My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 425

Emily Blair: …

Fine. She gave up.

“What are you two talking about?”

Right on cue, Tristan Davis stormed out of the room, face like thunder, clutching a handful of red bills.

Isla spotted him and immediately redirected her attention. She marched up to Tristan, her tone sharp. “Seriously, Tristan? Even if you don’t like the poor girl, you didn't have to be so harsh. You could’ve spared her some dignity. She’s heartbroken now.”

At that moment, every warning bell in Emily’s head blared.

Her sixth sense screamed: whatever Isla was about to say next would leave her utterly mortified.

Emily blurted out, “Isla!”

But Isla, always the meddler, kept right on going. “Look at her. She’s so upset she practically knocked her head against the wall! You better not treat girls like that in the future, Tristan. You need to show a little kindness—girls have their pride, you know…”

Emily slumped against the wall, feeling like her soul had left her body.

Tristan’s angry scowl faltered as Isla’s words sank in. He shot Emily a suspicious look, and for a split second, she caught a flicker of regret and guilt in his eyes.

Emily screamed internally: What are you regretting? What are you feeling guilty about? Stop looking at me like that, right this instant!

Isla, satisfied with her good deed, beamed and waved at them. “Alright, you two play nice. I’ve got to get going—see you around!”

Emily squeezed her eyes shut in despair.

When Isla finally left, the hallway fell silent.

For a long, heavy moment, neither Emily nor Tristan said a word. The silence stretched and stretched, thick as fog.

Eventually, the lights in the hallway dimmed, triggered by the lack of movement or sound.

After some hesitation, Tristan spoke up, voice low and uncertain. “Did you really bang your head against the wall?”

Emily opened her eyes and gave him a long, haunted look. “Would you even believe me if I said no?”

Clearly, Tristan didn’t.

His gaze dropped to her forehead, where a pink flush stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Tristan’s expression grew more complicated by the second, a tangled mess of awkwardness, discomfort, resistance, and—worst of all—remorse. Emily could almost feel secondhand embarrassment radiating off him.

“You really—”

His voice was husky, as if the words were hard to say.

You really have feelings for me?

Before he could blurt out something even more embarrassing, or before anyone else could overhear, Emily cut him off. She strode over and held out her hand. “Give me the money.”

She’d already spotted the cash in his fist.

Tristan hesitated, then finally placed the bills into her open palm.

Emily snatched them up and, with an icy expression, started counting the money.

Emily felt herself turn to stone.

Emma stepped closer and brushed a hand over Emily’s reddened forehead. “Does it still hurt, honey?”

Emily stared ahead, silent.

Emma shot Tristan an apologetic smile.

He nodded stiffly by way of reply, pressed his lips together to hide his discomfort, and disappeared back into his apartment.

Now there were just Emily and her mother in the hall.

Emma took Emily by the wrist and led her inside. Once the door was shut, Emma said, “So, Emily, you spent last night taking care of him?”

Emily nodded, drained.

Emma sat down beside her. “But you’ve only met him once before, right? How did you get a crush on him so quickly?”

Emily groaned, “I didn’t…”

Emma waved her off. “Oh, honey, don’t be embarrassed. I’m your mother, I know you. The moment I saw you, I knew you’d fallen for him the second you saw his face. Am I right?”

Emily protested, “You’ve got it all wrong…”

Emma patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it. You two barely know each other. Of course he’d turn you down at first, but there’s no need to be upset. He lives right across the hall, and you’re gorgeous. Just give it time. Who knows what could happen?”

Emily: …