A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 197

When Elissa first arrived at the orphanage, it was summer. She wore a beautiful little sundress, the kind that made her look like a storybook princess.

Most kids had birthmarks that were nothing special—an ugly mole here, a strange shape there, nothing you'd ever call attractive.

But Elissa's was different.

On her shoulder, she had a faint pink birthmark shaped like a butterfly.

It was lovely—so much so that it seemed like fate itself had chosen to favor her, adding a delicate flourish to her already charmed existence.

Back then, Marcia destroyed everything that belonged to Elissa. She would have carved the butterfly right from Elissa's skin if she could have.

Elissa yanked her dress back over her shoulder, glaring coldly at Marcia. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night, trying to stir up trouble?"

"It's you!" Marcia's eyes were bloodshot, burning with jealousy and bitter resentment. "It really is you. I knew it!"

"Why does it always have to be you?"

Why?

Marcia simply couldn't understand.

Why did every good thing in the world seem to revolve around Elissa?

She'd been born into a good family—her parents were both police officers, and she was raised like a princess.

Even after being adopted by her parents' enemies, Rowan had protected her for nine years, treating her like she was made of glass.

Later, she'd married Frank, just as she wished, and landed a coveted spot on a major research project.

Now, she was married to Frank, yet still sneaking around with Rowan behind his back.

The illustrious Young Master Murphy, reduced to a secret lover—all for her.

The two most eligible men in Vistapeak City, and both only had eyes for Elissa!

Marcia couldn't even bear to imagine what would happen if Frank ever found out that Elissa was that little vixen from their past. Would he put her on a pedestal even higher than before?

Elissa never imagined anyone could envy her to this degree.

Elissa stared at her, incredulous. "Am I the one standing in your way, or are you the one determined to be the other woman? Marcia, if you want to lose your mind, go check yourself into a hospital!"

With that, Elissa turned to head into her building.

Marcia chased after her, a twisted smile on her face. "The other woman? If I hadn't married Spencer, Frank would have chosen me! You would never have even had a chance!"

"But you didn't marry him, did you?"

Elissa looked at her, exasperated by how irrational she'd become. "Marcia, I have no idea what went wrong between you and Frank, but if you have a problem, take it up with him. I'm not part of your drama."

Elissa had noticed just the day before that Frank's attitude toward Marcia had shifted.

But she had no idea things had spiraled so far out of control that Marcia would show up at her door.

The whole situation was almost laughable.

She was the legitimate wife, and yet here she was, stuck in the middle of her husband's affair—forced to play mediator between the mistress and her own husband.