Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 720

Just as Whitney turned around in shock, Bryce's eyes shifted from a cold glare to anger and hurt. "How could you go behind my back and still contact him?"

He strode over, yanked Whitney toward him, and glared at Ludwik.

Ludwik, with a cool and indifferent gaze, slightly squinted and replied, "Which eye of yours saw it was her contacting me? What's wrong if I'm the one reaching out to her?" Whitney's face paled slightly under Bryce's accusation.

But she quickly regained her composure, her gaze turning icy as she slipped her hand from Bryce's grasp. She looked up, struggling to say, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have contacted him. But only Ludwik knows where that old factory is. Before this, I did call you first, asking you to look into it. But you kept saying you couldn't find it, and then suddenly you had a meeting..."

Bryce's expression darkened, realizing he had shot himself in the foot.

He masked his anger with a sigh, "Whitney, you have to understand! I didn't intentionally avoid helping you. Emperor City is huge, with countless factories. I honestly didn't know where it was. The meeting came up all of a sudden, and I rushed over as soon as I heard from Audrey."

Whitney pondered, looking at his earnest face.

"Bryce, maybe you're busy, and I'm not doubting your excuses, but with your resources, can you really not find the factory? Maybe Tiana wasn't even at the factory. Nyx mentioned she was seen at the Velvet Lounge, busy with something else, investigating someone. Bryce, do you know the Velvet Lounge? Could you find out who Tiana was looking into there?"

Whitney's questions were sharp, her gaze fixed on Bryce.

A shiver ran through Bryce at her knowledge of the Velvet Lounge. Her questioning seemed to imply something more.

No, he needed to stay calm.

His eyes showed no sign of disturbance as he feigned surprise, "Ms. Melford is missing? She was investigating someone? I have no idea about that. As for the Velvet Lounge, it's known as a den of vice, but the Lutz Group never entertains there, so I wouldn't know." Whitney mulled this over. Shane had investigated and said Bryce, even when socializing, never took women with him.

His reputation for integrity made her wonder if he really had never been to the Velvet Lounge.

Ludwik, having listened to the conversation, his cold gaze pierced Bryce.

The Velvet Lounge?

He was aware of the place, recently acquired by Jarvis, notorious for its vices, a playground for the city's elite.

Bryce and Jarvis were known to be thick as thieves. His denial of knowing the Velvet Lounge was laughable.

Ludwik smirked, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Mr. Lutz, do you genuinely not know the Velvet Lounge, or are you pretending not to?"

"I said I don't know, and I mean it. What are you implying?" Bryce retorted, visibly irritated.

Whitney also looked toward Ludwik.

The man casually revealed his sharp intuition, "Whitney, you mentioned Tiana visited the Velvet Lounge, possibly to investigate someone. A woman entering such a place is likely checking on her man or a friend's husband. Since Tiana had no boyfriend, it's not far-fetched to assume she might be looking into Mr. Lutz. What could Mr. Lutz possibly be hiding to make Tiana investigate him? Maybe he's not as innocent as he claims, avoiding giving you the factory's location." Ludwik turned his piercing gaze towards Bryce: "Bryce, what are you so afraid of? You just don't want Whitney heading to the factory because she won't find Tiana there, right?"

Bryce was taken aback. Ludwik was dangerously close to revealing the truth.

Whitney was stunned by Ludwik's speculation. Indeed, for a moment, she wondered if Tiana might have been investigating Bryce...

But Ludwik's logic seemed sound. Had Bryce realized and thus deliberately kept the factory's location from her?

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Bryce suddenly erupted, his composed demeanor giving way to fury as he pointed at Ludwik, "Ludwik, enough with your insinuations in front of Whitney. Whitney, I've been trying to help you search! You were just too impatient and went to him instead. If we were to follow his logic, then detectives would be out of a job. Oh, Ms. Melford went to the lounge to check on a friend's man? Ludwik, just say she was investigating me. I have nothing to hide, Whitney, if you have doubts, feel free to investigate me!" He was well aware Whitney had already looked into him and had carefully crafted his facade.

Whitney frowned, her eyes showing a tumult of thoughts.

Bryce, now playing the victim, exclaimed, "Whitney, if you're swayed by his few words of suspicion towards me, then I have nothing more to say. I'm disappointed... After everything I've done for you these past three years. If you think Ms. Melford's case has anything to do with me, fine! Officer, call your chief over here! Tell him the president of the Lutz Group wants a word."

The officer, caught between Bryce and his loyalty to Ludwik of the Lippert family, had no choice but to comply.

Upon hearing that the prestigious Bryce Lutz of the Lutz Group was requesting him, the chief rushed over, ignoring Ludwik and approaching Bryce with a subservient attitude, "Mr. Lutz, how can I assist you today?"

Whitney couldn't help but be disillusioned by the chief's eagerness to please.

As Whitney stood there, dazed, Bryce wrapped his arms around her, and with a tone full of seriousness, he said to the Chief of Police, "My wife's best friend, Miss Tiana, has gone missing. I'm begging you to have your department start an investigation immediately! Track down her whereabouts for the past few days, and don't cut anyone slack.

I'll be fully involved in this case. Oh, and Miss Melford texted my wife saying she was heading to a brick factory by the beach. Please, send a search team to that location ASAP to find Miss Melford."

After he finished speaking, he calmly took Whitney's hand, looking slightly annoyed, "Whitney, are you satisfied now?

You heard me. I got the Chief himself on the case!

If I were a suspect, would I dare throw myself into the lion's den like this?

As for some people, they're just kicking me when I'm down, hoping to drive a wedge between you and me.

Don't fall for it!"

He held her hand tightly, his gaze icily fixed on Ludwik.

Whitney was silent. Indeed, she had been taken aback when Bryce had brought the Chief over. I mean, if Bryce had something to hide, would he really ask the police to investigate Tiana? That's like asking for trouble. He would be doing everything in his power to dissuade her from reporting it, right? The look of injustice on his face didn't seem feigned at all.