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

with the your mom and mother in-law," she said with a silly grin, "I’ll

Mother in-law?" Ruby asked and

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

look. "How can you

just asking to

and make nobody sees you," Ruby

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

masked family tension, Rayna sat back in the chair, staring at the notes she’d made. There was something off about

this mansion, the truth waited. And

door behind her. The soft click echoed louder than she expected, or maybe it was just the weight of what

down the wide hallway toward the grand staircase. The scent of roasted garlic and herbs wafted from the kitchen, mingling

you been?" a sharp voice called from behind her and she didn’t

Regina, stepping out from the small parlor, her expression pinched, her perfectly manicured hands folded tightly over her clutch. "I’ve

I needed to think

eyes, then glanced toward the top of the stairs. "So you thought it made sense to disappear while your blind husband is

"I sent his valet to

darted around to ensure no one else was nearby. "That’s not

caught in the invisible

love," Regina continued in a hushed but scolding tone, "you would never leave his side. Especially not when he can’t even see the world around him. That’s not the Ivy Stefan knew. The Ivy he fell in love with would have walked him down herself, guided him through

so he would be too in love and happy she was being there for

her dress. Her

if it had been, she would’ve started saying things we both wouldn’t have

prickling

change in behavior will alert her. So I need you to remember something: you’re not just pretending to be Ivy. You

nodded, swallowing past the tightness in her

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

added softly, though her tone held more pressure