Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 19: You Are Ivy

By the time they pulled into the circular driveway of the mansion, the sun was beginning to dip behind the trees, casting golden shadows across the lawn.

Ruby parked around the side, away from the usual staff line of sight. She quickly unlocked the trunk and pulled out a folded shawl, draping it over Rayna’s head.

"This is ridiculous," Rayna mumbled under the fabric.

"You’re the one who insisted on sneaking in."

"I didn’t realize I’d be smuggled like contraband," she said and Ruby giggled, unable to hold it in.

"You asked for it. Hurry up," Ruby whispered, peeking around the hedges. The staff entrance by the kitchen looked clear.

They made a dash for it.

Ruby’s heart pounded with every step, adrenaline tingling in her fingers. One wrong move, one unexpected housekeeper or butler taking out trash, and everything would unravel.

Though if it happened like that, she’d just have to lie that Rayna was the new maid. She thought and almost laughed when she imagined Rayna’s response if she were to tell her anything about what she was thinking.

But luck — or sheer desperation — was on their side. They made it through the door and down the service hallway without incident.

Ruby led Rayna up the back stairs, avoiding the main hallway where voices echoed faintly. Her mother’s voice was unmistakable — low, clipped, and likely scolding someone about cutlery arrangements.

"Your mom sounds fun," Rayna whispered sarcastically.

"Welcome to my world."

Once inside her bedroom, Ruby locked the door and exhaled. "Now I can breath!"

Rayna pulled off the shawl and collapsed onto the plush chair in the corner. "Well, that was thrilling. Do I get a snack or at least a bottle of water for surviving the infiltration?"

Ruby rolled her eyes but handed her a chilled bottle from the mini fridge. "Stay put. I’ll check if anyone is near the hallway before I go down. Also, you should know I’m always in Stefan’s room. No one agreed to having me keep my space."

"Noted. That means I have this room to myself then," she said with a grin.

drawing a rough sketch of the layout she’d seen — hallway lengths, entry points, staff

with the your mom and mother in-law,"

Ruby

supposed to have sex too with him? Isn’t he

paused by the door and gave her a stern look. "How

just asking

and make nobody sees you," Ruby said, cutting Rayna

to see if there’s any particular one keeping an eye on you," she said, meeting Ruby’s eyes

round of carefully masked family tension, Rayna sat back in the chair, staring at the notes she’d made. There was something off about all this. Too many convenient silences. Too

truth waited. And she was

stepped out of her room, gently closing the door behind her. The soft click echoed louder than she expected, or maybe it was just

staircase. The scent of roasted garlic and herbs wafted from the kitchen, mingling with the delicate aroma of fresh lilies in the

from behind her and she didn’t need

turned to find her mother, Regina, stepping out from the small parlor, her expression pinched, her perfectly manicured hands folded

to see a friend. I needed to think away from

it made sense to disappear while your blind husband is upstairs by himself? Ivy, how could you be so careless? What did you need to get away to

"I sent his valet

no one else was nearby. "That’s not something you should say. Not something Ivy would say. Do you

caught in the invisible grip

continued in a hushed but scolding tone, "you would never leave his side. Especially not when he can’t even see

knew that was a lie, she needed Ruby to be that woman for Stefan so he would be too in love and happy she was being there for him to

into her dress. Her voice

wasn’t Elizabeth who saw this," Regina hissed. "Because if it had been,

guilt prickling hot

All the time. The smallest change in behavior will alert her. So I need you to remember something: you’re not just pretending to be Ivy.

the tightness in her

the only way to keep him from seeing through you," Regina said firmly. Then, with a glance down the hallway, she added, "Go. Check on him. Help him down

her mother’s hand briefly

well, darling," Regina added softly, though her tone held more pressure than praise. "Don’t ruin