Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 430

Suddenly, Ruby spoke up.

She couldn’t shake the image of those people demanding answers just moments ago. In the end, she decided to step forward and admit the truth openly.

The moment she spoke, the reporters—who had looked so dejected just before—seemed to come back to life, their excitement instantly rekindled.

“So, Miss Ruby, are you admitting what the Graysons just said? Was all of this really a scheme to get back at the Grayson family?” one of them blurted out, voice trembling with anticipation. Then, as if suddenly recalling something Bennett had mentioned earlier, the reporter shot a nervous glance at Cassian.

Only when Cassian showed no particular reaction did the reporter breathe a sigh of relief and turn his attention back to Ruby.

“No.”

Ruby shook her head. “I grew up living with my grandmother. It’s true the Grayson family treated Gennifer and me differently, but I would hardly go to such lengths for revenge after all these years. Besides, look at me now—I’m at the center of a media storm. Why would I put myself through all this just to settle some childhood grievance?”

“And another thing. Since I arrived at this funeral, I’ve been repeating the same message—Violet isn’t dead.”

She hadn’t finished when another journalist, emboldened by the moment, cut in, almost tripping over his words. “But Hanley found witnesses and physical evidence! Maybe people can be bribed, but security footage? There’s over a decade’s worth, and there’s no way you could doctor it all so precisely in such a short time!”

Ruby just shrugged, calm and unbothered. “That’s exactly what puzzles me. But don’t worry—I’ll give everyone a reasonable explanation in a few days.”

At that, the crowd quieted.

For the reporters, the truth itself didn’t matter nearly as much as the next big headline. It was the spectacle that counted.

Now that Ruby had spoken so directly—and with the intimidating presence surrounding her—none of them dared to press further. “Then we’ll wait for Miss Ruby to give us that explanation,” one of them said, echoing the group’s unspoken agreement.

“The public portion of the service is now over. We’ll need to ask the press to leave,” Cassian announced, his voice low and resonant as his gaze swept over the crowd.

With Cassian stepping forward, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. The chaotic noise of moments before evaporated, replaced by a chill that made every journalist lower their head almost instinctively.

Understanding the message loud and clear, they glanced once more in Hanley’s direction, then quietly began to file out.

In an instant, the lawn that had been packed with people just moments ago was nearly empty, save for a few guests from the city’s old families.

They disappeared so quickly that Ruby found it almost hard to believe; after the chaos just now, everything had settled with startling ease.

She pressed her lips together, a little dazed.

If it hadn’t been for Cassian—who else in all of Quinborough could have sent that swarm of reporters packing so efficiently?

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