Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 67: The Bottom Of It

Unlike when he didn’t have his sight but was left to believe what he felt, now, he had his sight and also his feelings. He’d know when it’s fake and real.

Just then, his phone buzzed on the bed beside him. He glanced at the screen and swallowed when he saw it was Ethan.

Stefan’s brow furrowed, thumb brushing over the screen. He didn’t answer. Not with Ivy here. He’d called Ethan because he wanted to ask him to look into Ruby but he had not picked up. Now he was calling and though he wanted to recieve it and make the request as soon as possible, it could wait. He thought as he placed the call on silent.

"Who is it?" Ivy asked casually, stepping closer.

"Ethan," Stefan replied evenly, slipping the phone into his pocket.

He turned his head slightly, expecting to hear a polite remark. Instead, he caught the faintest scoff from Ivy. Not loud, but sharp enough to make Elizabeth glance up. Stefan didn’t miss the way Ivy’s lips curled in distaste.

His stomach tightened and he couldn’t help the frown that creased his brows.

He’d heard that sound before—once, long ago—when Ivy used to gossip about people she disliked. It wasn’t just disapproval. It was contempt. He hadn’t exactly heard it once in the long six months after their wedding and he’d thought she’d probably stopped doing that.

Something twisted in his chest. Why would she react like that to Ethan? Had something gone wrong behind his back?

"Problem?" he asked, pretending not to notice her expression.

"No," Ivy said too quickly, flashing him a smile. "It’s just... Ethan’s always calling. He can be a little much sometimes, don’t you think?"

Stefan didn’t answer right away. He remembered their laughter—six months of it. The quiet moments he’d overheard them having. The soft way she used to say Ethan’s name.

He used to think they’d grown closer because she said she couldn’t continue being in bad terms or disliking anyone since life is too short and unpredictable.

So what now? What changed? What happened? Or had it had all been a performance? Couldn’t have been a performance for six months, right?

"Hmm," he murmured, his voice unreadable.

Elizabeth stood, brushing her coat into place. "I’ll go speak to the nurse about your discharge papers," she said gently, perhaps sensing the shift in mood. f(r)eew(e)bnovel.(c)o(m)

as she could

forward, sitting beside him, wanting to do anything to

on his. "It’s been hard

head slightly,

Whatever normal meant

how that goes," he said but

suspicion. A whisper. And this time, he wasn’t blind or deaf

there, Regina’s heels clicked sharply against the marble tiles of Stefan’s expansive foyer as she strode in with urgency coiled

and make sure she wasn’t going to show her face before Stefan again. Where else

the housemaids, a young woman in a neat black uniform, came forward, offering a polite bow.

Ivy come here earlier today?" Elizabeth had told her they were not to let any staff know about Ivy being a

maid blinked in surprise but nodded. "Yes, ma’am. She arrived earlier and left shortly

And did you tell anyone else? Did anyone else see

else as

she do when she came?" Regina asked

and took her box. Didn’t speak to anyone. Actually,

That confirmed it—Ruby had left. No confrontation. No message. Just gone. It was better for them all this

mention this to anyone," she said quickly, leaning in. "Especially not to Mr. Winters or

nodded,

in her purse for her phone. She dialed Ruby’s number, the line ringing... and

brows furrowed. She tried

were supposed to take the

she muttered

car, barking at the driver, "Take me to

later, she was activating a new number, fingers flying across the screen as she typed out a quick message

didn’t get to take the phone from Ruby so tell Ivy to tell Stefan her phone went missing if he

and deleted the