Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 91: Expired

Stefan narrowed his eyes. Something about her tone was off. Too casual. Too... slick and more than that, he needed to know why she was in his house, relaxed and talking to him the way she was. He folded his arms slowly. "What exactly are you implying?"

Eliana tilted her head, the soft curls of her dark hair falling slightly to one side. "Only that for someone so intelligent, you’ve been rather blind to Ivy’s manipulations all these years. It’s tragic, really. She’s a pitiful little fool, and somehow you still let her crawl back every time."

Stefan’s jaw tensed. His expression darkened, but he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he stared at her—really stared. The angles of her face, the curl of her painted lips, the bitterness in her gaze as she spoke about the woman she called her friend.

For some weird reasons, Ruby had never liked Eliana, even he never did and now... now he could see why. She was a snake.

He took a slow step forward. "Tell me something," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "Isn’t Ivy your best friend? Or was all that just for show too? I wonder what she’ll say when she hears the poison you’re spitting behind her back."

Eliana chuckled. The sound was humorless, cold. "Oh, please. I’m not losing sleep over Ivy. I came here to warn you, Stefan. Because whether you like it or not, she’s planning something. Something desperate. You might think she’s given up on you but I tell you, she’s not."

He raised a brow. "And what makes you think I care?" he asked, not wanting to give her the benefit of thinking he was enjoying listening to her rubbish.

Eliana’s eyes gleamed. "Because it concerns her. Ruby."

At the sound of her name, something shifted behind Stefan’s eyes. A flicker of rage. A thread pulled taut but Eliana didn’t stop. Infact, she knew that was when she needed to continue.

"Ivy’s scared, Stefan. She knows she can’t compete with Ruby. She never could. So now she’s planning her next move—cooking up meals, and delivering it to you, pretending to be some mysterious caterer, hoping you’ll soften up. She was going to show up at your office when you’re vulnerable and say she cares." Eliana scoffed. "She’s trying to manipulate you, Stefan. To keep you from going after the woman you actually—"

"Eliana," came a sharp, breathless voice from the hallway.

Both Stefan and Eliana froze as they heard the voice, louder and clear. It was Ivy’s.

She was standing near the arched entryway, her eyes wide, face pale, one hand trembling beside her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, disbelief carved into every inch of her face.

Ivy whispered,

a sister betray her this way? Did she have any iota shame? What did she want betraying her like this? Where had she gone wrong in treating her

Couldn’t she have just said so? Why do this to her? Didn’t she suggest to speak to Stefan? Was this what she’d planned to tell Stefan all these

she been a fool trusting this snake blindly? How could Eliana of all people do this to her? What the hell had gotten into her? Ivy thought, unable to

room fell deathly still as even Stefan had his own

head turned slowly toward Ivy, his gaze dark and unreadable.

the scene going on and he couldn’t help but compare it to what had happened that day at the

she knows what to do to people are betrayal? She shouldn’t be hurt,

Eliana began, her voice suddenly soft. "You weren’t supposed

going to say, right? I wasn’t supposed to know you’ve been stabbing me in the back while pretending to be

was trying to help you," Eliana snapped, eyes flashing. "You’ve embarrassed yourself

laughed, but it came out hollow. "You think this is help? Betraying me to him?" Her voice cracked, and she turned to Stefan, her eyes glossy with emotion. "She offered to talk to you for me. She said she’d help me apologize, tell you

seemed to tore at her heart. How was she ever going to get past this betrayal?

but icy. "You said you were here

you too. You don’t see what she’s doing. She’s desperate—she’ll do anything

no kindness in his eyes. No softness.

opened her mouth, but the words died on her

"You need to leave,"

thought she had was rapidly slipping away. Still, she raised her chin defiantly. "Fine. But don’t say

strode out, her heels echoing like gunshots against

shut, silence swallowed

at Ivy immediately. He stood there, absorbing everything, his mind spinning.