Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 258

Cassian’s gaze drifted down, inch by inch, to his hand—the one Ruby had just slapped away.

The lingering warmth he’d felt in his palm was gone, vanished without a trace. An aching emptiness pressed against his chest, as if his heart had been hollowed out and nothing could fill the void.

When Cassian finally looked up, the storm in his eyes had faded, replaced by a quiet, desolate sorrow.

He stared at Ruby, lost in thought, while she glared back at him with open contempt—as though she were looking at her worst enemy.

It was as if a knife twisted in his already-empty chest.

Cassian’s body trembled, his composure threatening to crumble. He forced himself upright, managing to stand tall even though his broad frame now seemed strangely fragile.

Ruby’s eyes never left him, full of suspicion and wariness.

“Get some rest,” Cassian said, his throat dry and voice hoarse. He didn’t look at her again; instead, he turned and strode toward the door.

Relief began to wash over Ruby—until his footsteps stopped short. Her heart leapt into her throat.

“The Graysons are in Quinborough,” Cassian said, pausing with his back to her, his voice low and rough. “I wasn’t lying.”

With that, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

At last, the cavernous room was hers alone.

Though his presence still lingered like a shadow, Ruby finally felt a measure of relief. Her whole body, tense from fighting and resisting, suddenly went slack; she collapsed onto the soft bed, her face sinking deep into the pillow.

Clutching her chest, Ruby stared blankly at the ceiling.

For that moment, she thought of neither the Graysons nor the chaos that had just transpired. Her mind emptied, adrift like a lone boat on an endless sea.

A long time passed before her senses slowly returned.

The house had fallen silent. She couldn’t be sure if Cassian had left Northridge Manor, but today was a workday—he should be at the office.

As her thoughts turned, Ruby frowned, struck by a sudden realization.

Cassian had clearly come looking for her on purpose. But how had he known where she’d be?

No matter how she turned it over in her mind, she couldn’t find the answer. She set the question aside and shifted her focus to the more pressing problem: the Grayson family.

Gennifer was in the hospital, and it was only natural for relatives to visit. Still, Ruby knew the Graysons wouldn’t have rushed over just to check on Gennifer. A confrontation was inevitable.

And then, there was the matter of Gennifer’s hospitalization…

Ruby narrowed her eyes.

At the party, the photograph Gennifer had produced was unmistakably a sketch from her own design portfolio. Yet her studio was supposed to be a closely guarded secret—how had Gennifer gotten her hands on her work?

Questions swirled in Ruby’s mind, making her head feel as if it might split open.

She felt as though she’d almost grasped something important, only for it to slip through her fingers.

By family ties, Ruby was supposed to call Elin “Aunt.” But ever since the day she’d left her grandmother’s memorial, she’d made it clear—there would be no more connection between her and the Graysons.

Ruby’s face was cold, unyielding. There was nothing warm or familial in her expression.

“Leave.”

Elin’s arrogant smirk vanished; her eyes widened in disbelief. “Ruby, is that any way to speak to me?”

Frieda chimed in sharply, “You don’t even respect your Aunt Elin now? Grown some wings, have you?”

Ruby gave a bitter, mocking laugh, hugging Mira to her chest and putting distance between herself and the two women. “I’m not part of the Grayson family anymore. So why should I call you my aunt?”

“And another thing—” she added, tilting her chin up, her gaze icy, “this is Northridge Manor. You have no business being here.”

The force of Ruby’s presence caught Elin off guard. She exchanged a bewildered glance with Frieda. Was this really the same girl who used to swallow every insult in silence?

“Not part of the Grayson family? Ruby, your last name is Grayson. Even if you die, you’ll die a Grayson!” Frieda snapped, her voice rising.

She lunged forward, reaching for Ruby’s arm. “You owe your aunt an apology! After all the years you’ve lived in comfort in Quinborough, you’ve forgotten your manners!”

“No sense of propriety. If people ask, I’ll tell them I’m not your mother—you’re a disgrace to me!”

Ruby jerked away, her eyes flashing with contempt and loathing. “Don’t worry, my mother died the day I went to prison. Even if I go around telling people I’m an orphan, it won’t have anything to do with you. I’d rather be an orphan than claim you.”