother’s coming

look around the study for some sort of clue as to why his mother would suddenly drop