Love Beyond the Mask

Chapter 82

Parker decided to drop by unannounced in the suburban club to check on his property. His long strides

carried him leisurely down the path, his rnind barely registering the task Ludwik had mentioned earlier.

However, as he passed a certain private lounge, a woman’s cry echoed from within, a sound oddly

familiar.

The refined glint behind his rimless glasses sharpened with curiosity.

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What a coincidence, he mused.

Parker signaled to his men with a smirk that did not quite reach his eyes.

With a forceful kick, the door was flung open.

The dimly lit interior was spacious. Parker sauntered in, pulling back the curtains to reveal a chaotic

scene on the bed, his eyes flashing coldly. He glanced at the scantily clad woman screaming for help,

then leisurely removed his suit jacket and tossed it down at her.

“Pa–Parker.” Tiana looked up, her small face a mask of terror and confusion.

Parker’s men quickly overpowered the three thugs.

His cigarette dangled from his lips as he strolled over and planted his foot on the waistband of one

scoundrel’s jeans. The cultured outline of his face, accentuated by his glasses, contrasted with the

sinister aura emanating from beneath those lenses.

Tiana watched as his cigarette slowly lowered, lighting the crotch of the three men on fire, his foot

pinning them down as they began to wail in agony.

Meanwhile, he did not even flinch the slightest.

Parker finally lifted his foot only when the smell of singed cloth filled the air.

Tiana was paralyzed with shock, the threat she had faced moments before from almost getting raped

paling in comparison to the dread now gripping her.

Staring at the man’s sophisticated profile, she trembled. Was this man a demon?

The thugs, their jeans in tatters, crawled away in terror.

Parker stood up, his hand nonchalantly pocketed, and glanced at the bed. Frowning, he scolded his

men, “Turn around.”

After a moment, he realized that the girl on the bed seemed petrified.

Why was she scared? He had not even shown a fraction of Ludwik’s brutality.

With a mockingly amused look, Parker said, “Kid, how long are you going to stare? I gave you my

jacket to cover yourself.”

Tiana snapped back to reality with a shiver. Kid? What did he mean by cover…

Then, she suddenly realized her exposed collarbone and quickly covered herself with a scream of

indignation. “Parker, you saved me, but how can you be so rude? Who are you calling a kid?”

Her anger made her chest swell in defiance.

Parker’s eyes darkened. Did she even realize she was revealing her lace? He suppressed a snicker.

“Quite a plain view.”

Tiana’s face burned with shame. She would have given him a piece of her mind if she were not bruised

and feverish.

Unable to stand, Parker scooped her up with a look of disgust and carried her out to his car. She

seemed off, and he realized she must have been forced to drink some kind of aphrodisiac

Once in the car, she clung to him like a kitten, inching closer until she shamelessly crawled onto his lap.

The driver chuckled.

Parker’s patience wore thin. Despite his scholarly appearance, his muscular build made a comforting

cradle for Tiana, and she seemed too comfortable to even care about the blood trickling down her face.

She fidgeted, then forrowed her brow. “Could you remove the keys from your pocket…

Parker, who had always been calm even in the face of storms, suddenly stiffened, his expression

awkward.

With a frosty glare, he pushed the intrusive woman away, convinced her shamelessness had led to this

‘‘accident.‘

“Drive faster!”

Sometime later, he left Tiana at the hospital and did not look back.

As dawn approached, Whitney received a call from Simon.

She opened her eyes swiftly to find a nurse by her bedside, probably called in by the doctor. She

looked away silently.

Simon reported that Tiana had been found and was now in the same hospital as her. Thus, Whitney

rushed to the fifth floor of the inpatient department.

At the room’s entrance, Simon was already there, his voice filled with sympathy. “Take it easy. Tiana’s

hurt, but she’s in one piece…”

Whitney burst into the room. “Tiana!”

Awakened from her stupor, Tiana, hooked up to an IV, her medication wearing off, opened her eyes in

fear. “No, don’t come any closer…”

Whitney’s heart clenched at the sight. What had Tiana gone through? She grabbed Tiana’s hand,

saying gently, “Tiana, Tiana…”

Recognition slowly dawned on Tiana, and a chill fell across her face. She yanked her hand free.

“What’s wrong, Tiana?” Whitney’s eyes began to water.

Tiana, pale and bitter, mockingly retorted, “What’s wrong? I almost fell victim to Gunner and Stella’s

scheme. You knew, didn’t you? Stella said you were aware of their affair. Why did you keep it from me?

You made me look like a fool! Or do you not care about how I feel…”

Whitney was stunned for a moment. “She found out?” She thought.

With her eyes lowered, she whispered, “Tiana, I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just worried you might…”

“You did it on purpose! And that’s why I got humiliated today! Do you have any idea how I felt when I

saw Gunner and Stelle having sex? My heart shattered into pieces! I even ended up almost being

defiled by them! Whitney, I’m so disappointed in you…” Tiana was too infuriated even to realize how

hurtful her words were.

Whitney recoiled, her heart pierced by the accusation.

Simon intervened, chiding Tiana for upsetting Whitney. “Stop saying such things. Whitney was beaten

in jail, and she’s been searching for you ever since she got out. She was worried sick!”

Tiana faltered, noticing Whitney’s frailty and the bruises peeking under her sleeve.

Regret and pain collided within her, and her body stiffened.

The next moment, Whitney approached and embraced her, her voice filled with remorse. “I’m sorry,

Tiana. I was afraid you couldn’t handle it, so I cowardly kept silent. I never imagined they would hurt

you so badly. I’m to blame…”

The gentleness in her voice thawed Tiana’s frosty heart.

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Damn it, Whitney was hurt too. Why had she allowed Stella’s words to provoke her?

Tiana’s tears flowed freely as the twe sugged.

After hugging for some time, Whitney tentatively asked, “Not mad anymore?”

Wiping her tears, Tiana glared. “Mad, yes. But I won’t let Stelia’s betrayal shake our bond.”

Whitney broke into a relieved smile. Learning of Tiana’s humiliation at the Lutz family’s hands, her fists

clenched with resolve. “You must be heartbroken. I won’t let them get away with what they’ve done

today.”

Tiana let out a wry chuckle tinged with self–derision. “I’ve totally given up on that jerk. I swear I’ll get

even. What’s with our luck, Whitney? It’s like we’ve both been cursed…”

Simon was silent, awkwardness hanging in the air like a thick fog.

Tiana’s face suddenly flushed with anger as she shot up. “I’m talking about you, you deadbeat! Why

don’t you just get the hell out?”

She pulled back Whitney’s sleeve, revealing a patchwork of alarming bruises. Her eyes reddened with

tears as she looked towards the door, puzzled. “Where’s L? You’re hurt this bad and pregnant, too.

Why isn’t he looking after you?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Whitney stiffened at the mention of his name, and her eyes glossed over with tears almost immediately.

Simon spoke with a hint of scorn, “Don’t even mention that guy. I was the one who rushed Whitney to

the ER. She was throwing up in the restroom because of the pregnancy, and he barged in with some

chick. He started beating on me without even asking what was going on, nearly hurt Whitney even

worse, and said some really nasty stuff to her. It’s a mess.”

Tiana’s jaw dropped; this did not match L’s usually reserved and dignified temperament at all.

She squinted suspiciously at Simon. “Stop making things up. Get out. I want to talk to Whitney alone.”

Simon, his face ashen, stormed out.

Tiana, her heart aching for her friend, gently urged Whitney to sit down. She asked carefully, “Whitney,

is there a chance L misunderstood something between you and Simon?”