A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 489

"No!" Paige snapped reflexively, panic coloring her voice.

Now was definitely not the time for Slate to learn the truth about his parentage.

The boy was nowhere near as calm and collected as Rowan.

Finding out too early would only ruin everything.

Looking up at Rowan, a crushing wave of regret washed over her.

She should have let him die right alongside his parents!

Who would have thought that a momentary lapse of mercy would raise such a ruthless predator?

But now wasn't the time to openly turn against him.

Gritting her teeth, Paige swallowed her humiliation and even forced a strained smile. "How did you know I went to see him?"

More importantly, when did Rowan find out about her connection to Orion Stone?

She thought she had hidden it flawlessly.

Rowan's expression remained icy. "Answer the question."

"..."

Paige was practically suffocating with fury.

Did this bastard have any idea who he was talking to?!

Even if she wasn't his biological grandmother, she was legally married to his grandfather!

Being raised without parents really did leave a person utterly classless.

Taking a deep breath, she forced the words out. "He didn't say much!"

"It was just a casual meeting. Do I need to report my whereabouts to you now?"

"You didn't before," Rowan replied with a chilling smile, his tone dangerously light. "But from now on, you'd best keep me informed!"

Without caring whether his words gave her another fainting spell, he grabbed the freshly signed agreement and strode out of the room.

Seeing him emerge, the rest of the Murphy family breathed a collective sigh of relief, despite their lingering tension.

They were tense because they feared Rowan might pick a fight with them if he was in a bad mood.

But they were relieved because his quick exit meant he probably hadn't discussed anything major with the old lady. Like the inheritance.

If they found out she had just signed away every last share she held in the Murphy Group, they would scramble to switch their allegiance to Rowan faster than anything else.

Karol relaxed slightly but pressed on. "You really didn't sign anything?"

Paige maintained her composure. "Why would I ever give him what's mine?"

Evan Murphy was waiting by the elevator. The moment Rowan and Ian got in the car, he floored the gas and sped off.

Ian couldn't hold back his curiosity. "Boss, why did the old lady faint right after seeing Orion?"

"Want to know?" Rowan glanced at the thick darkness outside the window, his expression unreadable. "So do I."

Paige obviously wasn't going to confess easily.

But Rowan's instincts told him this matter hit incredibly close to home.

So close that it left him feeling deeply unsettled.

Back at Vistapeak Gardens, he initially meant to knock on the door across the hall, but a glance at the time stopped him.

It was past midnight.

A wave of restless irritation washed over him. He leaned against his front door, pulled out a cigarette, and clamped it between his lips, but made no move to light it.