Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 53: A Future

An hour later, the sound of the office doors slamming open startled even Naomi outside.

"Where is he?" Elizabeth Winters’ voice boomed through the hallway.

Before Naomi could respond, the matriarch had already pushed past her and stormed into Stefan’s office like a hurricane, her heels clicking furiously against the marble floor.

Stefan was seated behind his desk, calm and collected, as though he’d expected this.

Ruby stood beside him, eyes widening at the sight of Elizabeth’s flushed face and furious expression.

"What in heaven’s name have you done?" Elizabeth shouted, marching right up to Stefan’s desk and slamming her purse down. "How could you humiliate your uncle like that in front of the entire board? It’s all over the news! You had him dragged out of the building like a criminal!"

"Because he is one, mom," Stefan said coolly, not even flinching.

Elizabeth looked stunned. "Excuse me?"

"He stole from the company, Mother," Stefan said, voice firm but respectful. "For years. Millions. From employee benefit funds, from pension accounts. We have the documents. Verified. I didn’t accuse him—I proved it."

"I don’t care!" Elizabeth snapped, face flushed. "You don’t treat family like that. You could have handled it privately. He’s your uncle, Stefan. Your blood."

"I never told Richard to steal," Stefan said, standing slowly. "I never told him to forge signatures or siphon money through dummy accounts. He made those choices. And now he gets to live with the consequences."

Elizabeth’s eyes darted to Ruby, then back to Stefan. "You’re letting her fill your head—"

"What? This has nothing to do with Ivy and you know it," Stefan interrupted sharply. "This is business. Company business. And I’m the one who has to clean up the mess Richard left behind."

release him—talk to the lawyers, drop the

"No. He doesn’t get to walk away from this like nothing happened. If I let him go,

mouth, but Stefan cut

you, Mother. But this is where I draw the line." There was a silence—icy,

unreadable. Then she picked up her purse and

said coldly before marching out of the office, the door slamming

on the edge of the desk.

okay?" she asked

"She’ll come around.

of going against one’s family—even when it was the right thing. Stefan had always carried that weight

their success in putting Richard’s case behind them, Stefan had suggested they eat

in the background, and a candle flickered

a private booth, champagne glasses

Mr. Winters slayer of corrupt uncles, conqueror of boardrooms, and destroyer of scandals... how does

one arm draped across

laughed, resting her head briefly against his shoulder.

against her cheek. "This is all

soft, lingering kiss that made the outside world

apart, Ruby’s

glanced at the screen and brightened

I see. You should

to accept. "Hey! You’re calling late—everything okay?" she said, wondering if she had received help or not

excitement and disbelief. "Ruby! You will not believe this—the