Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 498

The Steele family hadn’t seen Frieda or her children in years, so whatever compensation they offered was bound to be generous. But getting something out of the Steeles… that was never as easy as wrangling it from Frieda or Ruby.

Violet’s eyes glinted with calculation as she spoke, idly tapping her manicured nails on the table—she was every bit the classic femme fatale.

Hanley was starting to understand, but still looked puzzled. “But how does this help Gennifer?”

“Simple. Gennifer needs to apologize to Ruby in person. She’ll say she only contacted the press because she saw someone trying to hurt Ruby and was desperate to help. Then, let her admit she regrets ever forcing Ruby out, and wants her to come back to the Grayson family.”

Hanley met Violet’s gaze and, in that instant, saw just how much scheming lay behind her words.

…

Apex Legal Partners.

For the first time in ages, Ruby finally returned to work at her small firm—though now she had a shadow following her everywhere.

“Asher, take the office next door. I’ve already had your study materials sent over. You can just do your reading in there.”

She gave Asher an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

The boy was still shy, his gaze darting away whenever he spoke to Ruby, but her thoughtful arrangements clearly moved him.

“Sis… what about my mom and dad?”

Ruby was about to leave when Asher gently tugged her sleeve.

She turned and met his anxious, hopeful eyes; her heart clenched.

“It’ll just be a few more days. Once you step forward, we’ll do everything we can to find your parents.”

Her tone was earnest and steady.

That night, after finally settling the mess with Morgan and Gennifer, Ruby had been able to relax and chat with Asher. That’s when she learned the truth: Domingo and his wife had been abducted by a group of strangers right from their home. Afterward, Asher tried calling them countless times, but they’d vanished—no calls, no messages, nothing.

They’d disappeared, only for Domingo to resurface at Violet’s funeral to testify for Hanley.

But through it all, only Domingo ever showed his face—his wife remained missing.

The more Ruby thought about it, the heavier her heart grew.

Hanley’s actions now crossed the line—this was criminal.

At the very least, it was intimidation and blackmail; at worst, it bordered on unlawful detention.

Ruby couldn’t believe Hanley would be so brazen, even with the law closing in.

“Thank you. I promise I’ll do my best.”

Asher nodded firmly, wasting no time as he slipped into the office Ruby had set up for him.

Watching his thin, retreating figure, Ruby couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

She’d never expected Hanley to sink to such despicable lengths.

“Ruby! You have to come see this—your ‘sister’ is downstairs, here to beg for forgiveness!”

A loud, brash voice echoed from the hallway as Hayley, stomping around in black platform boots, practically bounded up to Ruby.

Ruby frowned, not quite grasping what Hayley meant.

“Gennifer! She’s right outside!”

Grace massaged her temples, then urged the housekeeper beside her, “Go call him.”

Barely a moment later, Sylas Cunningham swaggered in, dragging an enormous suitcase—bigger than the last two combined.

Grace glared at her son, her nostrils flaring with exasperation. Was he trying to provoke her?

Sylas slid his sunglasses up onto his forehead and winked at Grace. “Mom, I’ve got some business to handle. Don’t worry about me while I’m gone.”

He said it with just enough bravado to earn a dramatic eye roll from his mother.

Mrs. Steele turned to Sylas, giving him a second, more thoughtful look. “Love life, huh?”

Sylas didn’t bother hiding it. He scratched his head, grinned, and then leaned in with a conspiratorial air. “The girl of my dreams.”

Pearl raised an eyebrow at the pure delight on Sylas’s face but said nothing about his private affairs.

“The tickets are ready. Let’s go.”

Pearl’s assistant slipped the plane tickets into Sylas’s hand.

Just seeing the city’s name was enough to make his heart race.

Sylas let a smile tug at the corner of his lips and squeezed the ticket in his palm as he climbed into Pearl’s stretch Lincoln.

The moment he opened the car door and stepped inside, he froze.