Chapter 523

Marcia wondered if it was just her imagination, but she thought she heard a lethal edge in Maya's voice.

Maya was planning...

To make a permanent move against Elissa.

A sudden chill swept down Marcia's spine.

The pampered heiress of the Wilkinson family was just as ruthless as she was.

What on earth had Elissa done to make Maya despise her this much?

Whatever it was, Marcia was thrilled.

She just hoped Maya wouldn't let her down.

Enjoying a rare weekend off from the lab, Tanya Foster planned to sleep in until noon and catch up on some much-needed rest.

*Ding dong-*

She was still half-asleep when the doorbell started ringing.

Elissa was staying at Rivercross Residence, and she had fingerprint access

anyway, so she could walk in whenever she wanted.

Assuming it was just a delivery guy, Tanya ignored it and pulled the blankets over her head, determined to go back to sleep.

Couriers usually just left packages at the door and walked away, anyway.

But after a brief pause, the ringing started up again, relentless and utterly obnoxious.

Who the hell was it?

Waking people up at the crack of dawn was a crime.

Tanya threw off the covers, shoved her feet into her slippers, and stomped toward the door. When she yanked it open and saw who was standing there, she woke up instantly.

Thank God she had randomly grabbed a trench coat to throw on.

Even so, Frank Atwater could tell he had rudely interrupted her sleep. He offered an apologetic look. "Sorry to wake you. Is Elissa not home?"

He had assumed Elissa's strict routine meant she'd be awake early, which was why he had pressed the bell.

He certainly hadn't expected Tanya to answer the door.

Still, the fact that Tanya was answering the door at least proved Elissa wasn't living with Rowan anymore.

Tanya, overflowing with morning rage, snapped, "Yeah, she's not here."

Frank frowned. "Where did she go? I checked the clinic's schedule, and she isn't working today."

The online registration platform showed every doctor's availability.

Tanya hesitated, scratching her messy hair. "I have no idea. Why don't you just call her yourself?"

She could see that the tension between Elissa and Frank had cooled down slightly.

But the fact that Elissa had moved in with Rowan was something Elissa needed to share on her own terms.

Even as her best friend, Tanya knew it wasn't her place to spill the secret. "Alright."

Frank nodded and went back downstairs to his own apartment. He waited until nearly noon before finally dialing Elissa's number.

Since it was her day off, Elissa was out in the courtyard, happily watering the flowers.

Her phone, naturally, had been left behind on the living room sofa.

When it started ringing, lan Murphy immediately stood up to bring it out to her, but the moment he saw the caller ID, he froze.

Evan urged him on. "What are you staring at? Take it to her."

Their boss's girlfriend was a doctor—a missed call could literally be a matter of life and death.

lan shoved the phone into his hands. "How about you take it?"

"Fine, I'll take it."

Without thinking twice, Evan snatched the phone and marched confidently toward the backyard.

He had barely taken three steps when he heard a commotion from the front entrance. Jan was already gleefully stitching to Rowan. Boss, her ex is calling, and Evan is pushing the phone out to her right now!"

"???????"

bet

Evan whipped around and finally looked down at the screen. Seeing the name 'Frank Atwater' flashing brightly, he realized he had been completely set up.

Damn it.

Office politics were brutal.

Looking up, he saw Rowan staring at

him with a dead-eyed, predatory ne

5 for him to appe

smile, gesturing for him to approach. "Come here Give me the phone.