Substitute Wife For The Blind CEO

Chapter 152: Ivy’s Poison

Stefan’s phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand, the vibration slicing through the peaceful early morning silence. He stirred, groaning softly as he reached out blindly, his fingers closing around the device.

The screen’s brightness forced his eyes to squint, but when he saw Ethan’s name flashing across it, a strange knot twisted in his stomach. Calls this early were never good news.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes before swiping to answer. "Ethan?" his voice was gravelly with sleep.

"Stefan," Ethan’s tone was tight, urgent. "You need to see this. Check the news. Right now."

The seriousness in Ethan’s voice jolted him fully awake. His heart pounded harder as he swung his legs over the bed and reached for the tablet resting on the nightstand. With a few quick taps, he opened the trending news, his breath catching in his throat the moment he saw the headline:

Ivy Quinn Breaks Silence: Claims Twin Sister Stole Her Husband.

His fingers trembled slightly as he clicked the video attached to the article. The screen filled with Ivy’s face—tear-streaked, visibly distressed, her eyes red as she sat before what appeared to be her living room. The image alone made Stefan’s chest clench with a mixture of dread and fury.

"...I know I said I wouldn’t speak," Ivy’s voice came, soft but heavy with emotion. "I know I promised to keep quiet for the sake of the family and for the sake of peace. But I can’t do this anymore."

She sniffled, wiping her eyes delicately with a tissue. "People think... they think this is about Eliana. That my husband—Stefan—asked for divorce because of those lies spread about me about having a hand in Eliana’s accident. But the truth is far worse. The truth is... it was my own twin sister, Ruby."

Stefan’s stomach dropped as he wondered what lie Ivy was about to spill.

"I loved her," Ivy continued, her voice breaking. "I invited her into my home because she’s my sister. I trusted her. I mean, how could I not trust my own twin? But she... she on the other hand, she seduced my husband. She took advantage of our kindness. And now—" she broke down, her shoulders shaking, "now she’s pregnant with his child, and I’ve been cast aside like I’m nothing. Like I never mattered."

Her tears flowed freely now. "I stayed silent because I thought it was better for the family. But I can’t keep pretending. People need to know who Stefan Winters really is."

The video ended, but the damage was already done.

Stefan’s hands curled tightly around the tablet as disbelief, anger, and cold panic rushed through his veins all at once. His jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. He glanced at Ruby and was glad to see she was still fast asleep.

He’d be resuming work the next day which happens to be Monday but with Ivy doing something of this magnitude, a lot of things would go wrong at the company.

"She’s insane," he hissed under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "She’s completely lost it."

The screen was flooded with comments, all condemning him and Ruby. Words like "homewrecker," "cheater," and "disgrace" leapt out at him with every scroll. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs.

Seeing all those words, he thought about all he’d said to her the night before. How could he have promised her a better and peaceful like and then, the next day this happened?

He turned to her again—still peacefully asleep in their room, completely unaware of the storm that was brewing outside their walls. He felt the weight of responsibility settle over him like a crushing boulder.

"I can’t let this happen," he muttered, bringing the phone back to his ear. "Ethan, I’m going to the press. I need to set this straight. I can’t let her get away with this. She’s dragging Ruby’s name through the mud—my name. The company—everything—this will destroy everything. I can’t let it happen. Ruby doesn’t deserve to go through all this especially not now."

"Stefan, no," Ethan interrupted firmly. "That’s exactly what she wants. She wants you to react emotionally. You going to the press right now? It’ll only make it worse. It’ll look like you’re trying to cover something up."

Stefan exhaled sharply, his free hand curling into a fist against his thigh. "So what do you suggest I do? Sit back and let her destroy us? Have you seen what people are saying?" His voice cracked slightly, the stress seeping into every word.

"I have," Ethan said calmly, "and I get it. I do. But this is bigger than you or me. The only way to salvage this isn’t to argue with her lies—it’s to show the truth. To make people see Ivy for who she really is. The moment we try to defend, it’ll spiral. The public loves a scandal, Stefan. But they also love a reveal. We need to be strategic. We need to think this through."

Stefan pressed his thumb and forefinger to his temple, breathing heavily as his mind raced. "And how do we do that?" he asked bitterly. "How do we make them see?"

"We’ll have to figure it out," Ethan murmured. "Give me some time. But whatever we do, it has to be smart, not emotional. If we play this wrong, you’ll lose the company, Ruby’s reputation will be in ruins, and Ivy will get exactly what she wants."

The thought of Ruby’s name—of her gentle eyes, her soft voice, her kindness—being dragged through the dirt made Stefan’s heart twist painfully. The idea of her having to face the cruelty of public shaming, of whispers and stares, filled him with an almost blinding need to protect.

He swallowed hard, fighting the panic rising in his chest. "I can’t let her suffer because of me," he whispered, almost to himself.

"You won’t," Ethan assured quietly. "But you need to keep your head clear. For her. For everything you both have built."

The call ended soon after, but Stefan remained seated on the edge of the bed, the tablet still in his hands as he scrolled aimlessly through the vicious comments and reactions online. His vision blurred slightly as waves of helpless anger surged through him.

How could Ivy stoop this low?

He thought back to every moment leading up to this—the manipulation, the lies, the way she’d twisted every situation to suit her needs. And now this? Painting herself as the poor, heartbroken victim while vilifying Ruby? Ruby who had been forced into all this and him whom she’d left standing at the altar. What right did she have?

His hands trembled slightly as he set the tablet aside and dropped his face into his hands, drawing a deep, shaky breath. His mind reeled with scenarios, possibilities, damage control.

He could still hear Ivy’s voice echoing in his head—her tearful accusations, her false sorrow. It made his skin crawl.

A soft rustle behind him broke through his thoughts. He turned to see Ruby shifting under the covers, her brows furrowed slightly in her sleep as if she could somehow sense the tension thickening the air.

Stefan’s chest ached. He rose quietly, moving to stand by the window, his eyes staring blankly out into the early morning mist. The city stretched far and wide beyond the glass, but all he could see were the consequences of this one video. noveldrama

His company—Winters Corp—had already faced enough turbulence over the years. Investors, shareholders, public trust... all of it could be jeopardized by a single viral story. The markets reacted to emotion. And this? This was an emotional bomb.

But more than the company, his thoughts kept returning to Ruby.

She’d already endured so much. The deception, the switch, the pregnancy... and now this? The idea of her waking up to a world that was turning on her made his throat tighten painfully.

"No," he murmured to himself. "I won’t let her face this alone."

He turned back toward the bed, watching her for a moment. The early light painted her features in soft gold, her breathing even, peaceful. She deserved to stay that way—to be untouched by Ivy’s poison.

But how?

How could he shield her from this when the entire world now had front-row seats to the scandal Ivy had unleashed?

Stefan closed his eyes, his hands balling into fists once more. He would find a way. He didn’t care what it took. Ivy might have started this war, but he would be damned if he let her win.

The first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting light across the room. And as he stood there, heart heavy but resolve hardening, he knew one thing with absolute certainty:

He would protect Ruby. Always. No matter the cost.

*********

Still following the story? What do you think will happen going forward? Want to share your thoughts? I’d like to hear them and yes ... We’re gradually approaching the end so stay tuned and don’t miss out on anything(winks).