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.

a notebook and pen from her bag, already drawing a rough sketch of the layout she’d seen — hallway

your mom and mother in-law," she said with a silly

Ruby asked and Rayna

Are you supposed to have sex too with him? Isn’t he like supposed to be your brother in-law?" Rayna

paused by the door and gave her a stern look. "How can you be asking

just asking

nobody sees you," Ruby

staff to see if there’s any particular one keeping an eye on you," she

another 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 many things Ivy left behind —

truth waited. And she was going to find

she expected, or maybe it was just the weight of what she was carrying—secrets, guilt,

wafted from the kitchen, mingling with the delicate aroma of

you been?" a sharp voice called from behind her and

small parlor, her expression pinched, her

a friend. I needed to think away from

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

her chest. "I sent his valet

darted around to ensure no one else was

invisible grip of her

side. Especially not when he can’t even see the world around him.

be too in love and happy she was being there for him to think about any differences he might be

into her dress. Her voice was tight. "I didn’t

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

looked away, guilt prickling hot under her

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

tightness in her throat. This was all

Stefan love. Let him feel it. That’s what Ivy would’ve done. That’s the only way to keep him from seeing through you," Regina said firmly. Then, with a glance

leave, but her mother’s hand briefly touched her

doing well, darling," Regina added softly, though her tone held more