Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 952

Endora blinked through tears, terror gripping her as she glanced at her left hand, trapped in the man's iron grip, threatening to snap her wrist in two. The man's strength and ruthlessness were beyond her worst fears. Trembling, yet defiant, she managed to spit out, "At... at my beach house."

"Let me repeat myself, where is Cherry? What are your people doing to her right now?" Parker's grip tightened as he yanked her to her feet.

Endora thought she could hear the sound of her bones begging for mercy!

But like her lips were sealed by iron, she knew she couldn't speak. Revealing anything meant losing her leverage, and with it, her life.

She stared at Parker, his face as devilishly handsome as ever, the very image she'd obsessed over. But why, despite all her schemes and efforts, did he not love her back?

Instead, his disdain for her only grew, to the point where now, for Tiana, he was ready to end her?

Why!

A fierce unwillingness to die surged through her veins, igniting every angry nerve. Endora laughed, a quiet laugh that grew louder. Her gaze on Parker was haunting as she reached out, longing to touch his jawline.

Parker flinched away in disgust, "You think silence will save you? Let me show you my true colors. You seem to have the wrong impression of me."

Without hesitation, he snapped her left wrist. His steel-toed boots lightly crushed her ankles, one and then the other. Endora's screams filled the room.

Both her ankles were broken.

Her hands, useless.

Now, the woman lay crumpled on the damp floor, a sight no better than a corpse.

"Ah... Parker, you're cruel! But don't worry..."

Clamping her teeth in pain, Endora clung to a sliver of hope. She had something on him, and until her last breath, she wouldn't reveal Cherry's whereabouts. "You'll never find her!

The Doonan family has no solid evidence against me for the forgery I committed. You can't take me to court, haha... By the time you find your little brat, she'll likely have endured the worst at my people's hands. She's just over two, right? Think it over, maybe letting me go is best for everyone!"

"Impossible." Parker, realizing he'd get nothing from her, decided not to waste more time.

This woman, full of schemes and fear of death, was putting up a tough front.

He couldn't deal with her now. Wiping his hands with a towel, he ordered coldly, "Leave her here to fend for herself. Keep an eye on her and the Melford couple!"

With that, he left.

Endora, lying in dirt, her eyes void of hope, trembled as she watched his daunting silhouette disappear. Her plan had failed!

She had followed Elaine Bartels' advice, but she couldn't outsmart Parker. Even with Cherry's life as leverage, he wouldn't budge.

Damn it.

She only hoped Elaine had secured the child well, making her impossible for Parker to find...

With her hands immobile, Endora struggled to bite off a button from her clothes, a hidden communicator between her and Elaine, unnoticed by all.

Using her teeth, she pressed the alarm, signaling Elaine that negotiations had failed. Parker wasn't buying it! She had to ensure Elaine hid the child well, making her impossible for Parker to find. She wasn't done, not yet...

-

By the roadside near the beach-

Whitney Valentine stood watch over Tiana, who was scrutinizing the road's surveillance footage.

The police had arrived early. Ashton Fuller had reported Chris's car accident as intentional, demanding a thorough investigation. After sending Chris to the morgue, he was returning when Parker called.

Ashton perked up, answering, "Did you get anything out of Endora?"

Parker's breath was heavy with unspoken frustration.

Ashton sensed trouble. Even against Parker's methods, Endora resisted. What was this woman hiding?

"Ashton, head to Endora's beach house with me. We need to find the antidote Tiana's dad needs."

"Right, I'm on my way!" Ashton hurried to his car, trying to console Parker, "Don't worry. Tiana's a hacking genius. She's already checking the surveillance along the beach. We'll find Cherry's trail soon. Nothing will happen to such a sweet girl, heaven will watch over her." "I've sent people back to the Doonan Mansion, asking the old man to issue a citywide search. He's agreed."

"That's the spirit! With you and Tiana working together, how can we not find little Cherry?"

Parker clenched his jaw, silent.

He wasn't worried about finding Cherry. His influence in Banyan City was vast; it was only a matter of time.

But he couldn't risk her safety!

Thinking of her bright smile, her sweet voice calling him "Daddy Parker", and her clinging to him, his heart ached. She'd been marked as unwanted since birth, living as Barclay Doonan's illegitimate daughter for two years, bearing untold scorn.

All because he'd been played those years ago, unaware that Tiana had borne his child. It was his fault!

Parker let out a heavy sigh, his lips pressed thinly together. "We have to save Fabian first. I can't let Tiana lose hope again. I owe that woman far too much already."

Ashton was silent for a moment before he too sighed, "At least you realize that now. Tiana, well, she's a good woman. She's wasted half her life on you, man. Went through hell and back to give you a daughter, and you... you've been a dad for three years in silence... Geez, life works in mysterious ways, who knows, maybe it's a blessing in disguise."

Parker reined in his emotions. "Is Whitney keeping her company?"

"Yeah, they're working with the cops, checking surveillance footage and tracking movements. Should have some leads soon.

And don't get me started on Tiana. That woman's tougher than I thought. Figured she'd crumble, but no, for her daughter's sake, she's standing strong, hasn't shed a single tear."

Parker felt a stir in his heart; knowing Tiana, she was just biting down hard, enduring the pain.

He wished nothing more than to find little Cherry and bring her back to Tiana, just to see her smile again.

"Let's hurry."

"Yeah."

At seven in the evening, a half dose of the antidote was delivered to Skyfaith Hospital, handed over to the consulting experts. In less than half an hour, Parker was racing back to the coastal roadside. Meanwhile, Tiana had matched the surveillance footage from various sections of the road and identified the car that had kidnapped Cherry!