Chapter 410

After dinner, Rowan was the first to stand up, not even waiting to be shown the door. "It's getting late. You've had a long day, you should get some rest."

Without a glance to see if Frank was taking the hint, he walked out. But with the implication so clear, Frank wasn't about to overstay his welcome. He helped clear the dishes into the dishwasher and said, "I should get going."

Then, his expression softened, his eyes sincere. "I almost forgot to congratulate you. Now you can finally do what you've always wanted to do." He knew what the successful launch of the drug meant to her.

A genuine smile touched Elissa's lips. "Thank you."

They walked to the elevator together. After Frank stepped inside, Elissa turned to go back to her apartment, only to find the man who had just left so decisively standing in her way.

He towered over her, his gaze intense. He glanced toward the elevator before his eyes settled back on her. "Aren't you going to take responsibility for me?"

Elissa frowned. "Responsibility for what?"

"The internet is exploding with rumors about us." Rowan looked at her as if he were the aggrieved party. "Some people are even guessing if wedding bells are in our future."

Elissa had seen similar comments online. She looked up at him, her voice laced with sarcasm. "If those people knew how hard I fought to get away from the Murphy family, they certainly wouldn't be guessing that."

Forget the fact that Paige was responsible for her parents' deaths; the abuse she had suffered as a child was reason enough to stay as far away from that den of wolves as possible. If it weren't for Rowan... if she hadn't thought he was different... she would never have had anything to do with the Murphys again.

But today, Rowan had made his stance clear. Getting entangled with them again would only lead to more pain.

Her words seemed to stun him for a moment. Elissa didn't wait for a response and turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist. "At the conference, I wasn't trying to protect Paige."

Elissa let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. "You weren't protecting her? Don't tell me you were protecting me."

Rowan was momentarily

speechless. Paige was not a rational person; when cornered, she was

capable of anything. And they stiff

didn't know the extent of the criminal network Orion Stone had left behind.

His dark eyes stared into hers, and for a second time, he swallowed his pride. "If said I was, would you believe me?” His voice was a low, resonant murmur. "Elissa, from the moment you called me brother when you were seven have nevet, I wanted to side with anyone else."

vel

When she had first arrived at the Murphy manor, he hadn't paid her much mind. It was only after his parents died and Paige's power became absolute that things changed. No one dared to even attend his parents' funeral. He was keeping vigil alone in the memorial hall when she appeared out of nowhere, clutching two nearly expired lemon candies. She clumsily unwrapped one and pressed it into his mouth.

The little girl knelt beside him. She was so thin, almost skin and bones, which made her large, dark eyes seem even bigger, like two perfect grapes.

She asked him if the candy was sweet. "My mommy said that when you're sad, you should eat something sweet. If your mouth is sweet, your heart won't be so bitter."

Rowan, kneeling ramrod straight, let the candy dissolve on his tongue. "Where's your mommy? Why are you here?" he asked.

***