Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 38: Confess

Ruby watched Stefan carefully. His expression was unreadable, but she could feel the way his fingers drummed faintly on the desk’s edge—his silent tell that he was analyzing, weighing, dissecting. .com

"I appreciate the candor," Stefan said finally. "But I don’t make alliances based on flattery or convenience."

"I wouldn’t expect you to," Ashford replied. "Which is why I came with proof."

He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a thin folder, sliding it across the desk.

Stefan didn’t move, so Ruby opened it instead. Her eyes skimmed the pages—and her stomach dropped.

"These are... internal communications," she said. "From Richard’s office."

"Stolen?" Stefan asked dryly.

"Leaked," Ashford corrected. "By someone who no longer believes in his vision."

Ruby read quickly, her fingers tightening on the page. "Richard’s planning to move funds from the employee benefits reserve into a dummy offshore account. If this went public..."

"...he’d be done," Stefan finished. "So would the company’s reputation."

Ashford nodded. "You’ve been trying to rebuild this company’s name. This will help you do that."

Stefan was quiet for a long moment. Then he leaned back in his chair. "You want a stake in our global expansion in exchange for handing over a man who once called you a brother."

Ashford gave a cool smile. "I want to be on the winning team. And you, Stefan, are the only one who can carry Winters Corp forward."

Ruby felt a chill run down her spine. Ashford’s words were smooth, his posture relaxed—but it was all calculated. He doesn’t care who leads. He just wants to attach himself to power.

Still, there was no denying the value of what he offered.

"I’ll consider it," Stefan said at last. "But I won’t be rushed."

"You have forty-eight hours," Asfford said, standing. "After that, I’ll assume you’re not interested."

He turned to leave, pausing only to glance at Ruby once more. "You’re a lucky man," he said to Stefan. "She’s sharper than most of your advisors."

Then he walked out, Naomi following behind. Silence filled the office again.

turned to Stefan. "Do you trust

said immediately. "But

a hand over the folder she still held. "This is bigger than just Richard’s greed. If we play this right,

nodded slowly. "Then let’s play it

wouldn’t be standing right

way. You

what are we going to do now? What’s the plan?" Ruby asked after sometime, the weight of the folder in her

pressed against her skin. She turned slowly to Stefan, who hadn’t moved, his fingers still resting lightly on the desk, his expression

sense it—he

still considering what to do, I want to know. Do you believe any

she had seen what Richard was capable first hand, she still couldn’t

calm but cold. "And I believe he’s

down on the desk. "Still,

think we

Cold when it needed to be. But as she watched him reach for the folder, his fingers brushed

to do and how do you plan to use him? You’re not seriously considering giving him what he asked for, are

course not, babe," Stefan said with a chuckle. "But I’ll let him believe

We need to map this out

him, settling beside him as she opened the folder again, laying out the damning communications. She leaned closer, their shoulders brushing, and tried to focus

said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Highlight anything that connects to board members, or anyone who could

it help to expose them all at

them all down in one move, we lose leverage. But if we isolate Richard—make him the villain while protecting the others—they’ll owe us. And

eyes widened slightly. "That’s...

Stefan said simply. "A war I didn’t

She wanted to help him win, protect what he was rebuilding—but part of her still felt like an imposter. Like a

working with Richard? What if this

turned his head, and though his eyes didn’t see her the way others did, they still found her—like he could sense exactly where she was, feel the tension in her

I said earlier, I don’t doubt it’s a trap," he said. "But that’s the difference between Richard and me.

reluctant smile tugged at Ruby’s lips. He was infuriatingly confident. And yet, with every move, he proved that he had a

reviewing everything

he said gently, but

caught. "You

he said. "You’ve never let me fall, babe. Even when

He doesn’t even know the worst of it. That I’m not who he thinks I am...