Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 140

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Ruby's laughter rang out, bright and silvery, a chain of delicate notes that somehow rose above the din of the auction hall. Though the room was noisy, her voice carried, clear and lovely.

Catching sight of Cassian's stormy expression, Gennifer immediately grasped what was happening. Her heart leapt.

Trust Ruby, she thought with smug satisfaction. Only someone that reckless would dare to appear so openly with another man right under Cassian's nose.

Gennifer's eyes lit up. She curled her lips into a triumphant little smile.

Feigning reluctance, she turned to Cassian and put on an innocent face. "Cassian, isn't that your ex-wife over there?" She clapped a hand to her mouth, feigning surprise. "And who's the man with her? I don't think I've ever seen him before."

Cassian, already in a foul mood, was pushed further by her words. He shot Gennifer a frosty glare, making her shiver involuntarily and snap her mouth shut.

Still, her fingers clenched tightly around the hem of her dress. How was this fair? Ruby was the one flirting around before the divorce was even finalized, yet somehow Cassian's anger always seemed to land on her instead.

Gennifer bit her lip, eyes smarting with sudden tears.

But this time, Cassian didn't turn to her with gentle concern. His gaze was fixed, unwavering, on Ruby—almost as if no one else in the room existed.

Gennifer waited and waited, but nothing changed. She shot Ruby a venomous glare.

The short intermission ended abruptly with a bang of the gavel; the hall fell silent once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our next item is a century-old heirloom—a pearl necklace with a remarkable history."

As the auctioneer spoke, an attendant pulled away the red velvet cloth on the display table, revealing a string of pearls, their age evident, yet their luster undimmed by time. Still, the simple jewelry seemed oddly out of place amid the extravagant setting.

A murmur of disappointment rippled through the crowd.

"Seriously? That plain necklace is worth our time at an auction of this caliber?"

"Yeah—are we just here for entertainment?"

"What were the organizers thinking?"

Sarcastic, dismissive comments drifted through the room, each one dripping with scorn for the humble necklace.

Unlike the others, Ruby—usually so nonchalant—stared wide-eyed at the pearls, a look of utter disbelief on her face. Her clear eyes filled with tears.

The sudden tension in her posture caught Sylas's attention, and he glanced at the necklace again. To him, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary string of pearls.

Confused, he leaned closer and murmured, "Do you like it?"

The words had barely left his lips when, for the first time, Ruby reached for his hand. Her grip was desperate, her skin soft and trembling in his palm.

Sylas froze, his heart pounding as he looked up and met her tear-filled eyes.