Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 365

She stood up and wrapped her arms around Gennifer. Hanley stepped forward, embracing them both from behind.

In truth, she just nodded subtly at Gennifer, and the two of them exchanged a look of barely concealed glee.

Look at her—so gullible, so easy to fool.

“Frieda, you’ve just been overworking yourself lately, that’s why you’re having all these wild thoughts. For the next few days, don’t leave the house. Just get some proper rest here at the villa.”

“As for Ruby, I’ll take care of her.”

His eyes were cold and sharp.

Frieda paused, her gaze dropping, sadness flickering across her face. After all, Ruby was still her daughter.

She shook her head.

Forget it—an ungrateful child, a wolf you can never tame.

“Go on. Don’t worry about me. You’ve spent years building your life overseas. If you’re ever short on money or need people, just take my signet and get whatever help you need from the company. Handle the accounts as you see fit.”

Back in the day, the Steele family was wealthy and powerful.

Even though Hanley had nearly bled them dry, there was still a fair bit left.

Hearing this, Hanley squeezed her even tighter.

“Frieda, I always knew you were a good one.”

***

Meanwhile, far away in her hotel room, Violet was trembling all over. On the phone clutched in her hands, a new message flashed up from an unknown sender.

“I know you’re in Veytura. You have two hours to come clean online about everything you did back then. You’ve been the other woman for years—don’t you feel guilty for what you’ve done to Frieda?”

Violet already had a sense of the chaos erupting at the Grayson Group, but who on earth had sent this message?

Ruby?

After thinking it through, that was the only explanation that made sense.

But how could Ruby possibly know she was in Veytura—and have her phone number?

The more Violet thought about it, the colder she felt.

Her perfectly manicured nails threaded through her hair as she anxiously paced around, then she hurriedly called Hanley.

“Hanley, what’s going on over there?”

When Hanley picked up, his voice was still a little stiff. As soon as he heard Violet’s gentle tone, though, he softened, his words turning reassuring. “It’s nothing. Everything’s settled. Frieda’s an idiot—she won’t do anything to you. Just stay safe at the hotel.”

But Violet couldn’t relax. She quickly explained about the threatening text she’d just received.

“Ruby?”

Hanley’s brow furrowed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll look into it.”

Violet finally let out a breath, her voice soft and sweet. “Without you, Hanley, I really don’t know what I’d do.”

Her voice was like a songbird’s, clear and melodious, and Hanley felt his heart stir.

He murmured a few more comforting words, reluctant to hang up, but eventually ended the call.

The moment the line went dead, all warmth vanished from his face.

“Ruby actually dared to threaten your mother!”

In his study, Hanley slammed his hand down on the desk, shaking with rage.

Fanny met her gaze, instantly understanding.

She nodded solemnly. “I’m on it.”

By the time they left the café, dusk was falling.

***

Gennifer, with fresh bruises on her neck, went to find Cassian.

She looked pale and unsteady, threatening to faint at any moment.

“Cassian, I can’t go on like this. My sister’s accusing me of things I never did. Now everyone says I’m some shameful bastard child…”

She sobbed, so pitiful it was hard not to feel sorry for her.

Cassian’s brow was furrowed in a permanent line, dark circles beneath his eyes.

He’d been up all night—he’d already found out Ruby had nothing to do with the company leak, but the trail had gone cold.

Cassian looked at the weeping Gennifer and, inexplicably, felt irritated.

He hadn’t expected Gennifer to be the Grayson family’s illegitimate daughter, but it didn’t matter to him. There wasn’t much else to say.

He rubbed his temples, trying to focus. “What do you want from me?”

Gennifer twisted her hands together, torn, as if she were caught between two worlds. “Cassian, my father said he’s got something on my sister. If she keeps going against him, it’ll end in mutual destruction. I really don’t want to see that happen…”

At the mention of Ruby, Cassian’s expression turned serious. “Where’s Hanley right now?”

A cold, dangerous light flickered in his eyes.

“Come with me.”