Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 179

She flashed Victor a smile.

It was an ordinary, almost forgettable gesture, but in Cassian's eyes, it stung far more than it should have.

A restless irritation twisted in his chest.

"Victor, I'm busy."

Cassian set down his knife and fork with a sharp clatter against the plate.

Victor narrowed his eyes, and this time didn't bother with small talk. He pulled out a stack of papers from his briefcase and slapped them onto the table.

His smile faded. "My apologies. After all, Mr. Veyne, you're a man with a hundred things demanding your attention—not like the rest of us nobodies."

His tone was cold, edged with sarcasm, and it made Ruby's brow twitch.

Cassian's expression darkened.

He rose and looked at Ruby. "You've seen your friend, now it's time to go home, Mrs. Veyne."

He placed heavy emphasis on "Mrs." as if staking a claim.

The message was clear—he wasn't giving her a choice.

Victor picked up on the tension and glanced between them, frowning. It had been a year since he'd last seen the two together, and his memories were stuck back then.

Cassian had never been fond of Ruby outside of admiring her accomplishments, but he'd never tried to control her.

But now…

He turned his gaze to Ruby.

Something was off between them. The atmosphere was strange—almost charged.

Ruby gave Victor a quick, reassuring wink, then faced Cassian again, her expression calm and unmoved. "I'm not busy. Mr. Veyne is the one who's swamped. He should go home first."

Cassian had expected her refusal, but it still made his nerves taut with an uneasy frustration he couldn't quite explain.

"No."

His answer was instant and final.

"Then I'll use the favor you promised me yesterday. Can't get divorced, fine—but now you won't even let me spend time with my friends?"

Ruby shot him a sidelong glance, her eyes glinting with mockery.

She looked like a songbird forced into a cage—every glance defiant, every word a silent protest at his control.

Yet, in truth, it was Cassian who felt trapped, not her.

He stood frozen for a moment.

She'd asked for a promise, and if she'd wanted money, jewels, even his heart, he wouldn't have refused.

"Come on, let's get out of here. I know you never liked this food anyway."

Victor stood, pushing her untouched steak aside.

He scooped up his car keys from the table. "I still haven't sold my place in Quinborough. I even had the driver bring the car around. Let's go—there's a little place nearby that serves the kind of home-cooked meals you used to love."

At that, Ruby's eyes lit up, and she stood with him.

Quinborough had always been lonely for her. When her grandmother was alive, she'd missed her most—missed those gentle hands and the lovingly prepared meals.

By chance, she and Victor had once stumbled across a tiny family-run restaurant whose food tasted just like her grandmother's. Ever since, they'd gone there together whenever they had time.

Victor led Ruby downstairs, and they got into the car.

Ruby rolled down her window, feeling lighter and more at peace than she had in ages.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of someone across the way.

Cassian, who was supposed to have left, had come back—and standing beside him were Gennifer and the teacher she always talked about.

Victor followed her gaze, clearly spotting them too.

Wordlessly, he reached over and rolled up her window.

The car started, and they drove off in silence.