A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 464

Rowan abruptly set down his utensils. He stopped eating and turned to face her, his eyes fixed on her. "From now on, I'll have someone deliver all your meals."

His chest tightened at the memory of Frank handing him that food container. What a joke. As if Elissa had to be taken care of by the Atwater family's staff. An ex-husband and an unofficial father—couldn't they just make a clean break? The phrase *biological father* echoed in his mind, making his mood even fouler.

A surge of anger rose within him, and he was tempted to say more, but looking at her soft, sleepy face, he forced it back down.

Elissa was surprised by the sudden topic but nodded decisively. "Okay."

Her quick agreement caught Rowan off guard, and the frustration in his chest dissipated. "Just like that?" He had been bracing himself for some ridiculously lovesick reply, like *No, I'm used to the Atwater family's cooking*, or *I'll just wait for Frank's deliveries so I can see him every day*.

Elissa, completely unaware of his inner turmoil, simply asked, "Why not?" It wasn't a big deal. Asking Edna to cook for her had been a temporary solution anyway. After Orion Stone was released from prison and then vanished, she had felt a sense of looming danger. This baby was too important to her, and to avoid giving anyone a chance to tamper with her food, Edna had been the safest choice. With her husband and son both working for the Atwater family, Edna was unlikely to be swayed by ill intentions, and after three years of taking care of her, she knew Elissa's preferences inside and out.

Elissa believed him. "Okay." She lowered her head and started eating her pie, wondering what else could have made him so emotional. Then again, he had always been a moody person, only pretending to be cold and distant in front of others.

As she ate, she noticed something was off. She took another careful bite of the pie. It was a beef pie. Most restaurants in Vistapeak City added onions to this kind of filling. But this one had parsley. It was just like the one Janice had brought her. The first time Janice made it, she had used onions, following the local custom. But after hearing Elissa liked parsley, she had changed the recipe.

She turned to the man beside her and asked curiously, "Where did Slate buy this pie?"