Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 975

"Heh." A cold, mocking laugh slipped through his lips, chilling to the bone.

The man's strikingly handsome face was frozen in anger as he poured himself a drink, his long fingers gripping the glass tightly. "She killed my son! I can never forgive her, so save your breath."

"Is that so?" Whitney, running on fumes after several hectic days, leaned slightly against the wall, her gaze icy as she arched an eyebrow and casually dropped a bombshell. "If that's the extent of your resilience, then I'm not interested in telling you that your son is still very much alive. If you're going to be unforgiving, I might as well take Tiana and get as far away from here as possible."

"You wouldn't dare!" Parker slammed his glass down and stood up, his imposing height now charged with rage at her provocation. But then, his eyes darkened with confusion. "Wait! What did you just say? My son is still alive, Whitney? What are you talking about?" Faced with his sudden fury, Whitney couldn't help but smirk, her demeanor more relaxed and teasing. "You're the one who drowns his sorrows in booze and runs from his problems, unable to forgive Tiana. Why should I tell you anything? You deserve to be kept in the dark. I'm leaving."

She feigned a turn to leave, not at all the straightforward type like Tiana.

Parker took a step closer, his frustration palpable. "Don't you move!"

His voice was a low roar, hoarse from the alcohol, eyes sharpening from a drunken blur to focused anger. "Explain yourself. Don't play games with me, not with this. What do you mean, 'my son is still alive"?"

Seeing the genuine shock and desperation in his face, Whitney paused, her gaze softening as she studied his handsome features, now marred by genuine grief. It was clear he truly cared about the child Tiana was carrying, and his whole demeanor seemed to crumble. She sighed inwardly, deciding to be straightforward. "Literally what it sounds like. Tiana was indeed set on terminating the pregnancy. She had even scheduled an appointment at Skyfaith Hospital with the OB-GYN on that decisive day. Watching her so defeated, I felt lost too. But in the end, I couldn't bear the thought of you two finally overcoming everything only to lose your child. So, I secretly convinced the doctor to fake the procedure. I was afraid of facing a moment like this-both of you heartbroken." "What... Whitney?" Parker's voice, usually so firm, cracked with emotion, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of relief and incredulity. "You're unbelievable. So, you're saying my son is still... in her womb? Growing into a healthy little guy?" His expression brightened visibly, the excitement flushing his face as if he were a child on Christmas morning. He rushed over, gripping Whitney's arms, needing confirmation. "Say it's true! Tell me I'm not dreaming, Whitney, you're a godsend! But why the hell did you keep this to yourself until now? You made me lash out at Tiana, damn it!"

"What do you mean, 'why'? You're blaming me now?" Whitney rolled her eyes at his misplaced anger. "Tiana doesn't know I interfered because if she did, she might have tried again. And besides, with all the chaos, including surgery for Tiana's father and dealing with Elaine's mess, when was the right time? Just the other day, Tiana fainted, and I thought to wait until she woke up to tell her first. How was I to know you'd rush to marry her, only for her to share a twisted truth with you?"

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am." Parker's anger deflated under her glare, and he quickly switched to a more appeasing tone, even pretending to slap himself in a gesture of contrition. His mood lifted visibly. "This is fantastic. Whitney, you're practically a matchmaker for us, a modern-day Cupid. Here, this drink's to you, our son's guardian angel. And when he's born, you're officially his godmother!"

"You're getting ahead of yourself, acting all fatherly already. What if it's not a boy, Parker? Look at you, all excited," Whitney teased, unimpressed.

Yet, watching his unabashed joy, she felt a twinge of envy for Tiana.

Parker, unlike Ludwik, had a different air about him. As the head of the Doonan Group, he was ruthless in business but retained a certain wildness, an adventurous spirit that Ludwik, with his eternal poker face, could never match.

With her thoughts on Ludwik's perpetual sternness, Whitney fixed Parker with a stern look. "Calm down, will you? Your son's safe in Tiana's womb for now, but have you thought about her? She's been through so much lately, looking like a ghost of herself, even fainting the other day. I could tell her pregnancy's taking a toll on her. And yet, you wake up and start with your accusations and hatred. From her perspective, telling you she lost the child was her being responsible. She didn't want you to find out later and suffer more."

"But what about you? You didn't even try to understand the helplessness she felt facing all that alone. She didn't want to go through with the abortion, it was the last thing she wanted, do you get that?"

"I... I..." Parker was at a loss for words, his regret consuming him in an instant.

"You don't get it! Men are so selfish. Your woman goes through with an abortion, and you act as if she's committed the ultimate betrayal. Did you ever stop to think about her desperation? Oh, and you're about to marry Endora. Did you expect her to bear the shame and secretly carry your child to prove her love for you? Hypocrite!"