A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 111

“You’re Rowan’s girlfriend. If you want to know something, just ask him directly–there’s no need to go through me, his so–called ‘sister.”

Elissa’s tone remained calm throughout.

She just wanted to be clear, to keep Lorraine from wasting any more time trying to curry favor with her.

But to her surprise, Lorraine’s eyes lit up as she leaned in, flashing a conspiratorial smile. “I’m his girlfriend, am I? Did Mr. Murphy tell you that himself?”

Elissa hesitated for a moment.

It dawned on her that maybe she’d misunderstood the relationship between Lorraine and Rowan. “No, I just assumed.”

Lorraine grinned and winked. “Well, it sounds like you’re pretty happy with the idea of me being your future sister–in–law.”

Elissa suddenly realized the dangers of saying too much.

Whether she was happy about it or not was irrelevant–her opinion didn’t matter, just as Rowan had bluntly told her eight years ago: she wasn’t really his sister.

After dinner, not only had she failed to clear things up, but Lorraine seemed even more enthusiastic about her. “Elissa, did you drive here? If you didn’t, I can give you a ride home.”

Elissa shook her head. “No need, the clinic is right across the street. I just have to cross over, it’s only a few steps.”

“Alright, then let’s meet up again soon, okay?”

“Sure.”

Elissa returned to the clinic to pick up her car, then headed to a jewelry studio owned by an old friend from college.

She asked her friend to make a replica–an exact copy–of a jade pendant.

But there’s no such thing as two identical pieces of jade in this world. All they could do was make it as close as possible.

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“That’s easy enough,” Hayley replied cheerfully. “I’ll just need a few days to find a similar piece of jade. Want to come pick it up in a week, or should I deliver it?”

As soon as she heard it was possible, Elissa relaxed and smiled. “I’ll swing by and pick it up.”

After that, she dropped by the lab for a while.

Later that evening, she got an unexpected call from Frank.

“Elissa?”

His voice was warm and gentle on the other end. “You’re still staying at the apartment in Vistapeak Gardens, right? I’ll come pick you up later.”

Elissa was momentarily caught off guard. “Pick me up?”

“The charity auction tonight–did you forget?” Frank chuckled. “I promised you I’d bid on a few things you like as an apology.”

She had, in fact, completely forgotten.

Thinking back, she vaguely remembered something about it. But at the time, her mind had been on the jade pendant–she hadn’t really registered what he’d said, nor had she agreed.

Her focus was still on her project; she didn’t even pause in her work. “That’s not necessary. I don’t really have time tonight.”

“Are you still upset with me?”

Elissa frowned slightly, her voice cool but not unkind. “I’m just not interested in auctions. I really am busy.”

But to Frank, her tone sounded more like she was still angry.

He remembered the cold look in her eyes when she’d left a few days ago and was suddenly desperate for reassurance. “No matter how busy you are, you’ll finish work at some point, right? If you can’t make it to the auction, I’ll wait for you at Murphy Group. Or we can just have dinner after you’re done.”

He couldn’t stand the distance she kept putting between them.

He needed to know she was still his wife, still the gentle, accommodating woman she used to be.

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Dinner, just the two of them. The auction.

Elissa wavered, then made her decision. “Alright, which hotel is hosting the auction? I’ll head home after work, change, and come straight there.”

“Let me pick you up from Vistapeak Gardens,” Frank insisted, relieved that she was at least willing to attend a public event with him.

To him, it meant she was still willing to acknowledge herself as Mrs. Atwater.

It meant she hadn’t completely given up on their marriage.

Elissa didn’t argue. “Okay, that’s fine.”

As long as it wasn’t dinner alone, she could deal with anything.

After hanging up, Elissa wrapped up her work, checked the time, and then drove

home.

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Chapter 112