Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 191 - 191: You're Not Alone

When he finally lifted his head, his voice was ragged. "Ruby… I'm so sorry but there's no baby. Our baby's gone."

Her face went still, her breath catching. "No..."

"The smoke, the stress—" Stefan's voice broke. "There was nothing they could do. Noreen… she tried, but…" He shook his head, sobs tearing through him. "There was no heartbeat."

Ruby's lips parted, her gaze unfocused as though his words were too heavy to understand. Then, like the ground giving way beneath her, the meaning struck. He baby was no more.

A strangled cry left her throat. Her hand tore away from his to clutch her stomach, her eyes filling with devastation. "No. No, Stefan, no—"

He caught her before she could thrash against the tubes and wires, wrapping his arms around her as gently as he could, pressing her against his chest. His own tears poured freely, his heart shattering all over again at her grief.

"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely against her hair, rocking her trembling body. "I tried, Ruby, I swear I tried. I would've given my life for you both. I'm so sorry. I failed you."

Ruby sobbed into him, broken sounds that cut deeper than any fire ever could. Her world — their world — had been torn apart before it had even begun. The child she had dreamed of, touched lovingly every morning, whispered hopes to every night… gone. And here he was, blaming himself when in fact, she was the true cause.

tears. "You're still here, Ruby, and I'll spend the rest of my life loving you. I'll give you as many children as you want, but please, baby, you have to be strong. You can't

all the words he thought of but Ruby's sobs didn't stop. They echoed in the sterile room, raw and unrestrained, and

streaming silently down her face. Ethan's jaw was tight, his eyes burning as he stared at the floor. Even Elizabeth, who had seen her share of heartbreak, leaned heavily against the wall, her

Ruby's hair, whispering apologies over and over. He wished he could shield her from this truth, wished he could bear the grief

chest: he wouldn't let

finally weakened, though the

streaked with tears. Her eyes were swollen, staring blankly at the ceiling. She hadn't spoken in nearly

go, she might slip away

he whispered, brushing his thumb across

move. Her chest rose and fell in shallow

with every second of her silence. He would've preferred her anger,

"I should've protected you. I should've saved the baby. I replay it a thousand times in my head, how I could've done more, been more alert. Maybe if I had held you tighter during the blackout or that I had

"It was supposed to be different, Stefan. We were supposed to meet our baby. We were supposed to hold her. But we can't anymore and

joined hands to his forehead as his tears fell freely. "I know. I know, sweetheart. But you still lost her and I'm

quivered as she whispered, "I loved her already. I loved her so much and