Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 284

At this point, there were already tens of thousands of heated threads online about Ruby showing up in court without a license. Whenever her name appeared on a trending topic, it was almost always followed by a blazing red “hot” icon.

If these weren’t just rumors, this was the kind of viral attention most people could only dream of.

But as always, fame could flip on a dime.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, her thoughts abruptly interrupted by the sharp ring of her phone.

She glanced at the screen. The name “Sylas” flashed in bold letters.

She frowned, about to mute the call, but before she could, a message from Sylas popped up:

“If you don’t pick up, I’ll come find you.”

Just a handful of words, but she could practically see his stubborn expression—handsome, sharp, and utterly unyielding.

Ruby pressed her lips together in resignation and answered the call.

“Have you figured out how you’re going to handle this?”

Sylas’s voice lacked its usual teasing swagger, replaced by a rare note of gravity.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got it under control.”

Her tone was light, almost detached.

There was a brief pause on the other end. “C Collective is getting dragged into this too. Garrison’s busy putting out fires. As for Victor—he was involved, but right now, the best thing you can do is keep your distance.”

He hesitated, then pressed on, his voice rough around the edges.

“So, Ruby, maybe it’s time you considered my offer.”

Even now, he couldn’t hide that wild streak.

The mention of C Collective sent a ripple of anxiety through Ruby’s calm.

She quickly pulled up her laptop and searched for the latest news on C Collective.

The fallout was worse than she’d feared.

Most of the public had turned against the brand because of her, launching boycotts across social media. Even new collections she hadn’t touched were being pulled from stores, targeted by anyone with a grudge and a keyboard.

Some people even declared that unless she was fired, C Collective should prepare to be blacklisted from the industry.

Barely skimming the headlines, Ruby felt a jolt of alarm. She’d underestimated just how ruthless the online mob could be.

Without a word, she typed out a message to Garrison, asking for an update on the company’s situation.

Sylas felt a chill settle in his chest.

He knew she was capable of passion—just never when it came to him.

His jaw tightened, frustration simmering beneath the surface.

For anyone else, having Sylas offer his help would be a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck. To reject him outright was, frankly, unthinkable.

But she was the exception.

What could he do about it?

Sylas exhaled, the sound weary. “Alright. But if you need anything, call me. Right away.”

“I mean it, Ruby. Just say the word…”

His voice was barely a whisper, fading into the air—soft, but heavy with promise.

Ruby couldn’t quite name the feeling that settled in her chest.

She murmured a quiet “okay,” then hung up.

Without missing a beat, she dialed Garrison again.