Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 239

He approached at a measured pace, as if he’d crossed mountains and rivers just to stand before her. His smile was gentle, reassuring.

But Ruby blinked in surprise. For a moment, she thought she saw a familiar shadow in his features.

Why did he remind her so much of Townsend?

But his last name isn’t Caldwell, is it?

“Miss Ruby.”

He inclined his head politely, a gesture so humble it left Ruby a little flustered.

It wasn’t just Ruby who was stunned; across the cordoned-off street, the troublemakers and reporters fell silent, their bravado vanishing in an instant.

They stepped aside, clearing a path.

Who was Garrison, after all? CEO of The Vertex Quarter, the crown jewel of C Collective—one of the most exclusive luxury fashion houses in the world. His reach and influence in the industry were legendary, and yet here he was, bowing his head to Ruby?

The shock rippled visibly through the crowd, jaws dropping in disbelief.

“Mr. Cloud.”

Ruby opened the car door and straightened, nodding to Garrison in greeting.

“You’ve always been an invaluable partner to our brand, and I hope you won’t hold our delayed statement against us,” she said.

Garrison looked sincerely apologetic—his gentlemanly composure carried the air of a rainy London evening.

“I should be the one thanking you. The fact that your company stepped in at all was more than I dared hope for.”

Ruby shook her head gratefully. “No, really, it’s been our privilege to know you, Miss Grayson. I’m still new to Quinborough, and if you’d permit me, I’d love to buy you dinner—maybe you could introduce me to some local cuisine and sights?”

Garrison’s courteous, steady presence was both approachable and entirely inoffensive, the kind of confidence that only comes with age.

Of course, Ruby agreed without hesitation.

She lifted her gaze to meet his, and in that moment, all her uncertainty and vulnerability seemed to melt away. It was as if he’d caught her before she could fall.

He reached out, steadying her gently by the waist as he led her away from the chaos.

No one dared interrupt their passage.

Their interaction didn’t go unnoticed, either by those present or by the thousands watching the live stream online.

The internet exploded.

“Wait, Ruby’s actually a shareholder in C Collective?”

“And Garrison himself came to Quinborough to set the record straight for her! That’s not just defending someone, that’s practically taking her under his wing!”

Gennifer, meanwhile, stared unblinking at the replay she’d already watched several times, her gaze darting between Garrison’s face and Ruby’s.

“Gennifer, what do we do now?”

Renee’s voice was bitter and restless. “How does Ruby even know Garrison? She doesn’t deserve it!”

Gennifer listened to Renee’s muttering, but her eyes narrowed suddenly, a calculating glint flashing there.

She tilted her head back, scheming. “C Collective has plenty of shareholders, but none have ever been treated like this—not even requiring the CEO’s personal involvement. An older man and a young woman…”

Gennifer ground her teeth, then fired off a message to a contact with a shadowy profile picture: “Follow them!”

Elsewhere, the recipient tugged the brim of his baseball cap lower, hiding a pair of cold, watchful eyes.

He scanned the area.

The crowd had been dispersed by Veyne & Co.’s security team, while Ruby and Garrison had already left, heading toward a nearby upscale restaurant.

He slipped into the flow of people, shadowing them by memory.

When they reached an elegant restaurant, he finally spotted their familiar silhouettes at a window table on the second floor.

And in that moment, he froze, utterly stunned.