A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 470

"Rowan," she thought, "it turns out I don't have a mother or a father." No, that wasn't right. It was more like, "I've been living someone else's life all these years. Even the name 'Elissa' isn't mine. I don't even know who I am."

Rowan looked down and met her dazed, wounded gaze. His heart softened. Resisting the urge to kiss her, he slid one hand around her lower back for support while the other gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in slightly, his voice a low, soothing murmur. "What is it? Are you upset about what they're saying online?"

Anyone else seeing him like this would have thought they were seeing a ghost. But for Elissa, it was a familiar sight. In all the times she had been sad in the past, he had always been this patient, this attentive. He had never dismissed her feelings as overly dramatic; before their falling out, he had always respected and accepted every one of her emotions.

So now, Elissa wasn't surprised. She just stared at the man before her and asked softly, "Rowan, who am I, really?"

It was the first time Rowan had ever seen such a lost expression on her face. Growing up, apart from the times she was playfully demanding with him, she had always been acutely aware of what she wanted, what she could do, and what she should do. Her question caught him completely off guard.

The hand stroking her hair paused. He raised an eyebrow, his tone half-teasing, half-serious. "You're my sister."

“...” Elissa was speechless for a second, then struggled to get up.

Rowan's grip didn't loosen. He held her firmly, his dark, bottomless eyes fixed on hers. "It doesn't matter who you are. What matters is that you're you."

Elissa froze. She stopped struggling and looked up at him, her eyes welling with tears. "That I'm me… is that enough?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

In all her turmoil over the past few days, that was an answer she had never considered. She had been so trapped in the question of her identity that she never thought it might not matter.

"Rowan, hug me," the girl urged.

Her voice brought him back to his senses. The hand on her waist tightened slightly as he teased, "Aren't I already hugging you?"

Of course, Elissa knew she was sitting on his lap, nestled in his arms. She knew he was just messing with her. But right now, she just wanted… needed him to hold her tight. Just for a moment. If he wouldn't, then fine.

She moved to get up, and this time, he didn't stop her. The pressure on her waist eased. A wave of embarrassment washed over her. She had finally let her guard down, only to be rejected. As her feet touched the floor, her ears burned, and she was about to flee in humiliation when she felt a gentle tug on her pinky finger.