Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 503

“It’s been a long time.”

Ruby froze.

Sylas stood not far away, mouthing the words to her in silence: “It’s been a while.”

What was he doing here?

Strangely, her first reaction wasn’t shock, but a kind of dazed disbelief. The way he’d left that day—so clearly grieving, torn—had made her believe she’d never see him again.

“Ma’am, you can’t just say things like that.”

Someone in the crowd instinctively jumped to the defense of the Quinborough family.

Ruby’s lashes fluttered, finally forcing herself to look away from Sylas and focus on the people standing behind him.

There were two elderly folks and a middle-aged woman. The old couple’s hair had turned white, but they were bursting with energy. The woman wore an elegant dress made of fabric you could tell was expensive from across the room; pearls adorned her hair, arranged so carefully she looked every bit the refined lady—except for the tightness in her jaw that screamed she was the sort of person who didn’t take nonsense from anyone.

Ruby frowned in confusion.

Why was Sylas with these people?

“Am I wrong? When trouble strikes, you don’t call the police—you run to a reporter. What’s that say about Quinborough? Are journalists more useful than the police around here?”

The old woman’s eyes narrowed, her gaze almost mischievous.

The words sent a chill through the crowd.

Who was this woman, to speak so bluntly, with no regard for consequences?

“Ma’am, that’s not what I meant at all. Please, don’t twist my words.”

Gennifer felt an invisible weight settle on her chest, a creeping sense that something was seriously wrong here.

Only now did the old woman turn to her, giving her a once-over before snorting in disdain. “What, you think I’m senile? Can’t understand plain English?”

The old man smiled thinly, running a hand along his chin, his eyes sharp and cold—like a hawk circling high above. “Miss, you heard my wife’s explanation. Is there anything wrong with it? You seem awfully defensive, unless you know she’s right.”

Meeting his gaze, Gennifer felt her heart lurch, a cold sweat breaking out across her back.

When did these two even arrive?

She clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her polite facade. “I—I didn’t mean it like that. Maybe I just panicked, that’s all. I reacted badly in the moment.”

She bit her lip, trying to steady herself.

If this was just about dragging Morgan into things, she could live with burning that bridge. After all, the Grayson family’s next goal was to get in with the Steeles. Anyone with half a brain would choose the Steeles from the Capital over the Blackwoods of Quinborough.

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