My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 784

Benjamin’s eyes paused for a moment, then he slowly broke into a warm smile. “Of course.”

Ashley immediately burst into delighted giggles. “Yay! So where’s Mommy now?”

Benjamin’s smile widened. “She’ll be able to see us very soon. Just a little longer, sweetheart.”

There was no hiding what had happened with Isabella Austin and Matthew Ross, nor the car accident—news like that would never escape the Austin family.

Kevin Lane was getting on in years now, his health declining with every passing one. Andrew Lane chose not to burden him with the news.

Isabella was, after all, family—though the Austins had grown distant from her over the years, they still had a right to know. With the Austins’ main household based in the capital, they could show up at any moment.

Andrew called Isabella’s parents first, breaking the news about the accident over the phone. On the other end, her mother gasped, and the sound of frantic scrambling filled the line.

“Wait—hold on, we’re coming right now!”

Andrew heard something heavy thud to the ground and lowered his voice. “Take your time. Be careful, don’t hurt yourself.”

“We know, we know. We’re coming now,” Isabella’s mother replied, her voice thick with panic.

After a quiet “okay,” Andrew hung up.

When Isabella’s parents arrived at the hospital, their daughter was still in surgery. Her mother had already dissolved into tears, face streaked with mascara, barely able to stand. Her father’s lips were pressed into a hard line, his eyes rimmed red as he struggled to support his wife.

Andrew walked over and gently caught Isabella’s mother, his voice soft. “Mom.”

She clung to his arm, sobbing, her fingers digging into his sleeve. “Andrew, please, tell me—what really happened?”

Andrew motioned for the police officer to explain.

“Isabella actually…”

Isabella’s father understood at once why she’d done what she did. He closed his eyes tightly, then lifted a fist and slammed it hard against his thigh, overwhelmed with regret.

“This is my fault. I failed to raise her right. It’s my fault she made such a terrible mistake…”

Andrew reached out, silently gripping the older man’s hand, trying to steady him. “Please, calm down.”

Wrinkles trembled on Isabella’s father’s face as he exhaled shakily and pulled his hand from Andrew’s grasp.

“If I’d known she’d do something like this for a piano piece, I never would have let her near any of that. I ruined her… I ruined—”

He looked up at Andrew, once a commanding figure in business, now just a father with grief and desperation shining through his eyes. “Andrew, do you… do you blame her?”