A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 265

They slipped into the private dining room, the heavy door closing behind them with a muffled finality—sealed up tight, much like the last eight years between her and Rowan.

How could she have fooled herself into thinking that, just because of these past couple of months—or that contract signed in black and white—anything between them might be different now?

Of course not.

He’d always been the golden boy, the kind of man everyone admired. The fact that he’d even deigned to look at her again, to pull her back into his orbit, should have been enough for her. That alone ought to have left her grateful.

How could she dare hope for anything more?

Eyes lowered, Elissa moved quietly toward the restroom, phone in hand. As she walked, she deleted the alarm set for three days from now.

—Rowan’s flight lands today. Go pick him up.

He didn’t need her to pick him up. He hadn’t even told her he was coming back.

Trying to swallow the inexplicable heaviness in her chest, Elissa slipped into the restroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, still washing her hands at the sink, she caught sight of Lorraine in the mirror.

Lorraine was immaculately dressed in a Chanel suit—elegant, sophisticated, every inch the perfect daughter of a prestigious family.

She looked surprised to see Elissa, but, knowing about Elissa and Rowan’s connection, hesitated a moment before speaking. “Um… my family and the Murphys are having dinner here tonight. Would you like to join us?”

“No, thank you.”

Elissa shook her head. “I’m here with friends—they’re waiting for me.”

Truth be told, Elissa never quite knew how to act around Lorraine.

Lorraine wasn’t like Marcia, who’d do anything to get what she wanted. Even when she’d come to the clinic to ask Elissa to leave Rowan, Lorraine had at least been honest about it. Frank, maybe, but not cruel.

Lorraine seemed relieved. “Alright, then. You should get back, don’t keep your friends waiting.”

“Mm.” Elissa nodded and turned to leave.

But Lorraine suddenly called after her, almost against her will. “Our families are having dinner tonight to discuss my engagement to Rowan.”

A clean break.

He nodded. “Perfect match.”

Elissa felt her breath catch, and then he smirked, something sardonic in his eyes. “Or… are you planning to break the contract? Which of my cards should I expect that penalty payment on?”

Three billion.

She couldn’t have come up with that kind of money if she robbed a bank.

Besides, he was the one getting engaged.

What could she possibly owe him?

It was then that Frank appeared, strolling over to them with a grin, thinking the siblings were bickering again. “What penalty payment? If she owes anything, I’ll pay it for her.”