A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 279

On the other end of the line, the old woman let out a soft chuckle. “I heard Tanya Foster’s business trip is almost over, isn’t it?”

“…”

As Elissa drove toward the family estate, her mind raced through calculations—how soon could she finish this project? If she could just get it done, the Murphy family would lose their grip on her. She could take Tanya far away—if not out of state, then out of the country altogether.

She was sick and tired of these people constantly treating Tanya as a pawn in their schemes.

She simply couldn’t wrap her head around it.

How could power and privilege divide people so ruthlessly into ranks, as if everyone belonged in neat little tiers?

For ordinary folks, just keeping their heads above water took everything they had.

Caught in rush hour traffic, Elissa sat in gridlock for over an hour before finally reaching the old mansion.

She swung her bag over her shoulder and stepped into the parlor, only to spot Lorraine Lynn already seated beside the matriarch, poised and charming as ever.

So Lorraine was the guest tonight.

A rare warmth softened the old woman’s features—Elissa could tell she was quite pleased with Lorraine.

Elissa walked closer. “Grandma.”

Perhaps because Lorraine was present, the matriarch actually kept a hint of kindness in her tone. “You’re here. We were just waiting for you to start dinner.”

Lorraine smiled politely and greeted her. “Elissa, did you get stuck in traffic?”

“Yes, Secretary Lynn. Rush hour was a mess.”

No sooner had she replied than the matriarch cast her a reproachful look. “Why call her ‘Secretary Lynn’? She’ll be your sister-in-law soon.”

Lorraine grinned, teasing, “Let’s wait until Rowan and I are actually married before we start changing titles.”

She added with a laugh, “And if you want me to call you ‘sister,’ you’ll have to give me a gift. I forgot to bring any tonight.”

The matriarch’s patience wore thin. Her tone turned sharp. “He used to treat you like a treasure. If you so much as shed a tear, he’d do anything you wanted. And now?”

Elissa kept her answer vague. “I don’t really know.”

She had a hunch. The matriarch was probably planning to use her relationship with Rowan for something. Whatever it was, she doubted it was anything she could influence.

Only Elissa knew the real state of things between herself and Rowan. These days, she was the one following Rowan’s lead—not the other way around. She wasn’t a child anymore; she knew exactly where she stood.

But she couldn’t let the matriarch see through her. As long as the old woman was still uncertain, there was a chance she’d tread carefully.

For instance, if she and Rowan didn’t at least appear to be on good terms, the matriarch wouldn’t have bothered with a mere phone threat—she’d have sent someone straight to the Murphy offices to drag her back by force.

As that thought passed, Elissa glanced up—and found Lorraine watching her closely.

Before she could decipher Lorraine’s expression, Matriarch Paige Murphy spoke up, calm and deliberate: “Here’s what you’ll do. In the next couple of days, find a chance to see Rowan and bring up his engagement to Lorraine.”