Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 406

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Gennifer froze, clearly caught off guard by Frieda’s question.

Flustered, she looked up, meeting Frieda’s furrowed brow and puzzled gaze.

She scrambled to brush it off with a forced laugh. “Of course you’re my mother. Who else would be? You’re the only mom I have.”

“You’re my one and only,” she added brightly.

Frieda didn’t reply, just let her eyes sweep over Gennifer with a quiet, unreadable smile.

Gennifer felt her whole body tense. Something about Frieda seemed... different today, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. The only thing she could clearly sense was that look in Frieda’s eyes—usually so naïve for her age, almost childishly innocent. But now, they were sharp and lucid, like someone who’d just received a revelation.

“Mom, how did Dad even tell you I was here? I made sure to remind him not to let you know.”

Desperate to steer the conversation away, Gennifer forced a strained, awkward smile.

“Gennifer, why are you in the Quinborough jail?” Frieda asked, though she already knew the answer.

Gennifer’s face went pale, then flushed, her mouth opening and closing as if words would come, but nothing escaped.

“I... I…”

She put on her best performance, but Frieda just kept watching her, lips curled in that faint, enigmatic smile, which only made Gennifer more anxious.

Why is she acting like this today? Did she find something out?

Panic prickled at the back of Gennifer’s neck.

Just then, Frieda’s lips curved in a gentle, almost motherly smile. Her eyes narrowed kindly, making her seem so warm and approachable.

“Mom, this really isn’t the time to talk about all that. Can you help get me out of here?”

Gennifer grabbed at the opportunity, hope flickering in her voice.

She knew full well that Frieda was a Steele by birth—and the Steele family was legendary in The Capital. When Hanley and Violet came to visit her, they still had to talk to her through a thick, soundproof glass wall. But Frieda? She was allowed right into the heart of the prison.

As the saying goes, even a fallen lion commands respect. No matter that Frieda had publicly distanced herself from her family; people were always careful around her.

“I can’t,” Frieda said, shaking her head.

Gennifer’s hope crashed.

Drained, she slumped back onto the rock-hard cot, curling in on herself, despair closing in.

“Just go,” she croaked out.

From the small window in the cell door, Frieda looked in, her eyes suddenly icy cold.

So the child she’d raised all these years turned out to be Violet’s daughter.

Frieda’s fingers trembled, but she managed to steady herself before leaving.

Her heels echoed down the corridor as she walked away. Gennifer lifted her head, unease gnawing at her even harder.

She stared at the empty window, brow furrowed, pressing a hand to her chest to calm the frantic beating of her heart.

Biting her lip, she suddenly remembered that Hanley had promised to work something out for her. Two days had gone by, and she was still trapped in this place.