Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 658

The room fell into heavy silence. The maid suddenly felt incredibly out of place, awkwardly shifting her weight, unsure of what to do with her hands.

She sneaked another glance at Cassian before retreating quietly to her spot in the corner.

"Thank you."

After a long while, Cassian's low, raspy voice broke the silence.

The maid blinked, completely caught off guard.

Thank... you?

She couldn't hide her shock. Looking down, she saw Cassian give her a subtle, respectful nod.

She felt deeply overwhelmed. In her mind, the CEO had always been impossibly cold, arrogant, and entirely unapproachable. Yet here he was, looking at her with genuine, heartfelt respect.

She quickly rubbed her hands together. "It was nothing, sir. Nothing at all."

Cassian let out a faint "Mm" and fell silent again, his head lowered as he got lost in his own thoughts.

The bedroom returned to its quiet stillness.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Grandma was still doing damage control.

Monica jutted her chin out, let out a dramatic scoff at Ruby, and stomped off toward her room.

"She's been spoiled rotten by her family. She's always had a terrible temper."

Grandma sighed helplessly. She turned to Ruby, her eyes filled with deep affection and regret. "I'm so sorry you had to deal with this tonight. You were wronged."

"And Mr. Caldwell, I must apologize again for Cassian's unacceptable behavior."

Before she could even finish her slight bow, Ruby reached out and gently stopped her.

"Cassian already apologized for his actions. This has absolutely nothing to do with you, so you don't need to apologize on his behalf."

Ruby shook her head, her gaze calm and steady.

Grandma stared at her for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "Honestly, I truly adore you, Ruby. It's just such a shame..."

Her voice was laced with sorrow as she gently patted the back of Ruby's hand.

Judging by Ruby's unshakable boundaries tonight, Grandma knew that any forceful attempts to push her and Cassian back together were officially impossible.

Ruby offered a polite smile but didn't agree with the sentiment. "There's nothing to pity. Mira will always be your great-granddaughter."

Hearing that, Grandma instantly perked up. She reached out and gently poked Mira's chubby little cheek. Her eyes crinkled with warmth, and the heavy tension melted off her shoulders. "You're right. At least this old woman still has my precious little Mira."

While the atmosphere in the hallway had warmed up, upstairs, Monica was glaring down at the four of them, wishing she could turn her gaze into literal daggers to stab Ruby with.

Once she was done directing her venom at Ruby, her eyes shifted to focus entirely on the baby.

Grandma was holding the child now, while Garrison and Ruby both watched her with fond expressions.

A little bastard who hadn't even grown teeth yet, and she was being treated like absolute royalty?

"Whatever."

He stood up, glancing at them. "I'm going out for a bit. If I stay boxed up in here any longer, I'll go insane."

Today was supposed to be Garrison's shift to watch them anyway!

"If you need anything, just call the staff. Do not leave this house. There are definitely people watching from the shadows, just waiting for you to step outside."

Townsend stretched lazily. Despite his casual, playboy attitude, his instructions were incredibly thorough and sharp.

They both nodded quickly. "Don't worry, we understand how dangerous our situation is. We are so lucky to have you two and Miss Ruby helping us."

Their gratitude was entirely genuine, their expressions completely earnest.

Townsend glanced out at the high security walls surrounding the property, put his hands on his hips, and nodded. "Alright. You stay inside. I'll be back after I get some fresh air."

With that, he practically sprinted out the door.

*Freedom!*

Townsend bolted like an untethered dog, vanishing from sight.

Rosalie watched the spot where he disappeared and sighed thoughtfully. "If we hadn't crossed Hanley Grayson, maybe our son wouldn't have suffered so much on the run. Maybe he would have grown up to be just as bright and energetic as that young man."

Domingo wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Miss Ruby has promised to help us. This nightmare will be over soon."

"Let's hope so."