My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 30

Halfway through the ride, her taxi was abruptly blocked by a nondescript white van.

Emily Blair stared at the vehicle ahead, an uneasy feeling creeping up inside her.

The street was unusually quiet—hardly anyone around, barely any traffic. Now that she thought about it, the van had been trailing them for quite some time.

The cab driver, initially bristling with indignation, rolled down his window and snapped, “Who the hell parks like this?”

But as soon as three men in black suits stepped out of the van, the driver’s tirade died in his throat.

Emily felt all the strength drain from her body as she slumped back against the seat.

Among the three men, she recognized a familiar face—one of Grandpa Kevin’s personal bodyguards.

The moment she saw him, Emily knew there would be no way to pursue what had happened. Not now. Probably not ever.

The driver was shaking behind the wheel. Emily unbuckled her seatbelt, placed a few bills on the center console, and said quietly, “This isn’t your fault. I’ll get out here.”

She stepped onto the curb, and the bodyguards immediately approached her.

Though he kept his gaze lowered, the lead guard’s tone was unyielding. “Ms. Blair, Mr. Kevin Lane requests your presence.”

Emily didn’t bother to reply. She brushed past them and climbed into the van.

The Lane Estate.

Grandpa Kevin was waiting. “I’ve heard about what happened with Amelia,” he said, his voice calm, his expression betraying not a hint of remorse. He might as well have been assigning a task at the office. “You’ve been wronged, I know.”

“You’ve suffered some injuries. If anything’s wrong, go to my hospital—my doctors will take care of you.”

“If you need anything else, let me know. I’ll do what I can.”

His eyes, cloudy with age, were still sharp with authority.

“We’re family, after all. Try to understand Amelia—she’s been spoiled, never learned any boundaries. I hope you can be patient with her. There’s no need to go to the police again; I’ve already taken care of it.”

“You’re home, Andrew?” Grandpa Kevin called out.

Andrew replied with a low, cello-like rumble. “Grandpa.”

Grandpa Kevin leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. His voice sounded even older. “This was Amelia’s fault. Her parents are out of the country and I’m too old to keep her in line. I need you and Ethan to handle her for me.”

“And keep an eye on Emily Blair, too.”

Here, Grandpa Kevin’s tone grew cold, as if he were discussing merchandise rather than people.

“She’s not family. Don’t let her cause too much trouble, or it’ll get messy.”

“And Isabella Austin,” Grandpa Kevin went on, opening his eyes to look at Andrew. “She seems like a good girl. If you’re interested, you ought to give her a chance.”

It was a reward, in its own way, for Andrew’s handling of the matter.

Kevin gave his grandson a pointed look. “Emily Blair is just the daughter of a chauffeur. She’ll never measure up to someone like Isabella Austin. It’s fine if you want to have a little fun, but don’t even think about marrying her.”