Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 364

Frieda stood in front of them, her phone’s screen still glowing in her hand.

Her lips were pressed so tightly together they were nearly white, her face stony with barely contained fury.

Ruby, pale as a sheet, forced herself to speak. “Mom… why are you here…”

“Is this true or not?” Frieda cut her off, flinging the phone at her chest.

Gennifer’s hands shook as she flipped the phone over. The screen blazed with Ruby’s latest public statement.

Gennifer tried to muster a smile. “Mom, you know what Ruby’s like. She’s been a liar ever since she could talk. You really believe her this time?”

Frieda’s icy gaze lingered on Gennifer’s face, then locked onto Hanley like a hawk.

“Violet is still alive, isn’t she? All those years you spent abroad—was it to see her? Yes or no?”

Each word was like a drop of blood wrung from her heart. By the end, her voice and even her body were trembling.

How could she have been so blind? She’d spent years feeling grateful to her husband’s mistress, even raising her child as if she were her own, all the while neglecting her own brilliant daughter.

Frieda’s mind reeled—her heart pounding so hard, she felt faint with rage.

How could they be so shameless?

Hanley couldn’t utter a word under Frieda’s interrogation. Yet as he looked at her twisted with disgust, something hardened in his eyes. That flicker of defensiveness grew, until he seemed almost righteous.

Frieda, burning with hate, grabbed Hanley by the collar. Staring at his smug, well-dressed face, she wanted nothing more than to rip off his mask.

“Hanley, you’re nothing but a backstabbing ingrate! Without me, there’d be no Grayson Group—no success, no prestige! And this is how you repay me? You and Violet, betraying me together!”

Her eyes blazed red. She raised her hand, ready to slap him across the face.

She remembered how Hanley had tricked her into a whirlwind marriage, sparking outrage among her family. They’d dragged them to the courthouse, demanding a divorce. She’d fought tooth and nail—had even run away with him, which pushed her grandmother into a stroke. In the end, the Steele family gave her two million and a downtown office building, then cut her off completely.

It felt like a knife was twisting in Frieda’s chest.

All those years of sacrifice—and this is what she got?

Her gaze flicked to Gennifer, and her fists clenched.

No wonder, she thought. No wonder Gennifer looked so much like Hanley. She’d worried at first that Hanley wouldn’t want to adopt Gennifer, and hoped their resemblance might soften his heart. But he’d agreed without hesitation. Now she understood why—Gennifer was his own daughter all along.

The bitter irony almost made Frieda laugh, but her eyes brimmed with tears.

She raised her hand high to strike.

The air crackled as her palm rushed forward—then froze mid-swing.

Hanley looked up, then suddenly pulled her into his arms.

“Frieda, what are you doing? Can’t you see how obvious this setup is?”

“I’ll admit it—the Grayson Group only got off the ground thanks to the Steele family, but so what? I loved you. I still do.”

Frieda flinched, as if someone had struck her.

“I’m sorry, Gennifer. I—I let myself get carried away,” she whispered.

She’d always doted on Gennifer, giving her the best of everything, cherishing her sweet, spoiled nature.

Gennifer had always been obedient—never talked back, never made trouble.

Suddenly, another face flashed through Frieda’s mind—a cold, distant one.

Her hand curled against the floor, nails digging in.

Ruby… that wretched girl…

What had she just done?

She’d almost let Ruby’s lies tear apart the people she loved most.

The truth was, she’d ignored Ruby—tossed aside her perfect report cards, lavished praise on Gennifer for merely passing, even forced Ruby, barely out of the hospital, to donate blood for Gennifer…

Watching her, Gennifer hid a secret, triumphant smile.

Frieda’s breath came short, her eyes overflowing, regret pouring out of her in waves.

“Gennifer, the new S-brand handbags just launched. Let’s go shopping, honey—I’ll buy you anything you want. Please, forgive me, will you?”