Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 983

Last night, she had been waiting for a call from one of Parker's guys, but exhaustion must have taken over, plunging her into a deep sleep.

By the crack of dawn, considering the efficiency of Parker's crew, she was puzzled by the lack of contact.

A wave of unease washed over her, and just as Whitney furrowed her brows in worry, her phone lit up with Ashton's name.

Her frown deepened, and she answered the call with a cool, "Ashton, what's got you up so early?"

"Whitney! I can't believe how cruel and heartless you are, hiring a thug to take out Elaine. Her heart was nearly pierced!" Ashton's voice thundered with rage.

Whitney was momentarily stunned, her sleepy eyes suddenly sharp with suspicion.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, her grip tightening on the phone.

Was there a screw-up on Parker's end?

"You're playing dumb now! Can't you just let Elaine be? Hiring someone to kill her is illegal, Whitney. Even if you have Ludwik on your side, you can't just do whatever you want in Banyan City. The Fuller family won't stand for it, and neither will !!" Ashton was livid, his voice dark and biting, "Elaine's hanging by a thread. And I don't get it, why push her so far?

She's already at her breaking point!

She even admitted her mistakes to me, expressing shame for her past actions and a desire to make amends. Now, with nowhere to go and her parents ill, she thought of returning to Banyan City to find a way to survive. Maybe she hoped to turn to me, owing her life and all. That makes sense to me.

And you know what?

I made it clear to her last night that I'm done. After sending a final text, she even replied, saying she'd leave Banyan City once she got better.

I had no intention of getting entangled with her anymore. My heart's not in it.

So what are you so worried about? If your grudge against Elaine is because of Valerie, then you're just meddling.

And if it's about holding onto past grievances, then I'd say you're being petty!

She's barely hanging on to life as it is. Isn't that enough for you? Yet, you conspire with Parker, showing no humanity at all."

Whitney listened to his barrage of accusations, her head spinning with anger.

"Hold on," she interjected, her lips pressed into a thin line, her brows knitting together in frustration. "Who stabbed her heart?"

"The person you hired! And that hitman was one of Parker's, damn it..." Ashton was fuming.

Whitney's frown deepened, a cold laugh escaping her, "Ashton, think for a second. As a law-abiding citizen, would I really orchestrate a murder?

I wanted to scare Elaine off, make her leave Banyan City for good, but I never ordered anyone to stab her heart. Are you just taking her word for it?" "If it wasn't your goon who stabbed her, are you suggesting she did it to herself?

Come on, use some common sense. Who would risk their own life like that? Elaine was inches from death. Do you think she'd stab herself?"

Ashton ranted on, but Whitney's mind raced with speculation.

It seemed Parker's guy had botched the job.

Or perhaps, Elaine, in her twisted way, had gone too far.

Indeed, who would gamble with their life like that? Yet, Elaine was that exception, recalling how three years ago, she had 'donated a kidney' to gain Ludwik's unwavering trust, only to frame Whitney for Natalie's plight. Elaine was dangerously cunning.

Whitney inhaled sharply, a cold smirk playing on her lips, "A woman so adept at playing the victim for her gain, do you think she'd miss by an inch and actually kill herself? Elaine's banking on your disbelief.

You can't believe she'd harm herself, so in your eyes, she's already won.

I'm telling you, last night, she was the one who took things too far, not my guy."

"The fact you're still arguing proves my point. You've admitted to wanting her out of Banyan City!"

"I won't deny that, but stabbing her heart? That's entirely her drama to win you back. Look, she succeeded, didn't she?" Whitney scoffed.

Ashton, frustrated and unconvinced, countered, "I've already decided to cut ties with her, and she's not as shameless as you think. She said she'd leave Banyan City.

Things were looking up until you and Parker interfered. Now, she's in surgery, fighting for her life, and I can't just abandon her, especially not when you're out to get her."

"Me, heartless and cruel?" Whitney was livid, clenching her fists, "Ashton, after everything Elaine did to me three years ago, are you blind and deaf to her malice? And now, when I stand up for myself, I'm the villain? I'm just settling scores.

It's laughable, really. You believe her promise to leave Banyan City? Ever heard of a strategic retreat or advancing by pulling back? Look, she's using this situation to cling to you once again."

Ashton paused, still unable to fathom someone risking their life in such a manner. Not Elaine, not anyone. But Whitney's portrayal of Elaine as a monster, recalling how Valerie's discontent grew under Whitney's influence, left him bewildered. Elaine's survival now seemed like a crime to Whitney's unreasonableness.

"Let me make this clear, Whitney. As long as I'm in Banyan City, you won't lay a finger on her. I owe her that much!"

Whitney bit her lip, wanting to say more, but Ashton had hung up in a fury.

Staring at the dial tone on her phone, Whitney's brows furrowed deeper as she pondered over the situation. She was about to call one of her aides to ask what exactly had happened last night. How could someone so competent fall into Elaine's trap? That's when Parker's call came through.

Whitney took a brief half-second breath before answering, already anticipating the conversation. "Let me guess, Ashton reached out to you too?"

"Yeah, he's livid," Parker replied, his voice laced with annoyance. "Elaine told him straight up that the hitman was from my Doonan Group. He accused me and you of ganging up on poor, helpless Elaine, calling her a defenseless invalid! What a joke," Parker scoffed, clearly irritated. "He's practically at the brink of turning against me!"

Whitney let out a cold sigh. "Who would've thought Elaine would go as far as to get herself killed, that wicked woman."

"Now Ashton's feeling sorry for Elaine, thinking we're all plotting against her. This might just backfire and have him defending her even more," Parker said, his voice cold.