Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 784

"Uncle, disaster! Parkie took off on his yacht to find you, and ran into a tempest in the middle of the sea. The GPS shows the yacht capsized. It's highly likely Parkie's gone overboard..." Phineas was on the cliffside of Saltland Island, gazing at the sea, when he suddenly got the call from the security team at the mansion.

Parkie in trouble again?

He immediately headed to the ship's cabin and ordered the captain, "Forget about that toxin hunt, Parkie's in trouble. Turn around, we need to rescue him!" The massive vessel turned back.

In the heart of the sea, amidst a roaring thunderstorm, the waves churned violently.

Phineas's heart clenched at the sight.

Why on Earth did he leave the comfort of the mansion's 'detox' sessions to come find me all of a sudden?

Wasn't it just last time I hauled him back from a sea cliff dive? The poison hadn't even been dealt with, and he was amnesic. How did he end up overboard again? "Stop, there's a yacht over there!" Phineas shouted, waving his hands.

"Yes, sir, we're moving in for the rescue."

"Parkie, you damn fool..."

"Sir, we've spotted Parkie's head bobbing up."

"Hurry!"

With herculean effort, Parker was hauled aboard by the crew and laid out on the deck.

Phineas immediately summoned the doctor, "Check him over, quick! Parkie, are you with us?"

"Ugh...cough, cough." Parker sputtered out seawater, sprawling on the deck, nodding.

His dark, piercing eyes slowly lifted, confusion in his voice, "Uncle, I was shot before I fell into the sea, how did you manage to rescue me so promptly?" "..." Phineas was taken aback.

Hearing what he said, Phineas knelt down, "What are you talking about, Parkie?"

"Did my mother find out I was betrayed by Justin Lippert of the Lippert family and send you to rescue me in her stead?"

Parker continued, more composed.

"Parkie." Phineas was in turmoil, looking into Parker's lucid eyes. His hand still clutched where a bullet had hit him, and Phineas suddenly understood, "Parkie! Have your memories returned?" "Regained my memories?" Parker was puzzled, "Wasn't I just in the sea? I was shot in the chest, still bleeding..."

He looked down, no blood!

Parker frowned, lifted his shirt, and felt a scar from a bullet wound surgery!

That wasn't a fresh wound.

He was bewildered, his narrow eyes deepening, "Uncle, what's going on? Have my wounds healed already? What have I been doing these days?

And Ludwik... I mean, Ludwik ran off with Whitney, leaving me behind. Has he returned to take control in Emperor City now that I'm in trouble? How's the Lippert family doing now?

Though, with you always busy at the Presidential Mansion, you might not be too caught up with the Lippert family's affairs..."

Phineas furrowed his brows, everything Parker mentioned was from before the incident.

His memory had reset to before the accident.

All memory post-sea plunge, the healing, gone?

Phineas glanced at the doctor, "Is it possible he forgot everything that happened in between after regaining his memory?"

"It's possible," the doctor whispered back, "Memory overlap and confusion can occur. The patient regains memories from before the injury but might lose the brief experiences post-injury." Phineas nodded, understanding.

Parker caught on, "So, uncle, you're saying after the shooting and sea plunge, I've already been rescued by you, and I've been recuperating somewhere these days? What's happening now?" "Parkie, after I rescued you, you were bitten by a sea creature and hit your head against a rock during the fall, leading to amnesia.

I had you recuperating on Saltland Island, and we had no effective treatment for the fever you developed.

All this is Ludwik's fault, despite you treating him like a brother, he betrayed you at the crucial moment, almost costing your life.

I've already inquired in Emperor City about the specifics.

Ludwik, that man, has a dubious character, eloping with someone else's bride, leaving you to face the Lippert family's enemies alone. In short, the Lippert family's misfortune is due to their own doings. This matter, I won't let it slide.

Although I met Ludwik at a banquet recently and felt he wasn't as bad as the rumors suggest.

But I decided not to consider him for a partnership; he's not worthy of the Inko Group.

I plan to set up in Emperor City, considering new rising conglomerates like the Patrick Group, the Lutz Group instead."

Parker listened, his gaze narrowing in confusion.

The Patrick Group, which company was that again? Jarvis's?

The Lutz Group, was that Bryce's company?

What exactly was the situation outside, for the Patrick Group and the Lutz Group to become prominent companies?

"Uncle, what's the current state of the Lippert Group?"

Phineas replied coldly, "When I rescued you, I heard the Lippert family lost their chip prototype, allowing their rivals at Weiman Technologies to beat them to market, causing their stocks to plummet, teetering on the edge. Even with Ludwik's return, he couldn't salvage the situation, they're barely hanging on, close to bankruptcy."

"How did it come to this?"

"It just shows Ludwik's lack of business acumen."

"No, uncle!" Parker shook his head, frowning, "The chip loss was due to betrayal within the Lippert family, in cahoots with Jarvis to usurp the family's assets. Ludwik must have returned too late, and with me gone, they couldn't even pin down the culprits." "Did you just say your company, Inko Group, is looking to partner up in Emperor City?

Inko Group is like the hidden titan of Harmonia Country. If you throw Ludwik a bone right now, he's definitely going to leap at the chance.

You can't go into business with the Patrick Group or the Lutz Group, though.

They're Ludwik's rivals, always up to no good, scheming and plotting. That's exactly why Ludwik's in the mess he's in now."

"But you nearly died at sea because of Ludwik."

"Uncle, you've got it all wrong. I was on the phone with Ludwik, begging him to hurry back to the Lippert family.

He agreed to come back.

But then I was suddenly betrayed by Justin of the Lippert family. Outnumbered, I was chased to the sea and shot, falling into the water.

None of that was Ludwik's fault. He was betrayed by Justin too.

But because of my amnesia, I've been recuperating here, leaving Ludwik unable to defend himself.

I bet Jarvis did a number on him." Parker squinted his eyes, a chill passing through his gaze.

Phineas was taken aback, "That girl has been filling my head with this too, lately... Could it be true? Ludwik didn't betray you?"

"Which girl?" Parker asked, clearly puzzled.

Phineas paused for a moment, studying his handsome features, "Parkie, do you really not remember at all? That Melford girl, she appeared out of nowhere in Saltland Island waters, claiming she was looking for you, and then you guys..." "Could it be... Tiana?" Parker's eyes narrowed in confusion, "Tiana came to Saltland Island looking for me?"

"Yeah, she's on Saltland Island right now."