A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 190

She turned off the faucet, blotting the dampness from her sleeve with a paper towel as she made her way to the door. When she opened it, she found Frank standing outside, his expression warm and gentle. In his hands was a change of clothes.

Elissa blinked in surprise. "How did you know…?"

Frank smiled and playfully pinched her cheek. "Your husband isn't blind, you know. I saw you got something on your clothes. Go ahead and change."

He handed her the clothes, his words carrying a teasing undertone—something he'd never used with her before. He had never called himself her husband, either.

Feeling a bit awkward, Elissa closed the door behind her, wondering what had gotten into him.

She changed quickly, and as she stepped out, about to walk back to the dining room, she overheard voices coming from behind the ornate divider: Frank and Carmela were arguing about something.

Carmela's tone was always gentle with Frank. "My biggest regret is ever agreeing to your marriage to her. A woman of her background is entirely beneath you. If you divorced her, you could find someone truly suitable, don't you see that?"

"Mom, she had no say in how she was born," Frank replied, his voice cold. "And I've already told you—if it isn't her, I'll marry no one."

From where Elissa stood, hidden by the antique screen, she was invisible to them.

Carmela frowned deeply. "You used to shield Marcia with everything you had. I never saw you take Elissa's side like this. So what's changed? Now you can't live without her?"

The comment nearly made Elissa laugh. It was true—Frank's devotion to Marcia had been obvious to everyone. Marcia had always seemed more important to him than his own wife.

Frank was silent for a moment before answering, his voice low and steady. "That's right. I can't live without her. And Marcia won't be part of the Atwater family anymore."

Carmela, furious, hurled her glass of red wine hard against the wall. "You've lost your mind!"

Behind the screen, Elissa stood frozen. She'd heard Frank's words—every one of them—yet they seemed to have come too late.

She'd never been one to look back.

After dinner, Hickey tugged at Frank's sleeve, begging him to come play ball in the backyard. The two left together, and Carmela immediately turned to Elissa. "Upstairs. Now."

Elissa lowered her eyes and followed, silent, up the steps.

Once inside the study, the door barely closed, Carmela got straight to the point. "You and Frank need to hold off on announcing the divorce."