Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 782

Over there.

Whitney was driving aimlessly, suddenly realizing she had nowhere to go.

Covered in bruises, she couldn't show up at her uncle's, and Tiana had vanished off the face of the earth.

As for Ludwik... she didn't even want to think about him.

Eventually, she parked her car in the underground garage of Sandy's employee housing.

The apartment was one Whitney had arranged through the Sheldon Group, and Sandy lived there alone.

After ringing the doorbell, a sleepy Sandy came to the door. Seeing Whitney's swollen face, she gasped in shock, "Sis, who did this to you?!"

Whitney didn't answer her question but walked in tiredly, "I need to use your shower. I'll stay here tonight so my uncle's family won't worry." Sandy, mouth still agape with questions, watched as Whitney disappeared into the bathroom.

The mirror reflected Whitney's torn black dress, hastily left without even a coat in her rush to escape.

Noticing the red marks on her arm, her eyes reddened, and her heart grew cold.

Why had things turned sour with Bryce?

Initially, she was serious about making their marriage work. Perhaps everything changed after Ludwik kidnapped her to the island. That's where the seed of their rift was planted.

Ever since her return, she couldn't genuinely reciprocate Bryce's affections, always evading, unable to truly accept him.

That must have infuriated Bryce.

She admitted to herself that she was also at fault...

"Sis! It wasn't Bryce, was it?"

Sandy, waiting by the bathroom door, finally saw her emerge, holding some ointments, remembering Whitney had left with Bryce earlier that evening...

Sandy grew furious, "Not saying anything means yes, right? Why would Bryce lay a hand on you?

Did he find out about you and Ludwik in the restroom?"

"Ronan told him," Whitney said weakly, collapsing onto the couch and hugging her legs.

"Just because Ronan said something, he believes it? Ronan had no proof. Besides, couldn't you have lied?" Sandy was both angry and surprised, noticing the deep bruises on Whitney's legs, "Sis, you didn't lie, did you?" "I didn't want to lie about it."

Whitney murmured in distress, her eyes dropping coldly, "Sandy, Bryce called me cheap, and he wasn't wrong. I did do something tonight that wronged him..."

"That's not how you should see it, though." Sandy, knowing Whitney was morally compromised but still firmly on her side, reasoned, "Given Ludwik's urgent condition, it's not like you could have taken him to the hospital. After all, he's your ex-husband; you couldn't just leave him to die.

Besides, Tiana mentioned that you and Bryce... haven't really been together since you got married.

I didn't get it before, but now I think I do.

Maybe you're still accustomed to Ludwik, and accepting another man feels wrong to you."

Whitney scoffed at Sandy's attempt to justify her actions, "Stop trying to comfort me."

If being kidnapped to the island by Ludwik was against her will, then tonight... she voluntarily helped him.

Seeing him in such pain and physically impaired, she couldn't be heartless.

It was instinctual...

Maybe she was doomed to be caught in Ludwik's vile whirlpool for life.

"Alright, then I won't comfort you," Sandy shrugged helplessly, her pretty eyes cold with warning, "But sis, domestic violence is a cycle. It happens once, and it will happen again.

The rift between you and Bryce is permanent now.

I shouldn't be encouraging separation, but I have zero tolerance for domestic abusers, and I believe you do too.

Bryce doesn't seem like a good man after all."

Sandy was visibly upset, clenching her fists, "I used to think highly of him as a brother-in-law. He seemed so gentle and cultured, but him hitting you is terrifying.

And... I heard from Mr. Nelson tonight, Bryce has been cozying up to Mr. Nelson, trying to learn about Chairman Phineas's preferences. It looks like he's not only trying to win over Ronan but also aiming to sway Phineas, who holds a higher position." Whitney froze.

She hadn't expected Bryce to be so ambitious, even trying to win over Phineas, whom Ludwik was negotiating with.

"Huh, Bryce is more complex than we thought. Even Mr. Nelson said with a smile that Bryce's ambition might be too big," Sandy observed.

Whitney's eyes flickered.

After tonight, she had seen Bryce's unknown violent side.

With such grand ambitions, what were his intentions towards her?

Whitney now doubted his declarations of love, waiting years just to marry her to fulfill a wish.

She felt utterly lost.

It was time to start digging into Tiana's disappearance. Maybe Tiana knew something?

-

Saltland Island.

Tiana was trapped in Parker Doonan's bedroom for three whole days.

Three days!

She hadn't left the room, let alone the bed.

Parker had his way with her no less than ten times.

By the end, Tiana felt like a lifeless rag doll, weak and listless on the bed, nursing her wounds.

Meanwhile, Parker's fever seemed to improve day by day.

His eyes cleared, the corners lit with a lively charm, and his lips curved in a satisfied, wicked smile.

His body, too, seemed energized, muscles finely tuned from the continuous "exercise."

Tiana was nearly driven to madness.

Why was she suffering so much, her legs trembling, her body no longer her own, while he seemed to thrive?

Clearly, she didn't even have the strength to curse at him.

After drifting in and out of consciousness, she saw the satisfied man sleeping next to her in the morning light. A sliver of hope sparked in her as she weakly tried to get out of bed, desperate for something to eat.

She was starving.

But then, suddenly, a pair of legs from under the blankets wrapped around her.

Parker's lean, callused hands immediately clasped around her injured waist, pulling her into his embrace with a twist as smooth as tying a satin ribbon. Without his glasses, his narrow, peach-blossom eyes seemed half-awake, exuding an irresistible charm. His usually sharp features softened slightly, though his actions remained as forceful as ever.

With a swift movement, he had her pinned beneath him, lifting her trembling ankles...

"What, what are you trying to do now?"

Tiana's face flushed a deep red as she looked down at her feet in his grasp, her voice a mix of anger and impending tears, "Parker, you beast, stop it right now! Touch me again, and I swear I'll castrate you!"

"Just one last time."

His voice was a husky whisper as he buried his face in the crook of her fragrant neck.

"Stop!" In a desperate bid for help, Tiana could only scream, 'Is there nobody out there? Phineas, please come see what your damned nephew is up to! He's about to be the death of me, and nobody's here to stop him. Have you all turned a deaf ear to my screams these past three days? I'm practically dead here, and next, he'll be defiling my corpse. Parker, you bastard, can't you give me a moment's peace? Oh, please...'

Parker's face was a picture of frustration at her outburst.