Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Warm sunlight streamed gently into the spacious bedroom, wrapping the air in a soft, golden glow. Outside, birds chirped faintly in the garden, and a breeze rustled the leaves, creating a peaceful melody that drifted through the partially open window.

Ruby stirred beneath the plush white sheets, her lashes fluttering before she slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, the world was quiet—too quiet even.

Then, she felt the softness of the pillows around her, the faint scent of fresh roses wafting from the bedside vase, and the unmistakable warmth of someone nearby.

She turned her head. There, sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed was Stefan. Watching her. She could swear she'd seen worry lines etched on his face when her eyes met his face but it had transformed into a smile before she could make anything of it.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," he murmured, his voice low and soft.

Ruby smiled sleepily, stretching under the covers. "You're staring," she said, her voice still husky from sleep.

"I always stare at things that make my heart feel full," he replied with a small smile.

Her heart gave a gentle flutter. Even now, with all the things they'd been through, he still found ways to say things that melted her.

She sat up slowly, brushing her tousled hair back. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Long enough," Stefan replied, reaching for the tray he'd placed on the bedside table. "But I wasn't going to let you get out of bed without breakfast today."

Ruby's brows lifted in surprise as she saw the tray—stacked pancakes, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Everything was plated neatly, as if he'd taken his time.

Her heart softened again. Ruby reached for the fork, touched. "Thank you," she whispered.

As she started eating, Stefan leaned back against the headboard beside her, his arm loosely draped behind her. She leaned into him without thinking, the silence between them comfortable.

Just as she scooped a forkful of eggs and tried eating it, she paused as her fork froze halfway to her mouth.

A sudden, uncomfortable wave rolled through her stomach.

She blinked once. Then again and then it hit her.

Oh no.

"Ruby?" Stefan asked, his brows furrowing slightly as he noticed her stillness.

"I—" she started, but clapped a hand over her mouth as her face paled.

Without another word, she shoved the tray aside and scrambled out of bed, rushing straight into the bathroom.

The sound of retching echoed faintly, and Stefan's heart jumped. He was on his feet in an instant, hovering near the door with concern practically radiating off him. "My love? Are you okay?"

There was a long pause.

Then the toilet flushed, and he heard the tap run briefly. When Ruby emerged, her face was a little flushed, her eyes glassy from the sudden bout of nausea.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. "I just… it hit me out of nowhere."

Stefan moved toward her gently, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "Was it the pancakes?"

She shook her head. "No… I don't think it was the pancakes." Then her nose scrunched up, and she groaned softly, covering her mouth again when the smell hit her. "It was the eggs."

"The eggs?" he repeated, surprised.

Ruby nodded slowly, easing herself back onto the bed. "Yeah… I think the smell triggered it. I was fine until then, but the second I started scooped them and inhaled the smell, it was like my stomach revolted."

Stefan looked horrified. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know they'd make you sick."

Ruby offered him a weak, affectionate smile. "How would you have known? I didn't even know."

Stefan sat beside her again, reaching for her hand and lacing his fingers through hers. "Okay, no more eggs. Ever, he said as he removed the eggs and headed to the door to give the maids.

She chuckled as she watched him. "Not forever. Just… maybe not until the baby stops treating me like a drama queen."

His gaze softened at the word baby. Every time she said it, his chest tightened with wonder. "Still surreal, isn't it?" he murmured as he went to sit beside her, his worry momentarily forgotten.

Ruby leaned her head on his shoulder. "It is. But knowing you're here through it all makes it… less scary."

"I'm here," he promised, kissing the top of her head. "Even if I have to remake breakfast ten different times till we figure out what works."

Ruby laughed softly. "Deal. But maybe tomorrow, let's just stick with toast and fruit?"

"Toast and fruit it is," he confirmed with a dramatic nod.

He sighed inwardly, wondering how to tell her about the video. Perhaps he should just keep her in the dark until the next day when Rayna arrived?

"Has Rayna called this morning?" she asked casually as she sliced into a piece of pancake.

She hadn't spoken to her best friend since last night, and something about that didn't sit right with her. Rayna usually checked in first thing in the morning.

Stefan's body stiffened just slightly. Barely noticeable—but not to Ruby.

He recovered quickly. "Yeah, she called earlier," he said, keeping his tone light. "She's out with Ethan. Said they were hitting the gym and spending the day together."

"Oh." Ruby blinked, setting her fork down. "She didn't say anything about plans last night…"

"She probably decided this morning," Stefan added quickly. "You know Rayna—spontaneous and all."

Ruby nodded slowly, not questioning it further. She didn't have a reason to.

Or… did she?

Still, she brushed it off and continued eating. "Did she sound okay?" she asked, sipping her juice.

"Perfectly fine," Stefan answered a bit too fast. "She even told me to let you sleep in. Said you needed the rest."

Ruby chuckled. "She would say that."

The conversation moved on, and Stefan tried to distract her with talk of how they might redecorate the garden area or try out new spots in Zeden she hadn't seen yet. By the time she finished breakfast, her heart felt lighter, the affection between them gently blooming in the morning air.

After freshening up and changing into a comfortable linen dress, Ruby joined Stefan in the living room. The space was airy and elegant, with soft neutral tones and touches of warmth—just like the life she'd begun building with him.

Stefan sat on the couch, his head bowed slightly, fingers moving across his phone screen. His jaw was tight, and his eyes flicked across the device with laser focus.

Ruby watched him silently for a moment, frowning a little.

He hadn't said much since breakfast ended. No teasing. No spontaneous kisses. Just… distant silence and somehow he hadn't let her touch her phone. Almost like he was trying to keep her from seeing something.

She padded softly to the couch and sat beside him, curling her legs under her. "Is something wrong?" she asked gently.

He looked up quickly, a practiced smile on his lips. "Hm? No. Everything's fine."

"You sure?" she pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You've been glued to your phone for the past ten minutes."

"It's just business," he said, adjusting his tone to something more casual. "A few urgent emails from the legal team."

Ruby tilted her head. "Legal team? Are we dealing with something serious?"

Stefan hesitated—just for a moment—but then nodded slowly. "Just some contractual disputes with a supplier. Nothing that can't be handled."

She watched him quietly, trying to decide if she believed him.

He seemed… off. Guarded even.

But he was also Stefan—the man who'd gone to impossible lengths to protect her. Maybe he really didn't want to burden her. Maybe this truly was just business.

Still, something itched at the back of her mind. Something was off.

She reached for her phone, which had been charging on the coffee table. "Maybe I'll call Rayna now. Just to check in—"

Stefan reached for her wrist lightly. "Babe, she said not to disturb her. They're probably still out."

Ruby blinked. "It won't hurt to just say hi."

"I just mean…" he trailed off for a second, searching her eyes. "You've been having such a calm morning. Let's just enjoy it, yeah? No calls, no screens, no noise. Just you and me."

His hand found hers and squeezed gently. There was so much love in his eyes that it almost silenced her doubts.

Ruby exhaled, setting the phone back down. "Alright. No screens."

He smiled and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "That's my girl."

But even as she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder, a quiet thought floated in her mind like a cloud refusing to drift away.

What was he hiding?

She knew he was hiding something because Stefan never stopped her from calling Rayna or holding her phone. Never avoided eye contact when talking about business. And he definitely never fumbled when explaining legal issues—he always explained them with confidence.

Something wasn't adding up. Still, Ruby said nothing more.

She didn't want to ruin the peace of the morning. But her heart was no longer settled.

********

Guess what? Our story has been translated to more languages! Spanish and Portuguese (winks).

Congratulations to us and thank you all for your votes and gifts. It's because of those that the book got recommended for further translations!

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