A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 357

After finishing her clinic hours, Elissa grabbed a quick bite and drove to the research institute. Today was the day the clinical trial feedback data was due.

"Elissa, the data's in."

She had just set her bag down when Cliff Riley walked in, his face beaming. But as soon as he met her gaze, his expression turned to one of distress.

Xavier, turning around at that moment, caught Cliff's worried look. "Mr. Cliff, how's the data?" he asked with a smile. "Should be about what Ms. Drummond predicted, right?"

"Not even close," Cliff sighed. "It's far worse. The trial subjects aren't responding well at all."

Elissa frowned slightly. "Let me see."

She took the report from him, and as she read it, her own expression darkened.

Xavier let out a silent sigh of relief. Just as he was about to offer a few words of comfort, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, tensed, and walked out while answering. "Hello? Mom, I told you I'm at work during the day…"

Once he was in a deserted stairwell, he hit the record button and lowered his voice. "The data from the Murphy Group is out. It's not looking good."

On the other end, Marcia sounded disappointed rather than pleased. "Just ‘not good'? Are there any adverse reactions?"

The data Elissa had submitted for the clinical trial was the version Xavier had swapped out. The trial subjects should have started showing severe adverse reactions by now.

Xavier shook his head. "I'm not sure, but from the looks on Mr. Cliff and Ms. Drummond's faces, it's bad…"

"Fine," Marcia said, her tone relaxing. "Find a way to get the full story."

If Elissa and her team were trying to cover up the negative results, she wouldn't mind leaking the story herself and watching Elissa's reputation as a rising star in research go up in flames.

Once Xavier was out of earshot, Cliff and Elissa exchanged a smile. "Congratulations! The feedback is excellent, exactly as you predicted. The effects are even showing up faster than we thought."

Ian eyed the bruise on his cheekbone. "I bet she doesn't even know you're hurt. If she did, she'd definitely be worried."

Rowan paused. He remembered when he first started karate, he was always getting hurt, covered in bruises. The little girl couldn't stand to see it. The moment she did, her eyes would turn red with unshed tears, and she would fuss over him, dabbing ointment on his injuries. The special muscle rub his men used now was a formula she had perfected back then, using him as her guinea pig.

Seeing him lost in thought, Ian pressed his advantage. "Why don't you go down to the lab right now? I'm sure if she sees you…"

Rowan scoffed. "Are you suggesting I go play the victim?"

"…"

Ian was speechless. What was so bad about playing the victim? It was better than losing your wife to another man.

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