My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 1006

The other day, when she had followed Emma, she’d seen the look in Isabella's eyes as she watched her parents. Isabella clearly missed them. The charity gala was the perfect opportunity for Isabella to see them again. Emily had never attended the gala herself, but she always made sure her donations were sent. This time, however… The charity gala was the day after tomorrow. She picked up her office phone and buzzed her secretary, instructing her to inform the host that she would be attending. After work, Emily drove to Tate Vargas’s residence. Tate had asked her to find his biological daughter. She had found Isabella Austin, but at the time, she wasn't sure if Isabella was dead or alive. Concerned that the news would be too much for Tate's fragile health, Emily had decided to wait. Now that she had confirmed Juliana Silva was Isabella Austin, she planned to at least give Tate a heads-up. After more than an hour's drive, it was nearly nine o'clock when Emily arrived. Melisa Vargas, having received her call earlier, had the gate open for her. “Did you find something?” Melisa asked the moment Emily stepped out of the car. Emily looked up at her; Melisa's brow was furrowed with tension. Noticing her own anxiety, Melisa let out a breath and offered a small smile. “Sorry, I’m just a little anxious.” Emily shook her head. “It’s fine.” They walked into the villa together. “You found her, didn’t you?” Melisa asked softly. Emily paused, her gaze drifting up to the second floor, toward Tate’s room, just as a nurse pushed the door open to enter. She lowered her voice. “I did.” Melisa’s expression was hard to read—not quite happy, not quite sad. “Where is she?” she asked. Emily turned to face her. “Her situation is… complicated. You and the professor need to be prepared. I’m worried this news will be too much for him to handle.” Melisa frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?” “Have you heard of Isabella Austin?” Emily asked. Of course, Melisa had. Isabella Austin of the Austin family had married Andrew Lane of the Lane family. Andrew always had her on his arm at major events, and their marriage had been picture-perfect for years, free of scandal. She had lived a life of wealth and adoration that countless women envied. Recently, however, the public noticed that Andrew had been appearing alone for quite some time, sparking rumors of a marital crisis. Just a few days ago, at a conference hosted by Vanguard Automotive, Andrew had publicly admitted that he and Isabella were divorced. The news had caused quite a stir, and it was rumored that the Austin family was furious. Melisa couldn’t understand why Emily was bringing up Isabella Austin now, but a startling idea began to form in her mind. “What does this have to do with Isabella Austin?” Emily met her gaze, her eyes calm. “She is the professor’s biological daughter.” Melisa’s face went rigid, her eyes widening in disbelief. “What? That’s… that’s impossible. Isn’t she an Austin?” “It’s a long story,” Emily said. “But my investigation led me to her. If you don’t believe me, I can have a paternity test done first.” Melisa stared at her for a long moment, slowly accepting that Emily wasn't joking. As someone who had seen her fair share of the world, she managed to compose herself. “Alright. You need my father’s blood, right? I’ll go get it. I won’t tell him anything until we have the test results.” Emily nodded. Melisa told her to take a seat while she went to retrieve Tate’s blood sample. Emily had only been waiting for a few minutes when Melisa returned with a small vial. “Here,” she said, handing it to her. “Go get the test done. When the results come in, let me know. Having proof will make it easier for my father to accept.”