Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 100

Ruby felt as if someone had reached into her chest, crushed her heart in their fist, and ripped it out, still beating and bloody.

Around her, the hotel staff who'd been so eager to help just minutes ago now exchanged wary glances, murmuring to each other and backing away. Even as Ruby screamed until her voice was raw, not a single person came forward. Her desperation echoed in the empty corridor.

Her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the floor. She clutched at her chest, as if trying to hold herself together, while a sharp, twisting pain cut through her with every breath.

Suddenly, headlights blazed through the hotel's entrance.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out of his car, catching sight of the frantic woman sprawled on the ground. "Are you—are you Ms. Grayson? Did you call for a cab?"

He hesitated, clearly unnerved, but forced himself closer. When he saw how pale she was, his heart skipped a beat.

Ruby's freezing hand shot out and gripped his arm with surprising strength. Her eyes were wide and shining, but filled with anguish and despair. "Please! You have to help me! Someone took my daughter!"

"What?!"

The driver's eyes went wide as he hauled Ruby to her feet. "Don't panic, ma'am! Quick, get in the car—this is serious!"

"Who took her? Did you see them? I'll help you chase them down!"

He brimmed with a sense of justice, ready to leap into action. But Ruby could barely stand. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she choked out, "It was so dark... I didn't see anything."

That stopped the driver short. He clenched his fists, frustrated, wanting to help but unsure how.

"But—"

She grabbed his arm again, desperate, as if clinging to the last lifeline she had left.

"I know where to look. Northridge Manor. Please, just get me there!"

The driver blinked in surprise.

Northridge Manor?

He shot Ruby a strange look. Wasn't that the city's most exclusive neighborhood, home to the wealthiest families? Surely no one from there would kidnap a child…

But when he met Ruby's grief-stricken eyes, his resolve softened. He nodded firmly. "Alright. Get in!"

He tossed her suitcase into the trunk, slammed the lid, and hit the gas—peeling out of the driveway.

Even inside the cab, where the heater blasted warm air, Ruby couldn't stop shivering. Cold sweat still trickled down her back. She tried to steady her breathing, forcing herself to think.

He kept his eyes on the road. "You started out in the south part of town. Northridge Manor's all the way across Quinborough, right next to the shopping district. It's a long drive, but I'll get you there as fast as I can."

He pressed harder on the accelerator.

Ruby's heart sank.

"Ma'am, if your kid's been taken, why aren't you calling the police? Why head to Northridge Manor instead?" the driver asked, confusion in his voice.

For most people, the police would be the obvious choice.

But Mira's father was Cassian.

Cassian—the richest man in Quinborough, with power and connections that went deeper than the police could ever reach.

And if Gennifer really was involved, Cassian would be her best hope.

Going to him would do more than any police report.

The driver didn't quite understand, but he respected her decision all the same. Watching the panic on her face, he knew—no mother would gamble with her child's life.