CHAPTER 129: CONVINCE HER

Once he arrived back home safely, Stefan pushed open the door to Ethan’s house and stepped inside, the click of the lock behind him sounding far too loud in the silence.

The space was dim, lit only by the soft golden glow of the entryway chandelier. He dropped his keys into the ceramic bowl by the door, their clink sharp in the quiet, then shrugged off his coat and draped it over the back of a chair.

He stood there for a long moment, his thoughts racing in circles.

He had gone to Rayna’s house with hope—a desperate kind of hope that maybe, just maybe, Ruby would be willing to hear him out. But that hope had shattered the second Rayna opened the door and stared at him like he was the last person she wanted to see.

And now he was back where he started or was it even worse?

He paced slowly toward the living room and dropped onto the couch with a heavy sigh, running both hands through his hair in frustration. The leather creaked under his weight, but the silence around him didn’t shift.

"How do I get past her?" he muttered to himself. "How do I reach Ruby when every path to her is blocked?"

He knew she was still hurting. Still angry.

And he deserved it. But why was Rayna holding so much grudge on you? He could understand Ruby’s but not Rayna’s.

He had stared into her eyes and hadn’t seen her—not really. He hadn’t looked past the illusion long enough to recognize her soul. Her heart. The woman he had kissed, laughed with, shared vulnerable moments with... and he hadn’t known it was her.

His heart clenched painfully for the pain he caused Ruby but felt angry at Rayna for holding so much grudge on him.

A soft click from the front door snapped him from his thoughts. Moments later, Ethan walked in, his coat slung over his arm and a file tucked under one hand. His steps were quick but steady, and the moment his eyes landed on Stefan, they slowed.

"You’re back early," Ethan said, placing the file on the coffee table and hanging his coat. "How did it go?"

Stefan didn’t answer right away. His jaw clenched slightly, and his gaze dropped to his hands where they rested in his lap. "Not well," he said after a moment, his voice low.

Ethan moved toward the couch and sat across from him, studying his expression. "She wouldn’t talk to you?"

"No," Stefan muttered. "She didn’t even come to the door. Rayna answered and told me to leave. Said Ruby doesn’t want to see me."

Ethan’s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t look surprised. "Rayna’s protective. Always has been."

Stefan huffed, leaning back into the couch, his head tilted back against the cushion. "I just... I didn’t expect her to be so hostile. I know I messed up, but I’m not the enemy here. I was deceived too. I just want to talk to Ruby. I need to tell her how sorry I am. I need her to accept me so I can protect her and our child."

Ethan watched him carefully for a moment, then leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I don’t know," Stefan admitted. "I’ve been sitting here trying to figure that out. I was thinking maybe... I could try again when Rayna isn’t around. Maybe catch Ruby when she’s out. Or leave a letter—something she might read without Rayna’s interference."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a firm line. "Or... you could try a different approach."

Stefan looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Ethan sat back again, hands steepled under his chin. "Instead of trying to bypass Rayna, why don’t you try to convince her?"

Stefan blinked. "Convince her?"

"Yes," Ethan said firmly. "You’re thinking of Rayna as an obstacle. But she’s more than that—she’s Ruby’s best friend. Probably the closest person to her right now. If anyone can get through to Ruby, it’s Rayna. So why not talk to her? Be honest. Be real. Tell her what you just told me. Convince her that you’re worth another chance. Once Rayna is convinced, Ruby would be too."

Stefan frowned, the idea rolling around in his mind like a coin that hadn’t yet landed. "But... why should I have to convince someone else? Shouldn’t it be between me and Ruby?"

"In a perfect world, yes," Ethan replied. "But in this world—where Ruby is hurt and scared and doesn’t know who to trust anymore—sometimes the voice of someone she trusts completely can make all the difference."

Stefan leaned forward, elbows on his knees now, face in his hands for a moment. He exhaled slowly, heavily. "She looked at me like I was a stranger, Ethan. And maybe that’s what I was. I didn’t see her—not when it mattered."

"Then show her that you do now," Ethan said. "Show her best friend that you understand what you missed. That you want to make it right, not just with pretty words but with sincerity. Because if you can convince Rayna that your love for Ruby is real... she might help you."

Silence fell between them.

Stefan stared at the floor, thinking. It wasn’t a plan he’d considered before. It felt a little like surrender—having to ask someone else to fight for him. But then again, this wasn’t about pride. Not anymore.

This was about love.

About getting back the only woman who had ever made him feel truly seen. Truly alive.

And if Rayna was the bridge he had to cross to reach Ruby... then he’d take that path.

Even if it meant swallowing every last bit of his ego.

free\we,bnovel.c o(m)

He looked up, his eyes clearer now, more resolved. "Alright," he said quietly. "I’ll talk to Rayna."

Ethan nodded slowly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"About time," Ethan said, standing. "You’re not alone in this, you know. You’ve got me. And if you play this right... you might just get her back."

Stefan nodded, the weight of his earlier hopelessness slowly shifting into something else. Not quite hope—but something like determination.

Maybe this wasn’t the end.

Maybe, just maybe, it was the beginning of him finally getting it right.