My Great Escape Led Me to You novel Chapter 242

Emily Blair slowly lifted her head, her gaze meeting Arianna George’s as the woman strode in from the edge of the crowd. Arianna’s expression was severe, her eyes scanning everyone in the room before settling on Emily—and, pointedly, on Alex White.

More specifically, Arianna’s sharp gaze lingered on the vivid red marks at Emily’s neck and the side of Alex’s face. Anyone with a shred of common sense could guess how those marks got there.

Arianna’s tone was icy. “Would someone like to explain what happened here?”

Before Emily could answer, Alex let out a low, mocking laugh. “Ms. George, with all due respect, this isn’t something you can get involved in.”

Arianna’s expression darkened.

Alex White’s background was no secret. The White family was powerful, with influence that stretched far beyond the city. Alex himself was a doctor, a path he’d chosen apart from the family’s sprawling business empire. But his elders adored him; even before he graduated, they’d expanded into pharmaceuticals, ready for the day Alex might leave medicine and return to take up the family reins.

Even though he wasn’t directly involved in the family business, Alex still held a substantial share of the company’s stock—enough to make him one of its major stakeholders.

With Alex’s pedigree, not even Arianna George, nor the organizers of the Starlight Piano Competition, could afford to offend him.

Emily’s eyes were steady, her voice calm. “Ms. George, please—this isn’t your concern.”

She turned to look at Alex, her tone frosty. “He’s targeting me.”

Arianna’s frown deepened. She turned to Isabella Austin. “Isabella, tell me what happened.”

But Isabella couldn’t possibly explain the real reason Alex and Emily had clashed. If she did, she’d only end up caught in the crossfire herself.

Still, Arianna’s piercing gaze was impossible to withstand; Isabella looked away, stammering, “Ms. George, it’s just—”

Before she could finish, Alex reached back, pulling Isabella behind him protectively. His tone was grave. “Ms. George, she has nothing to do with this.”

It was clear that no one was willing to say more; everyone’s lips were sealed. Arianna’s head throbbed with frustration.

“It’s late. All of you, head back now. You do remember there’s a competition in the morning, don’t you?”

Alex fixed Emily with a dark, unreadable look.

No matter how much he wanted to stand up for Isabella, he couldn’t disregard Arianna’s position as head judge.

His eyes grew colder, more dangerous.

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