My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 40

She withdrew her gaze indifferently and turned to look out at the city lights shimmering in the distance.

The Lane Estate sat nestled in an exclusive neighborhood right in the heart of downtown—a place so spacious and quiet, hardly a soul could be seen wandering its wide, empty streets.

The closer the car drew to the estate gates, the calmer Emily felt.

This place held too many memories, most of them bitter. In her previous life, The Lane Estate had been the backdrop for nearly all her pain.

She hadn’t even been allowed to give birth to Daisy in a hospital.

Instead, it had happened right here, inside The Lane Estate.

It was absurd, dangerous even.

But to the Lane Family—and especially to Andrew Lane—the fact that she was pregnant with his child was shameful, a dirty secret that absolutely couldn’t be allowed out. So, aside from that first hospital visit where she found out she was expecting, every checkup and, finally, the delivery itself, happened right here at the estate. Andrew Lane insisted on bringing in private doctors and refused to let her step outside, her belly growing bigger by the day.

She might have been legally an adult, but she was still a student back then. When she got pregnant, she had to drop out, and the Lane Family never bothered to hire a tutor for her. Everything she learned, she taught herself.

She struggled through those months to make it to the college entrance exam, desperate to beg Andrew Lane to let her go.

But the person who came to see her that day was Isabella Austin—who was, at that very moment, pregnant as well.

Isabella greeted her with a gentle, almost pitying smile. On the morning of the exam, Isabella had someone confiscate Emily’s exam pass and ID, then made sure the doors and windows were locked.

There was no way out.

And just like that, college slipped through her fingers.

Emily closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was nothing left but a cold, bitter emptiness.

By her calculation, this was about the month Isabella Austin became pregnant with Andrew Lane’s son.

Emma leaned in, peering at Emily’s face uncertainly. “Emily, what are you talking about? That sounds creepy…”

Emily shrugged. “Nothing. Just talking nonsense.”

Emily’s new apartment was a long drive from the estate—almost an hour across town.

When they finally pulled up, Emily instinctively turned to the driver and asked, “Jack, could you help me with my luggage?”

The driver didn’t budge. Instead, he glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his tone flat. “You’re not Ms. Blair anymore. Better carry it yourself.”

After the Lane Family threw her and Emma out, the old staff quickly shifted loyalties. They barely bothered to hide their contempt for her and Emma now.

Emma, fuming, wanted to argue, but Emily stopped her. “It’s late. We still have to unpack after this. Let’s get it over with.”

Emma trudged out with her suitcase, her face drawn. When she caught sight of Emily’s rental, she scowled even more. “Seriously, Emily? You rented in an old building? Is there even an elevator? This place is way too high up—I’ll never make it.”