Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 38

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.

Stefan. "Do you

"But I trust

she still held. "This is bigger than just Richard’s greed.

slowly. "Then let’s play it

standing right now," he said after

a way.

now? What’s the plan?" Ruby asked after sometime, the

She turned slowly to Stefan, who hadn’t moved, his fingers still resting

sense

to know. Do you believe any of that?" she asked

what Richard was capable first hand, she still couldn’t help but wonder if

voice calm but cold. "And I believe he’s willing to throw Richard under the bus to do it. So I

folder down on the desk. "Still, you don’t trust

But I think we use him—before he uses

the way his mind worked. Clear. Precise. Cold when it needed to be. But as she watched

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

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

me. We need to map this

again, laying out the damning communications. She leaned closer, their shoulders brushing, and tried to focus despite how aware she was of

through these again," Stefan said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Highlight

it help

leverage. But if we isolate

eyes widened slightly.

I

at the documents again, her thoughts tangled. She wanted to help him win, protect what he was rebuilding—but part of her still felt like an imposter. Like a fraud sitting

said softly. "What if Ashford is still working with Richard? What if this is truly

way others did, they still found her—like he could sense exactly where she was, feel the tension in her

Richard and me. He walks into traps blindly. I walk in knowing they’re there—and make sure I’m the one holding the

infuriatingly confident. And yet, with every move, he proved that

reviewing everything

he said gently, but firmly. "We’ll

"You trust me with

never let me

know the worst of it. That I’m not who he thinks I am... and that Ivy

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