My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 836

What was supposed to be a warm welcome dinner ended in a rush, the atmosphere soured and awkward.

Tristan Davis was in a foul mood as he walked through the restaurant lobby, his expression tight with irritation.

But as soon as he stepped outside, he immediately caught sight of Emily Blair’s silhouette.

Just seeing her from behind eased some of the frustration he’d been feeling.

Until, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the man standing next to her.

They stood close—barely the width of a fist between their arms. The man was leaning in, saying something that made Emily laugh, the two of them lost in easy conversation.

The sight of it made Tristan’s frown deepen; the harmony between them was more than he could stomach.

He quickly noted that Emily’s secretary wasn’t around. Clearly, this wasn’t a work meeting.

And he was certain—absolutely certain—that he’d never seen this man with Emily before.

A sense of unease crept in, cold and unwelcome.

“Emily.”

He called her name from where he stood, watching as she turned at the sound of his voice.

His frown only darkened.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Emily looked... uncomfortable. Maybe even a little nervous—her eyes darting quickly toward the man at her side.

That flicker of tension only made Tristan more irritable.

He strode over, positioning himself right next to Emily, his smile just shy of genuine. “What a coincidence, running into you here. Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Albert Rivera looked momentarily surprised. “Ms. Blair—this is…?”

Tristan shot Emily a look, clearly expecting her to do the honors.

She drew in a quiet breath and said to Albert, “This is my friend, Tristan Davis.”

Settling into the car and gripping the door, Tristan said with deliberate emphasis, “Emily and I are headed the same way. She’ll give me a lift.”

Emily… the same way…

Albert repeated the words in his mind, then saw Emily lean out the window and nod at him. “That’s right, we’re going the same direction, so I’ll drop him off. You should head home, Mr. Rivera.”

Albert watched her car pull away, thoughtful.

He was a man—he could easily sense the hidden hostility in Tristan’s eyes.

It was obvious: Tristan Davis was interested in Emily Blair.

Albert let his hand drop and gave a wry, good-natured smile.

A rival, even before things had begun?

Inside the car, Emily sat with her arms crossed, staring out the window and keeping the back of her head turned toward Tristan. She tried to keep her tone steady. “Small world. What brought you to that restaurant tonight?”