My Great Escape Led Me to You (Emily Blair) novel Chapter 1086

“You’ve probably heard his name,” Emily Blair said. “He’s a pretty famous angel investor.”

Isabella Austin frowned, her voice low. “Tate Vargas? Are you serious?”

She kept her guard up, eyeing Emily with suspicion. “You’re not messing with me, are you?”

Isabella narrowed her eyes, memories of the charity gala flickering in her mind. She remembered overhearing Emily arguing with her parents. “You said you weren’t Emma George’s real daughter. Was that even true? Or are you still trying to pretend you’re the Austins’ biological daughter?”

Emily didn’t flinch. She answered quietly, “You’re overthinking it.”

Isabella let out a cold laugh. “Am I? Or am I not thinking hard enough? If the Austins ever made an announcement, there’d be women lining up to pretend they’re the real daughter, just like you. Good thing my parents are sharp and didn’t fall for your tricks.”

She looked proud, almost smug, like she’d finally won a round. “Don’t bother trying. My parents can’t stand you. They’d never accept you as their daughter. To them, I’m the only one who matters.”

Emily’s face stayed calm. She just looked at Isabella, her eyes steady. “Do you want to know the truth about your past or not?”

Isabella hesitated, then nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Remember the resort?” Emily started. “When I hit your palm with a dart, your blood got on it. I took that dart, collected your blood, and ran a DNA test with my mom. Turns out, you’re her niece. Then I tested your blood with Tate Vargas’s.”

Isabella’s eyes went wide. “So that’s why you suddenly wanted to get close to me. That was your plan all along…”

Emily nodded. “Just like you guessed. The test proved you and Tate Vargas are father and daughter. That’s how I knew you’re the real Isabella Austin.”

Isabella’s breathing turned shaky. She clenched her hands so hard her knuckles went white. “Tate Vargas… he’s really…”

Tate Vargas…

His name carried weight in finance and investment circles.

So her real father was someone like that. Even if her birth mother wasn’t anyone special, this changed everything.

Something flickered in Isabella’s eyes… something calculating.

If Emily was telling the truth, Tate Vargas must feel guilty. He probably wanted to make it up to her. Why else would he come, even after everything she’d done?

Tate Vargas had been Emily’s mentor. If Isabella accepted him as her father, maybe she could ask him to get Emily off her back. Or maybe he could pull some strings and get her out of this mess a little faster.