Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 275

His tone was gentle, yet carried the unmistakable authority of someone used to being obeyed. “Mr. Veyne, your Miss Grayson is making baseless accusations—what fault can you possibly find with Miss Ruby?”

The man’s calm voice flowed into the room like a mountain stream, and for a moment, the tough mask Ruby wore seemed to waver.

“So why did you come here with him?” Cassian suddenly interjected, blatantly changing the subject.

Gennifer, standing beside him, was momentarily thrown off. She looked up in protest, only to meet the sharp, unyielding set of the man’s jaw—a coldness that left no room for argument.

Ruby arched an eyebrow coolly. “And what business is that of yours? Even if we’re married, you have no right to control my every move.”

Her defiant attitude only made Cassian’s frustration mount.

“Mr. Veyne, are we not starting yet?” Bennett’s voice cut in unexpectedly.

He’d just finished parking—there were barely any spots nearby, so he’d had to circle the block. As he stepped into the courtyard, he caught sight of a group of fidgeting reporters clustered near the entrance, their eyes darting curiously toward the commotion inside.

Bennett quickly took in the tense standoff unfolding—just the sight of the two opposing sides made his heart skip a beat.

What on earth was Madam doing here? And with Mr. Garrison Cloud, of all people—the man Cassian currently despised the most?

A shiver ran down Bennett’s spine.

“Looks like Mr. Veyne is busy. Ruby, we shouldn’t overstay our welcome,” Garrison said smoothly, stepping in at just the right moment.

Ruby turned, ready to leave. She had no intention of getting dragged into this mess any further.

Gennifer bit her lip so hard her face still stung from earlier, but she could do nothing except swallow her anger.

Bennett hurried to defuse the situation. “Yes, Mr. Veyne, the press has been waiting outside for quite a while now.”

At that, Gennifer quickly took out a compact mirror and dabbed powder onto her flushed cheeks, stealing a pitiful glance at Cassian as she did.

Cassian noticed her gaze, but only cast his eyes downward, giving her no response.

Feeling the tension in the air, Bennett awkwardly rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Veyne is here to make a charitable donation. We’ve invited quite a few reporters, so I’d appreciate your cooperation.”

The director of the orphanage hurried over, bowing repeatedly.

Ruby wanted nothing to do with the cameras, so she and Garrison settled onto a stone bench at the edge of the courtyard, pulling little Sarah to sit with them. Ruby hadn’t forgotten the way the girl had stood up for her earlier.

Even Gennifer’s eyes sparkled with hope.

Not far away, Ruby scrolled through her phone to reply to a message, though her fingers trembled ever so slightly.

“Would you mind telling us a bit about your relationship with Miss Ruby now, Mr. Veyne?” someone called out, the line of questioning quickly shifting to Cassian and Gennifer’s romantic status.

Cassian’s brow tightened. He shot Bennett a look, and Bennett immediately stepped forward, his voice firm. “Today’s event is focused on Veyne & Co.’s charitable donation. We ask that the press respect Mr. Veyne and Miss Gennifer’s privacy and keep questions relevant to the charity.”

The reporters deflated at once, and the rest of the questions were polite and to the point. The interview wrapped up quickly.

The donation ceremony followed. The orphanage director accepted a check with so many zeroes his eyes nearly disappeared behind his smile.

“On behalf of the children, thank you, Mr. Veyne!”

Cassian nodded slightly, draping an arm over Gennifer’s shoulders. His reserved expression and gentle movement only added to his untouchable air.

He looked down at Gennifer, and for a moment, warmth melted the glacier in his eyes. “You should thank Gennifer. It was her idea for me to help these children.”

“Cassian…” Gennifer blushed, lowering her gaze with a bashful smile.