Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 371

Cassian’s fingers curled tightly, his knuckles white as he stared at Ruby with a desperate, almost stubborn intensity.

Ruby caught the look in his eyes at once.

“You don’t believe me?” she asked, her smile widening, the corners of her eyes shimmering in the low light.

With a swallow, Ruby pushed open the front door and strode inside. Cassian hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed.

The door had barely clicked shut behind them when the sharp rip of fabric split the silence of the night.

Without a word, Ruby took a pair of scissors, sliced open her shirt, and tore it in two.

Her pale back was suddenly exposed, stark and vulnerable in the lamplight.

Cassian’s eyes went wide, disbelief flickering across his face as he took in the sight of her back.

“This…”

What was once flawless skin was now crisscrossed with scars—white lines and angry red welts that stood out under the glare.

A strange, suffocating ache twisted in Cassian’s chest, leaving him unable to find words.

He looked up, his pupils still trembling with shock.

Fragments of that night a year ago flashed through his mind—their voices, her cries, the feverish confusion that had overtaken them both. He’d always prided himself on being rational, but that night, he’d lost all control, consumed by obsession.

When morning came and he learned Ruby had stolen confidential files, his anger had flared white-hot. He’d convinced himself she’d used him, that her tears and pain were just another ploy. In that moment, he’d wanted nothing more than to see her destroyed.

Now, his hand trembled as he reached out, desperate to touch the scars on her back.

But Ruby, sensing his movement, shot him a cold glance and, as if nothing had happened, wrapped herself in a blanket.

She settled onto the sofa, gaze drifting to the darkness outside the window, as though she were lost in the nightmare from a year ago.

“You thought everyone would respect me because I was the CEO’s wife,” she said quietly. “But even you—Mr. Veyne—wouldn’t acknowledge me. So tell me, why would anyone else show mercy?”

Her laughter rang out, brittle and bright in the still air, carrying a note of despair.

“Ruby, let’s not get divorced. Please. Can we try again?”

His plea was soft, tinged with panic.

Ruby kept her back to him, silent.

Cassian’s heart hammered wildly as he stared at the scars on her back.

Finally, Ruby stood.

She turned to face him, her delicate features icy and remote, eyes as cold as a winter sky.

A sharp laugh burst from her lips—quick, dazzling, and gone in an instant, like fireworks against the night.

The smile faded, but her eyes remained curved as she looked at Cassian.

“Cassian, do you really think there’s any hope for us?”