Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 273

The girl didn’t resist. She just lowered her head, preparing to leave.

“Wait!”

Ruby called out, her voice sharp. She slipped past the director, who’d moved to block her path, and caught the girl's wrist.

The girl’s arm was so thin, it felt as if Ruby was grasping bones beneath skin.

A jolt of worry shot through her. She turned to the director and flashed a harmless smile. “I think she and I have a connection. Why not let her show us around?”

The director hesitated, his gaze lingering on the girl with an unreadable look.

“Is it such a problem?” Garrison’s words were gentle, but there was something about his tone—a quiet authority—that made it hard to say no. He had the kind of smile that concealed sharp edges.

The director wiped sweat from his brow. “I… suppose that’s fine.”

Without waiting for further protest, Ruby slid her grip down and took the girl’s cold hand. The chill in her palm made Ruby’s brow twitch.

Ruby looked down at her. The girl’s head was bowed, hiding her expression, but Ruby could feel the tension in her body.

“Director, you can get back to your work. She’ll show us around.”

“Of course… We’ve prepared breakfast for you both in the dining hall,” the director stammered, glancing back several times as he retreated. When he finally turned the corner, he wiped his forehead again, clammy with cold sweat. Something about that woman unsettled him. But with important guests arriving, he had other matters to attend to and pushed his unease aside.

“What’s your name?” Ruby crouched down, speaking gently, her eyes searching the girl’s face.

For the first time, something flickered in the girl’s lifeless eyes. She bit her pale lip. “Sophie.”

“Sophie. That’s a beautiful name.” Ruby reached out and ruffled her hair.

Maybe it was because of Mira, but Ruby always felt a special tenderness toward girls this age.

Sophie’s eyes shifted, uncertain.

Garrison’s gaze landed on the two of them. “Let’s have a look around the orphanage first,” he prompted.

Sophie nodded, eyes downcast, and led them through the orphanage with a mechanical air. She kept a ghostly distance—always two steps ahead, silent and withdrawn.

Ruby and Garrison exchanged a glance, both catching the same unease in each other’s eyes, but neither said a word.

Sophie seemed to remember their interest in the dining hall and guided them there at last, stopping outside the door.

Inside, it was quiet—unusually so.

Ruby pushed open the door. The room was full of children, mostly five or six years old. Kids that age should have been noisy and restless, but here, they ate in silence, eyes glued to their bowls, as if afraid to speak.

Garrison, without saying much, quietly added some of his own meat sauce to Ruby’s bowl, lowering his voice as he leaned in. “I can’t finish it either, Miss Grayson. Could you help me?”

Ruby couldn’t help but laugh softly, accepting his kindness without protest.

When the three of them left the dining hall, the corridor had grown noisy.

Ruby and Garrison shared a look of understanding and headed toward the commotion.

What they saw made them stop short.

The orphanage gates were swarming with reporters, their numbers growing by the minute. Cameras and equipment lined up in neat rows, all pointed at the entrance.

Ruby instantly spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

“Everyone, stay focused. Get the best shots possible. Wait for Cassian before you start!” Gennifer called out, directing the assembled press.

Suddenly, her voice cut off, as if someone had reached out and squeezed her throat. She stood frozen, staring at Ruby in shock and barely disguised resentment.

“Ruby? What are you doing here?”

Ruby had half a mind to slip away quietly, but Gennifer’s sharp voice cut through the noise as she barreled over.