Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 813

In the three days and nights spent on Saltland Island, she experienced moments that would etch into her memory forever, unforgettable and haunting.

Yet, she had resolved to bury that chapter of her life deep within, aware that even if she were to reveal it, to tell him about the child she bore with his brother, it would change nothing between them... "Parker-what on earth are you talking about?" Tiana's voice was laced with bitterness, as she threw him a feigned look of disbelief.

Parker gazed at her, noticing how her lips were a perfect contrast against her pale complexion, his heart swelling with an unexplained sweetness, nearly causing him to slam the brakes in distraction. Damn, why was he fantasizing about Tiana in such a manner?! The vividness of his thoughts startled him.

Since she had denied it all.

He awkwardly ceased the stream of images in his mind, "You-just take it as me talking nonsense! I don't even know what I'm rambling about, how could I... I mean, I'm engaged."

"Exactly," Tiana's heart felt as if it had been struck, forcing a smile as she looked down, "You're engaged. And it wouldn't matter what I did with any other man, it certainly wouldn't involve you. My daughter with your brother is already over two years old." A cold bucket of reality drenched Parker from head to toe, waking him up from his stupor.

He had harbored a confusing affection for Tiana, always overlooking one critical fact: she had been 'tainted' by Barclay, had borne a child.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line of cold disapproval.

"There's no need to keep reminding me of what happened with my brother! Tiana, I really don't get you. Do you enjoy being mistreated, wanting to marry Barclay?"

Tiana's fingers clenched, offended by his words and tone, a cold laugh escaping her, "What if I do? What business is it of yours?"

"Right, it's none of my business. We have nothing to do with each other!"

Parker was equally infuriated, his brow furrowed in frustration. Before his disappearance, he had rescued Tiana and her daughter from Jarvis, their relationship growing closer, even ambiguously so.

But why, upon regaining his memories and returning, did he feel Tiana acting strangely towards him?

As if she was deliberately keeping her distance?

"Parker, just drive, stop arguing with her."

From the backseat, Ludwik, looking exhausted and with sweat beading his forehead, urged Parker on with a hoarse voice.

Parker snapped back to reality, no longer glancing at Tiana... and stepped on the accelerator.

Finally arriving at Ludwik's mansion, he quickly carried Whitney, who was nearly unconscious, into the house.

In the nursery, Danny and Sammy were wide awake, the commotion prompting them to rush downstairs.

Seeing their mother in such a dire state, Danny was horrified, "Daddy, what happened to Mommy?!" "She's hurt."

"Is it Bryce again?" Danny's voice was filled with anger and panic as he hurried alongside Ludwik, "What do we do now, Daddy? Why didn't you take Mommy to the hospital? She looks like she might die!"

"Cough, Danny, your daddy will save your mommy," Parker tried to reassure the little guy.

"But Daddy's not a doctor, how can he save her?"

"Let's just say, your mommy needs your daddy now," Tiana interjected awkwardly, trying to explain.

Danny nodded, "Oh, then I want to help too! Daddy, what's your plan?"

Seeing the little one's tearful determination, Parker and Tiana exchanged a silent look of disbelief.

Ludwik, with a twitch in his brow, interjected, "Danny, stay out of this. I'm taking your mommy upstairs, and I don't want either of you coming up to disturb us tonight."

"Why? I'm worried about Mommy too!" Danny protested with tears.

"Enough," Sammy intervened, unusually stern.

Though he was as confused, he remembered a past incident at the South Inn when Daddy had to spend a whole night 'fighting' with Mommy after Elaine had given him something, and it was only their time alone that made him better. He somehow understood that only their parents being together could solve this crisis.

Seeing his mommy's injuries, his anger towards Bryce, the scumbag who dared to hurt her again, boiled over. This time he had wanted to help, but was rebuffed by his mommy, and without Ryder's updates, they were unaware of her dangerous situation. Thankfully, Shane's timely warning and Tiana and Mr. Doonan's return had allowed them to intervene before it was too late at Bryce's mansion.

Bryce... Sammy swore in his heart, having been deceived once, but now, he wouldn't let that scumbag off easily again!

Upstairs, as soon as Ludwik closed the bedroom door, Whitney clung to him like a serpent, losing all control, even scratching her own skin in desperation. Ludwik, terrified, tried to calm her with kisses, "Whitney, calm down. Damn it, Bryce, what did you give her?" No doubt, she was in a worse state than before, her condition resembling a severe drug reaction, agitated and breathless.

He gently laid her on the bed, tenderly removing her remaining clothes...

The night stretched on, endlessly tormenting until her breathing finally steadied with the dawn approaching.

Ludwik ceased his ministrations, his body covered in sweat and scratches, even his jaw bearing marks of her teeth... The room filled with a charged, peculiar atmosphere.

Opening the window to let in fresh air, he dialed Parker with a hoarse voice, "Parker, get a doctor here. She's not waking up, and I fear the drugs might have damaged her organs, possibly leading to failure." "Right away, Ludwik!"

After hanging up, Ludwik changed the sheets for the fourth time, sitting by the bed, gently caressing Whitney's pallid yet beautiful face, "Whitney..."

A knock at the door. It was Tiana, "Ludwik, it's morning. How is Whitney?"

Ludwik, now dressed, opened the door slightly, his expression grim, "She hasn't woken up yet."

"What's going on here?" Tiana couldn't help but worry. Normally, once the antidote took effect, the woman should've been feeling better and waking up naturally.

Then, something clicked in her mind, and she looked at Ludwik with disdain. "Could it be that you messed up, unable to act as the proper antidote? Ludwik, if you couldn't handle it, why didn't you take her to the hospital last night? You might have missed her golden window for treatment!" Ludwik's handsome features immediately darkened, his brow furrowing so fiercely it looked like it might split. His words came out through gritted teeth, "Who says I couldn't handle it? Maybe you should check yourself whether I 'took care' of her or not." Adapting the scenario to a more Western context, the original concern about the antidote and the insinuation about Ludwik's ability to 'administer' it could be likened to a more universally understood situation of someone not taking proper care after a night of potential mishap, with the hospital replacing the traditional remedy route, and the dialogue reflecting a more colloquial and confrontational interaction typical of Western narratives.