Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 369

Cassian stood shrouded in the chill of the night, his expression shadowed and unreadable.

“I’ll handle it,” he said quietly, the words clipped and heavy. He signaled Bennett to drive the two of them home.

Night deepened. Ruby still hadn’t returned.

Cassian glanced at the inky black sky, then crouched down, his solitary silhouette stretching beneath the lamplight—lonelier than ever.

Suddenly, a pair of elegant C Collective leather pumps appeared in his line of sight.

He jerked his head up.

Ruby stood before him.

Her face was blank, her brows cool and sharp, eyes colder still.

Cassian felt something slam inside his chest. He opened his mouth, but whatever he meant to say caught in his throat.

“Was it you who brought them here this afternoon?”

Ruby broke the silence first.

She’d deliberately stayed away, busying herself till late just to avoid that crowd of lunatics. She hadn’t expected Cassian to remain behind at Southgarde.

He caught the note of accusation in her voice and stood, quickly explaining, “It was Hanley.”

Ruby’s brow twitched, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

Cassian had no reason to lie about this, but how had Hanley known where she lived? She pushed the stray suspicion aside.

“How long does Mr. Veyne plan to linger here?” Her voice was cold, touched with mockery.

“Are you taking on the Grayson Group?” Cassian changed the subject, throwing out the question.

Ruby lifted an eyebrow.

Their gazes met—his deep and unreadable, hers icy and unyielding.

It hit her then: she could actually face Cassian now without trembling.

“I’m just reclaiming what’s rightfully mine,” she said quietly, but her eyes flashed—sharp, warning.

She could remain calm speaking to Cassian, but if he tried to stand in her way, she wouldn’t back down, not even if Veyne & Co. itself blocked her path.

After all, Hanley had used the Steele family’s “support” to build the Grayson Group. He claimed it was compensation for Frieda from the Steeles, but that was a lie.

Back then, Frieda had been determined to run away with Hanley. Though her grandmother had disapproved, she’d still softened, quietly bailing out the Grayson Group again and again through every loss.

Without her grandmother and the Steele family, there wouldn’t be a Hanley—or a Grayson Group.

Ruby scoffed inwardly. Everything she did was justified.

Everything Hanley had schemed and stolen would be taken back, piece by piece.

“Do you really have to be so stubborn? If what happened today gets out online, all your efforts to set the record straight will be for nothing,” Cassian pressed, brow furrowed in concern.

Ruby only smiled, unfazed. “It’s not as if I’m new to scandal.”

She strode forward, grabbing him by the collar.

He’d dared call Mira a stranger?

How dare he?

Cassian froze, thrown by her outburst, and tried to reach for her—only for Ruby’s palm to crack across his cheek.

The slap rang out in the silent night.

Cassian stood rigid, his skin stinging.

Ruby’s glare was murderous; she looked like she wanted to carve a hole straight through him.

“Cassian, Mira is your daughter.”

No reason to hide it anymore—the divorce had made that clear.

“What?!”

Cassian’s eyes went wide, shock splintering across his face.

Seeing his stunned expression, Ruby felt the fury drain from her, replaced by a sharp, liberating satisfaction.

“That one time you forced yourself on me,” she said, voice echoing in the dark, “I got pregnant. Just my luck.”

Cassian’s whole body shuddered.