Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 39: Not Holding Back.

The restaurant was quiet, dimly lit, with soft jazz humming in the background. A corner booth gave them privacy, and for the first time since she went to work that morning, Ruby let herself relax.

After work, because of how tired they were, Stefan had suggested they grabbed dinner out and Ruby had agreed without argument.

In the restaurant, Stefan sat across from her, his fingers wrapped around a warm glass of tea. She watched him as he listened to the waiter, nodding, his presence so composed it was easy to forget how much he carried on his shoulders.

She stirred her drink, stealing glances at him. "So, what’s there to talk about tonight? We can’t sit here all night and not talk about anything," she said after the waiter left. f|re(e)web.n\ovel. (c)o.m

His head tilted toward her slightly, a smile playing on his lips. "What is it you have in mind to talk about? You can ask me anything."

She hesitated, then met his gaze. "Did you ever feel... lonely growing up? I mean, being an only child?"

Stefan’s fingers paused against his glass.

"To be honest? Yes," he said after a beat. "More than I admitted to anyone. My parents loved me, don’t get me wrong. But they were both... busy. Always building something, always away. The house was quiet most days. Just tutors, staff, and the usual silence."

Ruby’s heart clenched. "That sounds... hard," she said, considering that she had a sibling even though Ivy had been quite troublesome to her, always getting her in trouble with their parents.

"It was," he admitted softly. "But the worst part came after my father died. I was sixteen. My mom had to work twice as hard to keep everything afloat. She buried her grief in the business, and I... I buried mine in responsibility."

He smiled faintly, a bitter edge to it. "I took over three years ago. Just before I... met you."

Ruby swallowed hard. He still thinks I’m Ivy.

She thought but Stefan didn’t notice her sudden stillness. He was looking at his tea now, his voice soft.

"I thought maybe having someone would fix the loneliness. I thought that’s what love was supposed to do. Fill all the quiet places, but it didn’t exactly do that. Not until after our wedding."

Ruby didn’t answer right away. Her throat felt tight. She reached across the table, her fingers brushing his.

"You’ll no longer be alone. Not now atleast," she said quietly.

He turned his hand and linked his fingers with hers. "No. I’m not."

They talked through dinner, losing track of time. She asked about his childhood memories, and he told her about sneaking cookies with the old housekeeper, about learning to ride a bike in the estate’s garden.

by the time they got home, the air between them

unlocking the door and stepping in first, as she always did. She helped him with his coat, hanging it up

to freshen up," she said, trying to steady the rush in

"Me too," Stefan murmured.

a grin before going

in soft cotton loungewear, Stefan was already in the living room, a

shirt that hugged his frame. The sight of him made her breath catch. He was so unaware of how he looked. So

heard her

it. "Yeah. You went to bath somewhere else?" she asked, her heart

Martin helped me. I used the guest room, wanted to be done same time as you,"

chest squeezed again. Don’t fall harder, she warned herself.

ache in her chest told her it

want a nightcap?" she asked, her

hesitated. "With you,

softly. "Where? In the

way we can go to bed when we’re done and

said and left after Stefan

going down stairs, Ruby decided to check on Rayna and see if she’d had anything to

tiptoed to her room and slowly

she’d was probably hiding out in the bathroom

their agreement? Why? What happened? Was she okay? She mused and then hurried to her wardrobe to check if

that she knew she hadn’t left

a bit relieved, she hoped nothing

to get the drink so that she could get into the room, take her phone and

informing her. Where had she even gone to without her clothes? Perhaps, she was discovered when she went to steal food and had been thrown out? She thought and almost giggled at the

thought as she picked the wine and two

open and she nodded while she headed straight

over," she said as she

settling onto the couch at the edge of the bed. She helped him join her;

first, but the air buzzed with

see if Rayna had texted, she

you," he said suddenly, making