Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 908

Whitney was a force to be reckoned with, her demeanor cool and determined as she made call after call from the back of the car, leveraging her extensive network. Sure enough, her efforts bore fruit.

By ten in the morning, Tiana was granted her wish to see Fabian.

He was locked up in a dingy cell at the detention center, crammed with a dozen other inmates. Among them, the elderly and the sick could hardly find peace. When Fabian emerged, limping and moving with difficulty,

Tiana's heart shattered. Tears filled her eyes as she took in the sight of her father, his lip bloodied, clearly having been "cleaned up" before meeting her.

The other inmates must have beaten him, targeting areas the clothes would hide from their view.

Tiana gripped Whitney's arm, a resolve hardening within her. "Whitney, I can't let my dad stay in jail. I can't let him die at the hands of these people."

"Don't worry, just try to stay calm, Tiana," Whitney said, feeling her pain.

"Only one family member is allowed to visit," announced the officer.

Reluctantly, Whitney stood up and left.

Tiana sat down across a table from her father, her tears flowing freely. "Dad... Daddy..."

Seeing his daughter, Fabian's eyes reddened too, overwhelmed by a surge of emotions before his demeanor turned cold, his gaze piercing as if trying to see through Tiana.

When he focused on her belly, Tiana felt as if her heart was being seared over flames, the discomfort and pain unbearable. "Dad..."

She reached out, but Fabian wouldn't take her hand, turning away as his lips trembled. "Tiana, tell me, are you pregnant or not?"

"Dad, listen to me..."

"Is what Thomas said true? That you're carrying Barclay's child again? How could my own daughter live such a disgraceful life? God, I can't believe it. Tiana, if you abort Barclay's bastard, I'll plead guilty. I'll spend my life in prison. I'm too ashamed to face anyone, and I won't face our ancestors in death!" Fabian cursed, clutching his chest in agony.

Tiana was in agony, trying to reach out to him as tears scalded her eyes. She shook her head, sobbing, "Dad, please, don't torment yourself. It's my fault, all my fault. This child isn't Barclay's, it's not..."

"Then whose is it? Why did you get pregnant, Tiana? My heart aches! After all the suffering you went through three years ago, why didn't you learn from it and live a decent life, to make the people of Banyan City respect you again? Why?!" Fabian slammed the table, deeply disappointed.

His life's humiliations were all because of her, his daughter.

Biting her lip nearly to the point of bleeding, Tiana couldn't speak. After all, she couldn't reveal the child's father.

Revealing it would only anger her father further.

To Fabian, the Doonan family was a thorn in his side. Any connection with the Doonans was unbearable for him.

"Dad, I'm so sorry! Please, you must take care of yourself here. Stay calm; your heart can't take any more stress. I won't let you stay here long. I'll prove your innocence and get you out. Whitney's back, and she's got connections. We'll get you out, I promise."

"Just go," Fabian said, his voice weary as he held his aching chest, unwilling to look at his daughter. But his trembling lips finally formed the words, "You're not married; you shouldn't be pregnant. No matter what, I hope you and Cherry can live decently and marry into a good family. If you are pregnant, get rid of it." Tiana licked her dry lips, knowing her father loved her deeply. Holding back tears, she touched her flat belly, her indecision turning into resolve. "Okay, I promise. I'll do it."

Perhaps, to her father, this child would always be a disgrace, a "fatherless" shame.

Even if it pained her deeply, she had to let the child go.

"Before we leave, how many times did you hit Thomas on the head?" Tiana asked, seeking clarity.

Fabian, recalling the blur of the fight, his eyes reddening. "Five, I think. The first hit was on the forehead. Thomas knocked me down and kicked my chest. I defended myself and hit him a few more times on the side of his head."

"So, you didn't hit the back of his head? Are you sure?"

"No," Fabian shook his head, "I was facing him. My arms aren't that long; I couldn't reach the back of his head. Thomas was young and strong... He shouldn't have died from a few blows. He was conscious when he fell... Maybe it was fate, sometimes a light hit can kill a person."

"It wasn't fate, Dad!" Tiana's denial was firm. "I suspect Thomas was still alive when he was taken to the hospital, maybe just severely concussed. He died there... Which means, there might be another cause of death!" "What?" Fabian looked up, confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Dad, you and Frank were targeted by Thomas. This has something to do with the Doonan family..." Tiana stopped herself, knowing mentioning the Doonans and Barclay's involvement would only worry her father more.

"I can't explain everything right now, but Whitney and I will figure out a way to get you out of this mess. You won't be left carrying the can for something you didn't do. You've got to keep your chin up, and if you're feeling any chest pain, you tell the guards straight away, okay?" "Yeah." Fabian furrowed his brows, looking at his daughter with a mix of worry and suspicion. He had this nagging feeling she wasn't telling him the whole story, keeping him in the dark about a lot.

Their brief visit was hastened to an end by the guard's insistence.

Once outside, Tiana filled Whitney in, "The cops botched the investigation at the scene. My dad said he didn't land a lethal blow on Thomas. Thomas dying in the hospital is fishy, Whitney, and it's all the Doonan family stirring the pot!" "The Doonan family?" Whitney had just returned to Banyan City and was out of the loop on the case details.