Chapter 289
Rowan finally glanced his way and spoke, his tone almost lazy. “By the time Tanya Foster’s birthday comes around, you probably won’t even get to see her face p>
At least, for now, he still lived across the hall from Elissa.
Over at their table, the mood couldn’t have been more different from the gloomy tension elsewhere. As the last of the dishes arrived, Cliff poured fruit beer for the two women, and the three of them clinked their bottles
in a spontaneous toast.
“Happy birthday!” Cliff and Tanya Foster said in unison.
“Thank you!” Elissa’s smile lit up the room as she tipped her head back and took a generous swig, the frustration from earlier outside the office melting away.
Cliff handed her a gift bag. “Birthday present. Hope you like it p>
He always put real thought into his gifts. Tanya Foster, half teasing and half genuinely curious, peeked over. “What did you go for this year? Don’t you dare outshine my gift p>
“Anya’s new song. The demo.” Cliff grinned, then turned to Elissa, his voice warm and smooth. “It won’t be officially released until next month. You’re the very first person who gets to hear it p>
Anya was the singer Elissa had adored for years–now a superstar whose concert tickets sold out in seconds.
Tanya Foster threw up her hands in mock defeat. “That’s not even fair! You really know how to pull out all the stops p>
She couldn’t even be mad about it. After all, Cliff was the heir to Riley Pharmaceuticals; it made sense he’d have connections in the entertainment world.
Elissa’s eyes sparkled. She accepted the gift with both hands and set it carefully on her lap like a treasure, her grin stretching ear to ear. “Thank
Chapter 200
you, Cliff. This isn’t just something I like–it’s something I absolutely love p>
The three of them were so happy that the meal lingered on far longer than planned.
Luckily, the fruit beer was mild; by the time they left the restaurant, Elissa felt only slightly lightheaded, nothing more.
Cliff, ever the gentleman, didn’t want the two women to go home alone after drinking. He called a driver for them and accompanied them back to Vistapeak Gardens, only leaving after seeing them safely into the elevator.
Inside, Elissa carried her gift in one hand and looped her other arm through Tanya Foster’s, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder. She couldn’t wait to get home and play Anya’s new song.
But as soon as they stepped out of the elevator, a large hand reached out and pulled her aside.
Startled, Elissa’s nerves tensed—until a familiar, woodsy scent she’d known since childhood drifted into her senses, instantly putting her at
ease.
Her cheeks, already flushed pink from the alcohol, grew warmer as she looked up at the man beside her. “What are you doing p>
“Your best friend and your old classmate have both celebrated your birthday with you.” Rowan’s dark eyes locked onto hers, as if trying to judge just how much she’d had to drink. His strong hand never left her arm. “Don’t you think it’s my turn now p>
Tanya Foster, hearing the unmistakable jealousy in his voice, wasted no time. She plucked the gift bag from Elissa’s hand. “I’ll take this for you. Don’t be long, okay p>
Without waiting for a reply, she strode down the hall, unlocked the door, and disappeared inside–all in one smooth motion.
23
Chapter 290
Downstairs, the living room was nearly pitch–black, lit only by a few scattered points of light from the skyscrapers outside.
Frank sat slumped on the sofa, staring at the cake box on the coffee table, his eyes bleak and hollow.
For a fleeting moment, he felt a strange kinship with the Elissa of the past. On nights like this, had she sat here too, waiting all alone for him to come home?
He had no idea how long he sat like that before the quiet thud of high heels sounded from upstairs. A ripple of hope stirred in his stagnant gaze; he jumped to his feet.
When Tanya Foster heard the knock, she was surprised–it hadn’t been long at all.
She scrambled up from the couch and hurried to answer the door. “Back already- ”
“Where’s Elissa?” Frank’s eyes swept past her, scanning the apartment. The storm brewing behind them was impossible to miss. “She’s not
home p>