Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 959

Whitney glanced at Tiana, who hadn't touched a bite since the wedding festivities yesterday. "Why don't you make a run to Spreadia Herbal Kitchen? Grab a bowl of ginseng and pork loin soup, a cup of raspberry leaf tea, and a fruit platter to go." Parker hesitated, frowning slightly. The Spreadia Herbal Kitchen, well-known for its natural remedy cuisine, was a bit of a trek from their location.

He didn't want to leave Cherry's side, so he asked Whitney, "Isn't there another option?"

"No," Whitney said, her gaze fixed on his handsome features. "It's not just for me; it's for both me and Tiana."

Parker was even more puzzled. "Why does she need such nourishing food?"

She mentioned she had a miscarriage. Shouldn't she be focusing on gentle detoxing instead? The pork loin and raspberry leaf sounded more like they were meant for pregnancy support. Parker wasn't well-versed in holistic medicine; his thoughts were a complex mix, somewhat chilled by the ordeal, unwilling to dwell on the matter of her losing someone else's child.

Whitney gave him a sharp look, "Don't ask so many questions; just go and get it."

Parker cast a glance at Tiana, who hadn't turned around, her sleek black hair concealing her expression.

He left the room in silence, a cigarette tucked between his slender fingers, starting to smoke as he walked down the hallway. Passing nurses, catching sight of this stylish, bespectacled man, didn't dare to stop him. He seemed deeply troubled, his aura icy.

-

At six in the morning, Tiana's mother, Celine, rushed over from the cardiology department.

"What's going on? I heard from the nurses that the hospital admitted a little girl last night, there was a big commotion in the ER, and it turns out it was Cherry!

Tiana, something as serious as your child being kidnapped and you didn't even let me know?"

Celine hurried into the room, her face falling further at the sight of Cherry's unconscious state.

"Mom...the baby's okay, the doctors said there's no danger to her life."

Tiana stood to support her mother, trying to downplay the severity, "She's just exhausted, that's all."

"Is she really okay? Whitney!" Celine was skeptical, turning to Whitney for confirmation.

Whitney had no choice but to lie, "Cherry did indeed suffer some bruises and is resting now."

Standing by the bed, Celine seemed to deflate, her gaze fixed on her granddaughter's bruised face, tears falling silently, "What did the Melford family do to deserve all this trouble?"

"Mom, how's Dad doing?"

Tiana was also drained, having spent the entire night searching for Cherry. She vaguely remembered Ashton mentioning that Parker had confronted Endora to get the remaining half of the antidote, which they had brought to Skyfaith Hospital last night. The memory made her anxious, "Mom, did Dad take that half of the antidote?"

Celine nodded, a trace of comfort in her voice, "Thank goodness for Mr. Doonan! Your father's condition was critical last night, and I couldn't find you. I knew there was trouble at the wedding...

Fortunately, at seven o'clock, Mr. Doonan brought the antidote. He handed it over to the cardiology experts, had a talk with the doctor, and after your father took it, his condition began to show signs of improvement in the early hours. The doctors said it was a good sign. Didn't Whitney manage to find a suitable heart for the transplant?

The doctors decided there was no time to lose; given your father's slight improvement, they proceeded with the heart transplant surgery overnight!

But there was a complication just now; they issued a critical condition notice. I couldn't understand it all, and when I heard you were at the hospital with Cherry, I came straight here to find Whitney."

Whitney stood up immediately, "I get what you're saying. Don't worry; I'll go with you right now to check on Uncle's condition in the cardiology surgery room!"

"Yes! You're also a skilled practitioner of traditional medicine; I was hoping to ask the doctors if they could allow you to check on Mr. Melford!" Celine said, exhausted.

"I'll talk to the doctor." Whitney quickly grabbed her bag.

Tiana was frantic, hurrying to the door, "Mom, I'll come see Dad too..."

"You stay here."

"You need to stay with Cherry."

Celine and Whitney spoke at the same time, with Whitney adding sternly, "Parker isn't here right now, and we can't trust just any caretaker. Have you forgotten Cherry was just kidnapped? Leave your father to me."

Tiana bit her lip, her heart aching with fear that she might not see her father for the last time if his condition worsened.

Whitney seemed to see through her fragile state, "It won't come to that... He has his guardian angel! Besides, Skyfaith Hospital is the most reputable in Banyan City under Ludwik's management, and Parker has brought in so many specialists. There's a good chance the heart transplant will be successful."

Though reassured, Tiana knew the risks were still there.

Tears blurred her vision as she turned to see her still-unconscious daughter, her heart filled with waves of sorrow.

After so much turmoil - her father's predicament, her miscarriage, and Cherry's ordeal - their family felt on the brink of collapse, all due to Endora and Barclay... and Elaine!

A cold fury rose in her eyes as she clenched her fist, "Endora... this time, she must face the consequences."

At seven o'clock, the doctor came for a consultation and to change Cherry's bandages.

Tiana watched as her daughter's tiny hand swelled from the IV needle, her breathing weak, still showing no signs of waking. She felt a mix of heartache and helplessness, "Doctor, why hasn't my daughter woken up yet? Could there be some overlooked danger you haven't noticed?"

The doctor carefully reviewed the patient's files, aware that this was Parker's daughter and sparing no effort in his examination.

However, he found no abnormalities, "The patient's blood tests, brain scans, and organ checks show no issues. The only thing we haven't done is a gastrointestinal exam, which requires the patient to be awake so we can collect samples, in case she ingested something harmful. But for now, there doesn't seem to be a significant problem; a 24-hour coma period is within the normal range. Please, just a little more patience."

It had been 10 hours already.

Tiana couldn't do anything but wait, each second ticking by slowly.

After the consultation, the doctor left the private luxury suite that served as their hospital room. It was clean and spacious. Wanting to keep her daughter comfortable, Tiana hadn't turned on the air conditioning. With summer approaching, the room was quite warm, and sweat covered her forehead.

A faint gnawing pain reminded her she was hungry.

But Parker hadn't returned yet. The distance between Spreadia Herbal Kitchen and Skyfaith Hospital was significant.

Feeling sticky all over, Tiana glanced down and realized she was still wearing the dress from her wedding.

Parker had whisked her away yesterday to a seaside villa, where Winston nearly ended things for her with a single shot. After a night of turmoil, her dress was a wrinkled mess, the white hem stained with dirt, and her neck and chest were sticky with sweat, making her feel both suffocated and uncomfortable.

Perhaps it was the aftermath of the abortion, but she found herself sweating profusely and oddly enough, feeling hungry more often these days.

Seeing her daughter still unconscious, Tiana mustered her energy and headed to the bathroom, hoping to freshen up.