Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 386

Who was that man, really? Gennifer said he was Cassian’s nephew, but Cassian had never radiated that kind of lethal aura.

A cold shiver ran down Gennifer’s spine. She tried to make sense of it, but came up empty. As she turned her head, she caught sight of Hanley’s ashen face.

“Dad?”

Hanley said nothing. He grabbed her arm and strode away, ushering her out.

When the three of them reached the parking lot, Hanley stopped Frieda just as she reached for the car door.

Frieda looked back at him, feigning confusion, but caught a flicker of eagerness in his eyes. “Frieda, maybe we should head back to the office first? I’ll have my assistant prepare the share transfer agreement.”

Frieda paused, slightly surprised. “Is that really necessary? I can just make a public statement that I’m transferring my shares to you. That’ll give you fifty-three percent—no matter what Ruby tries, it won’t make a difference.”

Hanley put on a troubled expression. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple. The shares have to be formally registered. Come back to the office with me and we’ll sign the paperwork, just to be safe.”

Gennifer picked up on Hanley’s cue. With a bright smile, she threw her arms around Frieda. “Mom, what are you waiting for? Ruby’s pushing hard—if you wait too long and she manages to get more shares than Dad, it’ll be a disaster.”

Frieda hesitated, her jaw clenched, but finally she nodded. “Alright.”

Hanley’s face lit up. He immediately moved to open the car door for her himself.

Frieda watched Hanley’s rare show of enthusiasm, a strange mix of emotions bubbling up in her chest.

Once settled in the back seat, she still felt uneasy. She rolled down the window and looked at Hanley. “After the shares are registered, we’ll sign another agreement to transfer them back. I promised my mother I’d do that.”

She added the last part with a hint of uncertainty.

Hanley nodded eagerly. “Of course, you don’t need to worry. Once The Grayson Group gets through this crisis, everything will be returned to you.”

He climbed into the car, repeating his assurances.

Frieda’s hand drifted subconsciously to her chest.

She couldn’t explain it, but her heart was pounding, a vague sense of dread creeping in.

She tried to push the unease away.

Hanley was the man she’d chosen, all those years ago, to spend her life with. How could she not help him in a time like this? If marriage meant anything, it had to be about trust.

She repeated this to herself over and over, trying to believe it.

The words sounded innocent, almost childish, but coming from him, they felt like a solemn promise.

Something soft tugged at Ruby’s heart, but she shut it out. She was cold inside—frozen, really.

“You should take Mira instead.”

She tossed the words over her shoulder and perched on the edge of her desk.

Sylas noticed her sudden shift in mood. His teasing expression vanished, and he quickly hid whatever tenderness remained.

“Ruby, you and my uncle are divorced. Why won’t you give me a chance?”

He pulled up a chair and sat across from her, frustration in his tone.

Ruby’s fingers paused on her pen, but she quickly resumed signing the stack of documents in front of her.

Without looking up, she replied, “Sylas, you’re still young. I don’t know why you’re so fixated on me, but I promise—there’s a bigger world out there for you.”

Sylas’s eyes darkened, his stubbornness plain to see.