Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 225

She guessed that whoever was behind that man must have some serious backing. But this was Quinborough—if anyone had real power here, it was the man standing right in front of her.

“Aren’t you curious who sent him? I want to look into it,” Ruby said, her voice low but determined.

“No.”

Cassian’s answer came sharp and final, cutting her off before she could say another word.

His expression was thunderous, the kind of darkness that could blot out the room. “I’ve already sent someone to follow up. If there’s any news, the police will hear about it first. Right now, you’re coming home with me. I don’t want you giving this another thought.”

Ruby pressed her lips together, frustration flickering in her eyes.

Cassian just stared at her, unblinking, making it clear that if she so much as said “no,” he’d throw her over his shoulder and carry her out himself.

Left with no choice, Ruby reluctantly gave in.

Beneath the shimmer of the starlit night, the two of them returned to the house.

But as they stepped inside, they were greeted by an unexpected sight—a figure curled up on the sofa, so exhausted she’d fallen asleep waiting.

Ruby flicked on the lights and recognized Gennifer.

A frown creased Ruby’s face, amusement tinged with annoyance. Gennifer, here, at Northridge Manor, at this hour? She certainly didn’t believe Gennifer had shown up out of concern for her.

Ruby shot Cassian a look, said nothing, and swept Mira up in her arms before heading straight to the bedroom.

Cassian looked like he wanted to explain, but Ruby was already gone. The door slammed shut behind her with a bang.

The sound jolted Gennifer awake. She blinked, rubbing her eyes sleepily, then lit up with delight when she saw Cassian standing over her. “Cassian, you’re back!”

Almost immediately, she slipped into a look of aggrieved helplessness. “I waited so long. Where did you go? I asked Bennett, and it’s like he’s vanished off the face of the earth.”

Her gaze flickered, not-so-subtly, toward Ruby’s closed bedroom door.

Cassian’s eyes swept over her. He pinched the bridge of his nose, weary. “Who let you in?”

Gennifer froze, unprepared for that to be his first question.

She forced a brittle smile. “What’s wrong? I couldn’t find you and got worried, so I asked the guard to—”

“I’ll be replacing tonight’s staff,” Cassian interrupted, his voice cool and impersonal. His gaze landed on her face, erasing any trace of her smile. “Don’t come to Northridge Manor without my permission again.”

“Why?” Gennifer blurted, then caught herself, trying to soften her tone. “Cassian, did I do something wrong? Why are you sending me away?”

She reached out, trying to grab his sleeve, but he sidestepped her touch.

Her hand hung awkwardly in the air, and she looked at him, stunned. Slowly, she withdrew her arm, her whole posture shrinking.

“Cassian, I need to talk to you about something important,” she said.

He relented a little, his tone less frosty. “Go ahead.”

“The PR department wanted to use all the buzz around us to cover up the rumors about Ruby and… her child. Yesterday, I announced that I’d be going to the orphanage to adopt. The director was busy, but she’ll be free tomorrow.”

Gennifer rushed through her explanation, then looked at Cassian hopefully.

But Cassian’s expression only darkened.

Go to the orphanage with Gennifer and adopt a child? Charity was one thing, but this? Whose ridiculous idea was this?

A chill settled over him.

He’d always known what people said about him and Gennifer, but he’d never bothered to correct them. He hadn’t expected the gossip to go this far.

He pressed his lips together, his gaze icy. Gennifer fidgeted under the weight of his silence.

“If you want to do charity, put it through the company accounts. ‘Adoption’ is out of the question. Let PR handle the rest. Understood?”

Gennifer’s face stiffened. She opened her mouth to protest, but the look on Cassian’s face was glacial, a wall of ice she couldn’t cross.

She fell silent, her words dying in her throat.