Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 24: If This Was Love....

Nathan let out a breath. "Has she forgotten anything about you? Any major detail? Something Ivy would’ve never missed? I just want to understand you better."

"No. She remembers everything," Stefan said, voice quiet. "That’s the thing. Her memory’s sharp. Her routine’s nearly the same. Her scent, the way she walks—those haven’t changed or so I think."

"Then quit stressing, bro," Nathan said. "You’re driving yourself mad over something that might just be her heart growing up. It happens."

There was a silence that stretched long between them before Stefan broke it.

"Yeah. I guess I know that now. When are you coming back?"

"Two days," Nathan replied. "Flight lands in the afternoon. You want me to stop by first thing?"

"I’d like that," Stefan said with a smile. "It’ll be good to have you around again."

"You miss my annoying ass, don’t you?"

Stefan laughed. "Maybe."

"Don’t worry," Nathan said, teasing. "When I get there, we’ll figure out what to do if she turns out to be an alien shapeshifter. But for now, just let yourself feel, man. You’ve got something real in front of you. Don’t ruin it because you’re scared."

Stefan ended the call after a few more pleasantries, setting the phone down gently on the nightstand.

He stood alone in the dimly lit room, the quiet humming in his ears blending with the ticking of the antique clock on the wall. A part of him still held onto the uncertainty, but the bigger part—the one that felt Ruby’s touch, heard the tremble in her voice when she said his name—that part wanted to believe.

Maybe he had tested her.

But now, he wasn’t sure if he had done it to expose her... or to reassure himself that someone could truly change, and still love him anyway.

He turned as he heard footsteps in the hallway and walked slowly back to the bed.

And for the first time since his accident, he was ready to trust her and be relaxed around her again, knowing she wouldn’t leave him in his condition.

Ruby quietly closed the door behind her as she slipped out of her room, her heart still pounding from the tense whispers exchanged with Rayna.

She pressed a hand to her chest, exhaling slowly before making her way back down the hallway.

She paused outside the bedroom door she now shared with Stefan, taking a second to compose herself. The hallway was dim, lit only by the faint nightlight at the corner, casting long shadows across the floor.

She opened the door softly, expecting to find the room dark, Stefan asleep, since they’d both had a pretty long day.

on and instead of being

could stop herself and then her eyes narrowed as she thought about what Rayna had said. Could it be? Maybe the person had called him to tell him about her text, perhaps that was why he wasn’t asleep yet after

was waiting for you," he said and Ruby resisted the urge

his tone made her pause. It wasn’t demanding or accusing. Just... gentle. Calm.

he had also said he’d been waiting for her when

suddenly conscious of how quiet it was. The only sound was the soft ticking of the clock and the faint

stepping further into the

to fall asleep until I heard you come

her cheeks warmed. She hadn’t expected that. Not from him. She busied herself with smoothing out the edge of the blanket on her side

the first time Stefan had said something that caught her off guard. In the beginning, she’d assumed his charm was simply a mask. But now... she wasn’t so

bed beside him, stealing a glance in his direction. He looked relaxed, one arm resting on

bit her bottom

To know what he really saw when he thought of

voice soft, tentative.

"Of course."

"Do you... ever feel like I’m not really me? I mean, since after

tilted his head.

mean..." She turned toward him, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "Like you’d observed, I’ve changed. A lot. Since... the accident. Do you ever wonder if I’m...

enough to make her

switched places with my sister or something? ’cause I’m tired of feeling like I’m

half cussing herself for losing her cool

then

he admitted

blinked. "You did?" she asked incredulously since that would likely mean he had pulled

he continued. "You were different. Softer. Warmer. You listened more. You

he didn’t feel all of those things with

you didn’t change into someone else. Maybe

Or proud. But instead, something tugged painfully at her

woman sitting next to him now—was never meant to be seen. Though she loved that he had at least thought she was different, she didn’t exactly know what to make of everything going on. It

trying to keep her voice steady. "So... do you want me to go back to the

question hung in the air between

hesitate. "No. Of course

heart pounding. "I like you better

fabric of her nightgown. She

me? Or does he like the idea of