A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 129

Elissa paused, caught off guard by what she’d just heard.

Raising a little girl…

It sounded oddly familiar–almost like her and Rowan, though she still had no idea why Rowan had treated her that way back then.

But it was Mrs. Garrett’s earlier comment that truly surprised her.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on what felt off about it.

Shouldn’t a boy’s parents just be Mrs. Garrett’s son and daughter–in–law?

Janice seemed to notice her confusion. “My son, well, he’s not officially my son on paper. So, technically, I’m not my grandson’s legal grandmother, either.”

“You…”

Elissa had a vague sense of what Janice meant, but she didn’t press. Instead, she

tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.

Janice smiled, a little wistfully. “You were cheated on after your wedding. As for me, it happened before I even got married.”

“He was powerful and well–connected back then. The day my son was born, I didn’t even get to hold him once before they took him away and registered him under his father’s wife–the one he married properly, in the church.”

Elissa took a moment to piece together the implications.

In short, decades ago, Mrs. Garrett had gone through the heartbreak of being “the

other woman.”

Back then, that kind of thing was deeply shameful.

And this grandson’s grandfather had probably been even more of a scoundrel than Frank.

When Elissa fell silent, Janice rushed to reassure her. “Don’t worry, my grandson didn’t inherit any of those bad genes. He’s just a little reserved, but he’s a good person in every other way.”

Elissa couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re still thinking of setting me up with your

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grandson?”

“Absolutely!”

Janice beamed at her. “After your clinic hours in a couple of days, do you have time in the afternoon? I could arrange for you to meet him.”

“Grandma…”

“Just one meeting. That’s all.”

Janice was easygoing about it. “If you’re not interested after that, I promise I’ll never bring it up again, alright?”

Mrs. Garrett really was a lovely woman.

Elissa mulled it over, then nodded. “Alright. But we agree—it’s just one meeting, and after that, we drop the subject.”

“Deal!” Janice’s face lit up in delight.

Her own taciturn grandson might not say much, but with those looks, he could sweep any young woman off her feet.

She had a feeling Dr. Elissa would like him, too.

The afternoon flew by in a flurry of activity. After dinner, the leftover pie nearly filled

Elissa’s freezer to bursting.

Maybe worried Elissa would get bored of eating the same thing, Janice had even baked three different flavors so she could mix things up.

Elissa felt a bit embarrassed. “Mrs. Garrett, I can’t possibly eat all this. Why don’t you

take some home?”

“No, no, keep it! I can always whip up more.”

Janice waved her off, slipped on her shoes, and headed out the door, calling back, “If you ever get a craving for anything, just message me on WhatsApp. I’ll make it and bring it right over!”

For a split second, Elissa had the ridiculous thought–With a grandmother this wonderful, as long as the grandson isn’t mute, maybe he’d be worth a try?

The moment the idea crossed her mind, she shook herself and gave her head a little slap.

Not a chance.

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It was nowhere near that point…

On the day she went to the clinic, she still wasn’t fully recovered. Her fever had broken, but she was still coughing.

She pulled her mask up tight and got started with her appointments.

Janice was her first patient. After picking up her prescription, she hurried to say, “Dr. Elissa, I’m heading home now to get things ready. Once you’re done here, come straight over–I’ll be waiting to serve dinner!”

She’d already sent Elissa her address before leaving Vistapeak Gardens the other day.

Elissa smiled. “Alright, I’ll be there.”

A sleek black Bentley rolled to a stop outside the garden villa.

Inside, lan glanced at his boss in the back seat and urged, “Sir, if it’s meant to be, there’s no dodging it. Even the toughest bachelor can’t escape a matchmaking

dinner.”

Chapter 130