A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 230

Six years ago, someone anonymously handed a complete chain of evidence to the police, exerting pressure behind the scenes. The case was cracked in record time—less than five days.

Slate’s parents were named as the murderers, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison.

Matriarch Paige Murphy’s sharp, icy gaze swept over him. “Then you don’t know who put them there, do you?”

Slate blinked, caught off guard. “Who?”

“Your dear cousin.”

Paige’s expression remained cold as steel, her voice just as frosty. “It was him—he gave the police the evidence and applied the pressure. Back then, he realized there was something suspicious about his parents’ deaths. So, while quietly building his own influence, he moved out of the family estate.”

But Rowan’s methods were ruthless and decisive, leaving the Murphy family no chance to prepare.

Within just three years, he’d expanded his territory at a breakneck pace. By the time Paige realized what was happening, Rowan’s forces had taken over most of Murphy Group.

Paige, who had controlled Murphy Group for nearly half her life, was finally forced to step down and hand over her power.

She could have refused, but the other companies under Rowan’s control would have quickly devoured the Murphy family’s shares, swallowing up the once-mighty Murphy Group.

It looked like she had a choice—but in truth, there was no way out at all.

Only after all this did Paige finally realize what kind of wolf they’d been raising within the Murphy family.

Slate stared, stunned, disbelief flickering in his eyes. “Rowan? It was him? But my father is his uncle—his own flesh and blood…”

When the police reopened the old case, Slate had considered all kinds of possibilities.

He’d thought the person who submitted the evidence might have been one of his father’s business rivals. The idea that it was Rowan had never crossed his mind.

He hadn’t even finished speaking when Paige cut in. “Your uncle—Rowan’s father—was illegitimate. He was born to another woman.”

Slate’s mind went blank.

She was just about to reach the door when a young nurse came bustling in from outside. Glancing back over her shoulder, the nurse shot Elissa an incredulous look. “Elissa, someone’s here to see you. You never told us your family was loaded—like, unbelievably loaded…”

Following the nurse’s gaze, Elissa spotted a gleaming, stretched Rolls-Royce parked right out front.

The very car Matriarch Murphy was known to use.

“They’re not my family,” Elissa replied offhandedly, gripping her bag a little tighter as she walked outside.

As soon as she appeared, Butler Murphy stepped out of the car and opened the back door for her. “Miss Elissa, if you would, please.”

“Thank you, Butler Murphy.”

Elissa’s palms were clammy, but she knew there was no avoiding this. She took a breath, bent down, and slid into the car.

Paige was seated on the far side, her expression severe and cold, eyes sharp, lips pressed into a tight line. Without any preamble, she spoke in a chilling tone: “You’ve divorced Frank?”