Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 390

She…

Suddenly, she wasn’t so distant and formal with him anymore.

A secret thrill stirred in Sylas’s chest, though he didn’t realize how much delight sparkled in his eyes.

Ruby didn’t notice his odd reaction, simply heading over to her seat.

That snapped Sylas out of his daze. He hurried forward and pulled out her chair like a proper gentleman.

“Good evening, miss, sir. Since you don’t have a reservation, there’ll be a bit of a wait for your main courses. May I bring you some dessert in the meantime?”

“I’ll have the raspberry black forest cake,” Sylas replied, not even glancing at the menu.

The server paused, caught off guard. “I’m sorry, sir, we don’t serve that dessert here.”

Sylas tossed his black credit card onto the table as if it were nothing. “If the chef can’t make it, feel free to let him go.”

Ruby watched this exchange, a giant question mark flashing in her mind.

What on earth was he doing?

The server, visibly intimidated, carefully straightened the card in front of Sylas. “I’ll check with the kitchen right away, sir.”

Well, some people just ask for it and others are happy to play along.

Ruby rubbed her temples in exasperation. When she looked up, she caught Sylas staring at her with wide, hopeful puppy-dog eyes. He didn’t say a word, but the smug, expectant look all but shouted: Well? Wasn’t that cool?

Ruby simply smiled. “Don’t go throwing your money around to make life hard for others.”

Sylas’s shoulders slumped instantly, like a plant withering in the cold.

He grumbled under his breath, “The chef’s bio says he used to work at The Capital’s Grand Fountain Opera Hall. Their signature dessert was raspberry black forest cake—your favorite…”

“What are you muttering about?” Ruby gave him a sidelong glance.

“Nothing,” he replied stubbornly, turning away.

Ruby let it drop, turning her gaze to the window.

Propping her chin in her hand, her eyes wandered, lost in thought. No one noticed her other hand clenched tightly in her lap.

Raspberry black forest cake… After all these years, he still remembered.

The restaurant was tranquil and refined, a soft evening breeze drifting in through the open windows. In her white dress, Ruby looked ethereal—like an angel about to take flight.

Sylas found himself staring, covering his mouth to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks.

The air between the two was harmonious, but at the next table, tension was thick enough to cut.

“I’m going to freshen up,” she said softly, picking up her bag.

Hanley, distracted by the unexpected encounter with Ruby, just waved her off.

Violet found the women’s restroom, where Ruby was standing at the sink, rifling through something in her hands.

The oddness of the scene made Violet stop short.

“Weren’t you coming to find me?” Ruby suddenly looked up.

Her eyes were icy cold, like a February frost—one glance, and Violet felt a chill run up her spine.

“Did you do this on purpose?” The uneasy feeling in Violet’s chest swelled as she clutched her purse tighter.

Ruby tossed a folder into Violet’s hands, not bothering to answer. “Take a look.”

Violet shot her a suspicious look, then, following Ruby’s cue, glanced down at the folder.

The instant she flipped through it, her expression changed dramatically.

“You were spying on me? Since when?!”

She frantically thumbed through the pages all the way to the end, then slammed the folder shut, panic and terror written all over her face—as if she’d just glimpsed a monster lurking in the shadows.