Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 665

Monica froze.

She clearly hadn't expected those words to come from Cassian.

The color drained from her face.

After all was said and done, she was the woman in this scenario. If anything had happened, she was the one whose reputation was on the line. Why was Cassian acting like the victim who had suffered some grave injustice?

Could it be...

Monica dug her nails into her palms.

Was it because of the brutal way Ruby had severed all ties with him moments ago?

But didn't he bring all of that upon himself? What did that have to do with what happened tonight?

Caught between fear and shock, an irrational spark of fury ignited within Monica. Having nowhere else to direct it, she aimed her resentment at the very man she had worshipped and coveted for so long.

But she only dared to curse him in her head.

"I..."

She gritted her teeth, unable to form a sentence.

Cassian slowly stood up, his towering frame casting a dark shadow over her as she sat on the floor.

In her rush earlier, the comforter she had used to cover herself had fallen onto the bed. Now, she was left wearing nothing but a scandalous few inches of silk.

Cassian stared down at her, his brow furrowed in utter disgust as he spat out a single word, "Disgusting."

That one word pushed Monica straight over the edge.

She snapped her head up, glaring at him with a volatile mix of disbelief and venom. "I'm disgusting?"

Her manicured nails sliced into her palms, but she barely registered the pain over the agonizing humiliation tearing at her heart.

The crushing pressure from her family, combined with the absolute contempt in the eyes of the man she loved, was more than she could bear.

Finding strength from some unknown source, Monica abruptly scrambled to her feet.

Though she still had to look up at him, a newfound edge of defiance radiated from her. "What about you? Aren't you disgusting too? Weren't you the one who pushed her away? Weren't you the one who threw her into prison? Standing there acting like I destroyed your shot at happiness—don't you think you're pathetic?"

"Ugh—"

The rest of Monica's tirade was choked off as an iron grip clamped around her throat.

Cassian held her suspended, his bloodshot eyes burning with homicidal rage.

"Say that again."

He practically ground his teeth to dust, his voice a lethal hiss.

Monica immediately felt the oxygen cut off. She clawed frantically at his wrist, pleading with her eyes for him to let go, but his grip remained immovable. Her eyes began to roll back into her head.

"Cassian!"

Startled by his sudden explosion of violence, the matriarch rushed forward and slapped at his arm.

Knowing she was entirely at fault, Monica realized this was the best possible outcome. Except... going back meant accepting her fate as a pawn in an arranged marriage.

The matriarch instructed a maid to escort Monica back to her room, her mind drifting back to Cassian's terrifying outburst.

Stepping into the hallway, she bumped straight into the servant she had tasked with leading Cassian away.

She frowned. "Where is Cassian?"

The servant looked panicked, ducking his head guiltily. "I... I lost him."

The matriarch's voice spiked. "What do you mean you lost him?"

Rubbing her forehead in sheer frustration, she ordered the remaining staff to spread out and search the grounds.

After several rounds of searching turned up nothing, her initial panic gave way to resignation. She narrowed her eyes, then suddenly dismissed the staff for the night.

Leaving the confused servants behind, she turned and marched in a specific direction.

She stopped right in front of Ruby's old bedroom.

Just as she suspected, the lights were on.

She pushed the door open.

"Who told you it was okay to drink in here?"

Scowling, the matriarch marched over and snatched the glass of liquor right out of Cassian's hand.