My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 544

She stared down at the badge in her hand, lost in thought for a little too long.

The badge was just another bit of zoo merchandise—a glossy pin featuring her daughter’s favorite cartoon panda, chomping adorably on a stalk of bamboo, round and clumsy in that way kids loved.

“What’s on your mind?” Tristan Davis suddenly leaned down, his voice low and teasing right by her ear.

Emily Blair tightened her grip on the badge, feeling a sudden urge to say something.

“I…”

The words stalled in her throat.

Tristan arched an eyebrow. “You what?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Emily shook her head and murmured, “It’s nothing.”

She knew all too well: her experience of coming back to life was far too bizarre for any normal person to understand. If she ever tried to explain it, people would just think she was crazy. No one would believe her.

While she was lost in silence, Tristan’s hand suddenly ruffled her hair a little more roughly than necessary.

“When did Ms. Blair get so indecisive?” he said, sounding half-annoyed, half-amused. “Can’t even get the words out?”

Emily shot him a glare, brows drawn tight.

Before she could swat his hand away, he quickly tucked both hands into his pockets and shrugged, feigning indifference. “Fine, don’t say it. You do whatever you want, Ms. Blair. Just don’t make that face.”

“What face?” Emily retorted.

Tristan bent closer, grinning until his eyes disappeared in the sunlight. “Nothing at all. Just… try to smile, Emily.”

She looked up, caught in the warmth of his gaze, and found herself momentarily at a loss.

“Are you two dating?” a small voice interrupted.

Emily turned toward the sound and saw her daughter perched on the bodyguard’s shoulders, big blue eyes shining with curiosity as she watched them.

Emily’s fingers twitched. “No, sweetheart, we’re just friends.”

Her daughter pouted. “You’re lying. You two look—”

The sightseeing tram arrived with a jingle of its bell. The bodyguard gave her daughter’s back a gentle pat. “Come on, Miss, time to get on.”

Before she could finish her thought, the bodyguard whisked her away onto the tram.

Emily clicked her tongue in annoyance. Why did she have to run into them even here?

Tristan clearly wasn’t thrilled. “Oh, come on—we finally manage to go out together and—”

“Oh.”

Tristan doubled over, clutching his stomach in mock agony. “Emily, why’d you hit me?”

She just smiled, patting his shoulder. “Listen, kid, the best thing you can do right now is keep quiet.”

They waited under the dappled shadows of the trees for a while.

Suddenly, a series of startled shouts rang out from nearby.

Emily looked up to see her daughter surrounded by bodyguards, running toward her.

She waited until they reached her, then asked, “What happened?”

“One of the boys in the crowd got knocked over,” came the answer.