Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 41

The girl's cheerful, radiant smile made it impossible to connect her with the timid, wide-eyed young woman Ruby had first met.

"Fine!"

Ruby almost laughed at the sheer audacity—though it wasn't out of amusement.

She wasn't some naïve fool.

No wonder Stephen Shaw had arranged for her to come here in person.

Her gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over the girl's face, silently cursing herself for showing even a hint of kindness at the start.

"If you touch my things one more time, I promise you'll regret it."

Ruby fixed the girl with a cold, unwavering stare, her presence suddenly fierce and commanding.

The girl froze, paralyzed by fear, unable to move or speak.

Wasn't she supposed to be just an ordinary single mom? Where had this terrifying intensity come from?

While the girl stood there stunned, Ruby calmly cradled Mira in one arm and packed away her belongings with the other.

She hadn't lived here long enough to accumulate much—most of it was Mira's anyway—so it didn't take her long to gather everything.

By nature, Ruby was gentle and patient.

But now, when it came to Mira, she was a lioness defending her cub.

The moment she'd seen the girl holding Mira with that unfriendly look, something hot and fierce had surged inside her, making her vision blur with rage.

Once she stepped out of the dorm room with Mira, she was surprised to find several women waiting outside—women who had always watched out for her, with Pamela standing front and center.

They'd clearly heard the commotion inside. As Ruby opened the door, each of them shot the girl inside a glare full of warning and disapproval.

The girl shrank back, quickly closing the door to shut out their eyes.

"Hey, sweetheart!"

Pamela waved Ruby over and pulled her in for a quick, motherly squeeze, pressing a large plastic bag into her hands. "We all heard about what happened… that you lost your job. There's not much we can do, but everyone chipped in and bought a few things for your little girl."

A lump rose in Ruby's throat. She tried to refuse, but Pamela shot her a stern look. "Don't even think about giving this back! It's for Mira, and besides, you know returns are a nightmare."

She tucked the bag securely into Ruby's luggage and patted it with satisfaction.

"Thank you… thank you all for looking out for us," Ruby managed, her eyes brimming with tears, bowing deeply to the group.

From being the wife of a tycoon, to a top attorney, to a janitor—this brutal descent would have been unbearable if not for these big-hearted women who had helped her through.

"Oh, hush! It's the least we could do," Pamela said loudly, speaking for the group.

"If you ever miss us, you know where to find us."

"Kids grow so fast—I'll be dying to see how pretty Mira gets as she grows up!"

The women laughed and teased, trying to lighten the mood and hide the sadness of the farewell.

Ruby left under their watchful eyes, and even bold, brash Pamela's eyes turned red.

"All right, all right, back to work, everyone!" Pamela wiped at her cheeks and waved the others away.

Ruby carried Mira on her hip, dragging her suitcase behind her, wandering aimlessly along the sidewalk.

She soon found a cheap apartment online and was about to pay half a month's rent, but her online banking wouldn't go through no matter how she tried.

Frustrated, Ruby decided to head to the nearest bank in person.

She figured she could withdraw cash and hand it directly to the landlord.

She held Mira close, suddenly feeling as if the flat, solid ground beneath her feet had turned into a rocky, treacherous path.

Just then, her phone buzzed. The landlord had replied: "Have you settled on a time to view the apartment?"

Ruby's grip tightened around her phone. She could only reply with a vague excuse, apologizing for canceling.

She slipped her phone back into her bag and stared blankly at the passing crowds, lost and adrift.

Without money, where could she and Mira possibly go?

Her gaze drifted, desperate, and she found herself stopping in front of a wall plastered with loan ads.

Ruby blinked, surprised to realize the wall belonged to a private law firm.

She stood at the door, her heart heavy.

Once, being a lawyer was her passion, her pride.

Now, it felt a lifetime away.

Ruby lowered her head, forcing herself to focus on the phone number on the loan ad.

Just as she was writing it down, a cool shadow suddenly fell over her, sheltering her from the brutal sun.

Someone was holding an umbrella above her.

Startled, Ruby breathed in the faint, crisp scent of pine and cypress.

"Rue, come with me."

"I have a house set aside for you—a villa, just for you and Mira. It's been ready for a long time. I can even hire an experienced nanny to help with the baby."

Ruby hadn't even noticed Morgan appear beside her. His gaze, deep and gentle, lingered on her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered.