Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 52: It’s Done

By the time they got to the office that morning, the tension from Friday which they had left behind in the office had enveloped them once more as Stefan began thinking of ways to wrap up things with Ashford and Richard before Ashford visits to ask for his answer.

Ruby stood near Stefan’s desk, arms folded tightly across her chest, eyes still fixed on the door. The tension hadn’t lifted—not even a little. If anything, the files Ashford dropped which Ruby had brought out on Stefan’s request had thickened the air in the office.

"I don’t like him and all this," Ruby said finally.

"Ashford? I don’t either," Stefan replied, his voice low, but steady. "But I like what he brought."

His fingers brushed the surface of the folder in front of him—a folder filled with damning truths. He didn’t need to see it to know the weight it carried. He could feel it in his bones.

"Call Naomi. I want Naomi to verify every document in that folder," he said after a long pause. "Cross-reference it with our financial reports and employee benefit ledgers. If it checks out, we strike."

"You want to involve her now?" she asked and he nodded.

"I’ve thought about it. She’s really trust worthy and I want to get this over with. I’ve thought about it all through the weekend."

Ruby nodded, but her concern lingered in the lines of her face. "So, are you still thinking of working with Ashford?"

Stefan tilted his head, his dark glasses catching the faint glint of sunlight from the windows. "Not exactly. I’ll use him like I said. But I won’t give him anything he can turn into leverage."

There was something ruthless in the way he said it, the kind of calm that came from knowing exactly what you were about to do—and doing it anyway.

He picked up his phone and pressed a familiar number.

"Get Oliver in here," he said. "Now."

Twenty Minutes Later

Oliver entered after a small knock, seeing Ruby, he quickly composed himself not want to be the object of scream or displeasure to anyone.

a quiet Monday," he managed to say. "What’s wrong

it toward Oliver

"These

years of it," Ruby

go public with this, Richard’s reputation won’t survive. But the fallout

Stefan said, "we show them a solution. A new structure. I take the lead as

from pulling something

jaw tightened. "Me. I’ve dealt with worse than Ashford in the dark. He thinks blindness

for a beat, then grinned. "All right. Let’s burn

up the meeting with the board members," he said and

charged with nervous energy. Twelve members sat in their assigned seats, murmuring among themselves. At the first chair on the right side of the table sat Richard Winters, polished, composed—and oblivious to

once against the polished floor before he folded it and set it down. Naomi placed the evidence-filled folder

fashionably late. His steps echoed with purpose as he crossed the room

gaze followed him, frown deepening.

entrance," Ashford

rose. His face was calm, unreadable

decade, Richard

the room the moment Stefan said that. Richard’s heart skipped a beat as he wondered how

"Is this your attempt at a power grab, Stefan? That’s some serious accusation, you

Stefan replied. "Only

to Naomi, who distributed copies of the documents to

and precise. "The documents have been verified by my own team. All signatures

sharpened. "You verified this? You were supposed to back me, you

look at him. "I never promised loyalty.

the pages, eyes widening. Murmurs rose like waves across the room. Several paled. Others glared at

one member asked. "That’s

name of ’expansion,’ right?" another