Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 486

“If your mother and grandfather find out, what then? You can’t even set foot outside the city, so what makes you think you’ll ever marry her?”

Sallie bit down on her lip, her carefully crafted facade slipping away until there was nothing left but a pale, unsightly grimace.

The moment those words left her mouth, Sylas’s brow knit together, irritation written plainly across his face.

He had rushed home to the Cunningham estate just days ago and, after barely catching his breath, had thrown himself headlong into company business—sealing several major deals in just a few days’ time. He was determined to prove his worth, hoping his grandfather would see how serious he was.

But when he’d gone to see his grandfather that morning, all he’d earned was a dismissive glance and a curt, “We’ll see what your mother thinks.” Out of options, Sylas had come to the office, hoping to talk to his mother.

He hadn’t expected that Grace, his mother, would avoid him entirely—as if she’d known he’d come and made a point to stay away.

Frustration burned in his chest.

In just these few days, he’d come to understand what people meant when they said, “A day apart feels like a year.”

Sallie’s eyes glinted with a flash of smug satisfaction as she watched Sylas fall silent.

How could someone so entangled in romance ever be fit to inherit the company?

“Professional attire is required in the office,” she remarked, giving him a pointed once-over before offering a delicate, almost polite smile. Yet beneath the surface, her words held an unmistakable edge.

Sylas barely spared her a glance, ignoring her as if she were invisible.

“Sallie, company rules are set in stone. And I’m the one who sets them.”

Did they really think they could stop him so easily?

His cool, clear voice drifted across the room, pleasant yet edged with a chill that seemed to cut through the air.

“Fine.”

Sallie stood where she was, ignored and dismissed.

Even after Sylas left, the curve of her lips never changed, though her eyes grew cold.

He was mocking her.

All her life, Sylas had always overshadowed her. She was ambitious—ruthlessly so—but had nowhere to prove herself.

Her perfectly manicured nails dug into her palm as she forced herself to maintain her usual grace and composure.

After a long moment, her phone buzzed.

Sylas’s brow furrowed the moment he saw the file, a flicker of annoyance darkening his eyes.

“Grandfather wants to groom Sylas for leadership,” Grace explained with a smile, “and most of the Cunningham Group is already under his control.”

“Sylas, you’re running such a vast business empire at such a young age. I’m impressed,” Pearl offered, making polite conversation as she waited for him to review the document.

“Why is the Steele family offering us such favorable terms?” Sylas asked as he closed the file and pushed it back across the table.

He might have seemed casual in his manner, but a single glance was all it took for him to spot the oddities in the contract—enough to make Pearl reassess this golden boy of the city.

“That’s right, I’m making these concessions willingly. But I do have a few questions for Sylas,” Pearl said candidly, laying her intentions bare.

“For me?” Sylas couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.

If it hadn’t been the Steele family visiting today, he might not have even attended. But since this was Ruby’s mother’s side of the family, he was willing to be more patient, more curious. Still, he hadn’t expected their representative to single him out on their very first meeting.

“Yes. We’re heading to Quinborough soon, and I heard Mr. Cunningham just returned,” Pearl said with a spring-like smile.

Sylas sensed something was off, but kept his composure. “You want to know why?”

“The Grayson family,” Pearl replied.