Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 521

What is…

Hanley felt a rush of panic that outpaced even his own shock.

People from the Steele family! How could they have arrived in Quinborough so quickly—and without him hearing a thing?

He shifted uneasily, clearly unsettled, but as the group approached, Hanley had no choice but to stand his ground.

Lowering his head, he glanced at Frieda, catching sight of her trembling lashes and lips from above.

Since he’d come home last night, Frieda had barely left his side, clinging to him even as they waited by the door for Ruby to arrive. Now, however, she unconsciously stepped toward the visitors, drawn in despite herself.

The group stopped when they stood no more than five paces from Frieda.

Frieda’s gaze locked onto the faces of the two elderly visitors she hadn’t seen in so many years. The deep lines etched into their cheeks made her nose prickle with emotion, her eyes stinging red.

“Aunt… Uncle…”

Her voice was hoarse, choked with tears, but the room was quiet enough for everyone to hear.

Ruby’s usually composed face registered wide-eyed shock; the calm she always wore was all but gone. Her eyes darted between Frieda, the two older guests, and Pearl.

Aunt? Uncle?

If these were Frieda’s aunt and uncle, didn’t that make them, in some sense, her own grandparents too?

She looked up at Sylas, her disbelief plain.

Originally, Sylas had assumed Hanley wouldn’t let him into the house, but when Hanley only restricted Fanny and Hayley, Sylas slipped in with the rest.

He caught Ruby’s stunned expression, lips quirking in a small smile as he leaned toward her and whispered, “Surprised?”

Surprised wasn’t the word for what Ruby felt—she was completely floored. She frowned, watching Frieda’s reaction, replaying her words in her mind.

Could she really have gotten it right?

But… her own grandmother had passed away years ago. Why were her grandmother’s sister and brother-in-law—members of the Steele family—here in Quinborough now?

She dared another glance at the group.

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