A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 106

Chapter 106

He was always busy.

So busy, in fact, that he’d forgotten he even had a wife.

Elissa took a breath, then turned back to look at him. “How did you know?”

“I guessed.”

Frank wasn’t surprised at all when she didn’t even bother to contradict him. Still, it felt like someone had stuffed a sponge into his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Elissa let out a quiet laugh. “I thought you’d never notice.”

He stared at her, the tightness in his chest making his brow furrow. “Am I really that inattentive?”

“You’re very attentive,” she said, her lips curving into a sharper smile, “but only when Marcia’s watching.”

He wasn’t much of a husband.

But he was a model lover.

She meant every word, yet to Frank, the remark stung with irony.

He exhaled, trying to force the heaviness from his lungs. “I’ll get her to move out. Soon.”

“When that happens, I’ll come home,” she replied.

“We’ll see.”

Elissa gave a wry little smile but didn’t press further.

Still, those three light words made Frank’s unease worsen, a creeping panic rising up. He reached out and seized her wrist. “What do you mean? You’re not coming back?”

She wanted to nod, wanted to say yes. But the divorce decree she hadn’t yet received held her back. “No, you’re overthinking it.”

“That’s enough,” she said briskly, glancing at her watch. “Tanya only gave me twenty minutes. I need to go.”

She pulled her hand free, drew her cashmere coat around her, and strode away without looking back.

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Chapter 106

Frank slipped behind the wheel, his mind replaying the calm, almost indifferent look in

her eyes.

She never used to be like this…

A strange, unfamiliar anxiety crashed over him.

But whatever Elissa was thinking, she was still his wife–legally, at least.

The thought brought him a small measure of comfort.

As long as he didn’t sign those papers, she’d always be Mrs. Atwater.

The restaurant was right across from the Murphy Group building. Elissa swung by the underground garage to pick up her car, then headed home.

She was still scanning her fingerprint at the door when she heard a commotion

inside.

The moment she opened it, a loud bang exploded in her ears.

A flurry of colorful streamers fluttered down from above.

Elissa jumped, only to see Tanya Foster toss aside a confetti cannon and rush over with open arms. “Honey! Congratulations on being single again!”

Elissa glanced around at the living room, decked out in vibrant reds and golds, and couldn’t help but laugh.

It looked less like a divorce party and more like someone was about to get married.

“Did you spend all day on this?”

“Not just me.” Tanya grinned, nodding toward the kitchen. “Cliff helped out too. He’s been here since this afternoon.”

The three of them had all graduated from Vistapeak University. When Tanya first joined the law firm, Elissa had introduced her to Cliff.

As Tanya liked to say, everyone was a potential client. And Cliff, coming from a well–off family, was definitely a VIP.

After a few get–togethers, they’d become good friends.

“No wonder he wasn’t in the lab today,” Elissa mused.

“Of course not,” Tanya said, her tone teasing. “Cliff knows how to prioritize.”

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Chapter 106

Elissa shot her a look. “Don’t start playing matchmaker.”

She’d married into the Atwater family, Tanya into the Riley family–both of them had married up.

As for her and Cliff, their relationship over the years had always been just right: not too close, not too distant.

It was a balance Elissa appreciated.

“Elissa.” Cliff emerged from the kitchen, apron on, carrying a platter of food like the picture–perfect boy next door. “Tanya said you got the divorce finalized.

Congratulations.”

Chapter 107

Chapter 107