My Great Escape Led Me to You novel Chapter 287

“Third, even if you were truly desperate enough to drum up drama by faking a plagiarism scandal, you’d have been better off just slapping your own name on the original song. At least that would be straightforward. Why put yourself through the trouble of creating some mangled, half-baked tune that’s neither here nor there?”

Emily Blair’s voice grew icier, her tone cutting: “Ms. Austin, forgive me for being blunt, but your excuses make absolutely no sense. The logic is flimsy at best, and frankly, it sounds ridiculous.”

“Listening to you, I can’t help but feel your so-called attempt to clear Vivian Martin’s name is just a front. The real story here is plagiarism. Everything else is just an excuse.”

By the time she finished, Isabella Austin’s face had gone noticeably pale.

She seemed to shrink back, her eyes wide with anxiety and helplessness.

Emily’s gaze tracked Isabella’s shaky retreat, her brow furrowing.

Isabella was already standing precariously close to the edge of the stage. A few more steps back and she’d bump into the metal rigging behind her—or worse, fall right off the stage, which was a good three feet high.

Looking utterly fragile, Isabella bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry. I—I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared… I couldn’t think straight…”

Emily’s eyes narrowed as she watched Isabella inch backward, dangerously close to the rigging.

She couldn’t help herself; she reached out instinctively. “Wait—!”

From the audience, Arianna George’s voice rang out, stern and cutting through the tension. “What do you two think you’re doing? This is the finals, not a place for theatrics!”

At that moment, Isabella’s face drained of color. She stumbled back, her right shoulder slamming into the cold metal rig. Her left foot slipped off the edge, sending her teetering, her body suddenly off balance. A stifled cry escaped her lips as she began to topple toward the drop.

Only the rig, pressing into her shoulder, kept her from falling.

Emily’s pupils shrank in alarm. She dashed forward, hand outstretched toward Isabella.

Smack—

Emily stopped short, startled.

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