Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 719

Nyx raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Ms. Valentine, Tiana took a week off already!

She mentioned she was investigating something, but didn't give me the details. Just that she's been lugging around her laptop and a camera, seems like she's tailing someone." "A camera? Tailing someone?" Whitney was taken aback.

Didn't she text saying she was on the hunt for Parker?

Could it be that what she's been up to these past days has nothing to do with Parker after all?

Why did she suddenly leave home, and where to?

Something wasn't adding up.

Growing increasingly anxious, she asked, "Nyx, do you have access to Tiana's account, maybe see if we can track her rides from the past few days?"

"I have access to her work account, but I'm not sure if she used a cab? Let me check that for you, give me a moment." Nyx immediately went to look into it.

After about fifteen minutes, Nyx came back with a troubled look, "Ms. Valentine, Tiana only made one cab payment using this account, and it was from Delight Mansion to Club Nocturne."

"Club Nocturne?" Whitney wasn't familiar with the clubs in Emperor City.

But why would Tiana, a woman, visit a club, a place mostly frequented by men for leisure?

Wait, a camera, tailing someone?

She must have gone there following someone...

But who could she be tailing?

Why would Tiana undertake such a task without telling her? She was usually so chatty, sharing everything with her.

Rubbing her temples, Whitney's mind suddenly flashed back to a memory from a few days ago when Tiana had mentioned Bryce and asked her to wait a few days? At that time, Whitney didn't understand what she was supposed to wait for. Could it be... Tiana was investigating Bryce?

This thought startled her for a moment, but Shane had assured her Bryce was clean... What exactly was Tiana investigating? And she had left home too?

Taking a sip of water, Whitney wrote down Bryce's name on a piece of paper.

Waiting for a half hour, she deliberately called Bryce, "Bryce, I'm in a bit of a bind here, did you find out the location of the brick factory?"

"Sorry, Ms. Valentine, this is Audrey.

Mr. Lutz is tied up in an important meeting, probably won't be free till after three!

He asked me to assist you in any way I can, and to apologize on his behalf that he couldn't locate the brick factory. He'll assist you with your inquiry once he's available." Audrey's professional yet slightly flirtatious tone was particularly grating to Whitney.

Frowning, she suspected Bryce was dodging the issue.

With his resources, it was unlikely he couldn't find a brick factory, and it was too convenient that he had a meeting.

"Alright."

She ended the call abruptly, her emotions sinking. She scrolled through her contacts, stopping at a number without a name.

She didn't want to reach out to Ludwik.

But the situation had changed. And if anyone knew where the brick factory was, it was him.

Taking a deep breath, she made the call.

Almost instantly, the call was answered,

A deep voice floated through the quiet office, "Whitney, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

He seemed pleasantly surprised.

With no time for pleasantries, she said, "Ludwik, do you know where the brick factory is?

Tiana left home three days ago, saying she had a new lead on Parker.

Now I'm not even sure if she made it to the brick factory. I need to check it out myself."

"Tiana went to that brick factory by the coast?" Ludwik sounded surprised.

"She didn't?"

"I don't know. But I had Felix and his team scouting around the factory for clues. If Tiana had gone there, she would've run into Felix, but he didn't mention seeing her." A weight sank in Whitney's heart.

"Don't worry, I'll call Felix to confirm. They have enough people on the ground; if they saw Tiana, they would've informed me."

"Okay, call me back."

She waited anxiously with her phone in hand.

Two minutes later, Ludwik called back, "Whitney, I can confirm Tiana didn't go to the brick factory.

Firstly, she wouldn't have kept new leads from Felix since we're all looking for Parker together.

Secondly, no one saw her near that area."

Boom.

Whitney's heart sank even further.

So, Tiana was actually missing?

Ludwik, sensing her panic, asked, "When did Tiana disappear?"

"Three days ago!"

"Did she leave any message?"

"She did text, saying she was going to the brick factory to look for Parker, mentioned the poor signal by the coast, so I couldn't reach her, didn't think much of it. I tried calling this morning, her phone was off. I was negligent, only to realize that message was off too."

Ludwik squinted, put down his pen, and stood up, his tall frame dominating the room, "Don't panic, Whitney.

It's been over three days; we can report her as missing now.

Here's what we'll do: I'll come pick you up, and we'll head to the police station together to file a missing person report and figure out what's going on."

The word 'missing' threw Whitney into turmoil, but Ludwik's deep, reassuring voice kept her from breaking down, and she didn't refuse, "Okay..."

Ten minutes later, Ludwik pulled up in front of Sheldon Group's office building.

Whitney hurried out to see him leaning against his car, an air of sophistication about him with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cigarette, occasionally taking a drag. His cool, detached demeanor exuded the charm of a mature man. His long legs casually crossed, his entire posture screamed elegance.

Several female employees sneaked peeks at the entrance, whispering as Whitney passed by, "Oh my God, who is that? He's so handsome!"

"Driving a Land Rover, but he makes it look so high-end."

"Especially when he smokes, looks a bit brooding and so attractive!

Wait... is the lady boss walking towards him?"

"Fair is fair, though the lady boss's husband is Mr. Lutz, compared to this guy, Mr. Lutz doesn't even come close. Could this be the lady boss's ex-husband, Ludwik?"

"Looks like it's him... Wow, the Lippert family is down and out, but how is he still so charming?"

Whitney just rolled her eyes, unable to help but glare back at the group of rookies who had just scurried into the company like a swarm of bees.

"Ludwik."

From a distance, the man didn't catch the admiring whispers directed at him. Spotting Whitney, he gracefully extinguished his cigarette, tossing it into the trash with a flick that was nothing short of cool. "Let's go." Whitney glanced at him before getting into the car and turning her gaze to the window.

Soon, they arrived at the police station where an officer was already waiting. "Mr. Lippert."

"These were acquaintances of the Lippert family," Ludwik mentioned, albeit hesitantly. Times had changed, and he no longer had the clout to summon the chief with just a word.

Whitney, however, looked at him with gratitude. "Thank you for arranging this."

"Let's go in, and you can tell me everything about Tiana." Ludwik stood by her side, his hand instinctively shielding her from the bustling crowd as he used to.

Bryce, having heard that Whitney was making a police report and rushing over, caught sight of this scene. The pair looked striking together, a perfect match.

His usually gentle eyes filled with a cold fury, and he called out in a mix of anger and desperation, "Whitney!

How could you be with him?"