My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 137

The power of public gossip was immense. Within minutes, the whole scandal had become common knowledge, whispered from one person to the next until everyone in the hospital knew.

Now, both inside and outside the hospital room, a crowd had gathered. People pointed and gossiped openly about her and Sophia Clark, who stood at the center of it all.

This was exactly the outcome Emily Blair wanted.

It was now an irrefutable fact that Sophia Clark and her family had stolen a hospital bed that didn’t belong to them. Everyone knew it.

All Emily needed was the pressure of public opinion to force Sophia Clark and her family to leave.

She was still wearing her school uniform—students, after all, always drew sympathy and attention. In situations like these, a school uniform was more than just clothing; it was a shield, a tool that helped sway sentiment in their favor.

Through her fingers, Emily watched Sophia Clark’s expression carefully. If looks could kill, Sophia’s would have turned the whole room to ice. Her face was twisted, dark with resentment and humiliation.

Emily’s lips curled in a mocking smile. When Sophia tried to slip away, Emily grabbed the hem of her coat, holding her in place.

Immediately, Emily’s crying intensified.

“You’re not going anywhere! Not until you give my grandma’s bed back!” she sobbed.

Just then, Elizabeth Wilson, having calmed their grandmother, pushed her way through the crowd. She was quick-witted; the moment she saw Emily’s tear-streaked face, she understood what was happening.

Sniffling, Elizabeth rushed over and threw her arms around Emily.

“Don’t cry—we have to be strong,” Elizabeth declared, her voice ringing out. “We can’t let people like this walk all over us. We have to stand up for ourselves.”

Emily fought to keep from laughing, doubling down on her tears and responding with as much misery as she could muster.

“But what about Grandma?” Emily wailed. “She’s so old, and now these people are bullying her? How could anyone treat an elderly woman like that?”

More and more people pressed in, their faces flushed with fury as they stared down Sophia and her family.

Emily seized the moment. Through her tears, she choked out, “Thank you, sir, thank you, ma’am, and thank you, everyone… but you don’t have to do this for us. They—they have powerful friends, and I… I can’t fight them…”

Her voice was soft, trembling, and as she spoke, she looked up at the crowd with wide, red-rimmed eyes, the very picture of vulnerability and heartbreak. Her gaze was bright, innocent, and helpless—impossible for any bystander to ignore.

It worked even better than she’d hoped. The crowd’s outrage swelled.

“I’d like to see what kind of ‘powerful friends’ they have, bullying kids and old folks in broad daylight! Have they no shame? We’re not letting this family off the hook until they return that bed!” a woman shouted.

“That’s right! Don’t even think about leaving!” another echoed.

Sophia Clark was driven back by the angry mob, her face drained of all color.