Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 251

After parting ways with Orion, Whitney hopped into her car and immediately opened her text messages, eagerly awaiting Tiana’s current address.

But there was no text. Tiana had backed out.

Whitney sighed. The once fearless Tiana had now become so cautious.

She had no choice but to seek help from Bryce, asking him to dig up some information.

Bryce quickly provided her with a precise address.

After thanking him, Whitney drove off.

As the GPS guided her past the bustling downtown area, the neighborhoods grew shabbier, and she finally pulled up in front of a narrow, dilapidated old building.

Staring at the worn alley and the squalid surroundings, Whitney could not believe Tiana and her parents were hiding in a place like this.

What on earth had happened in the past three years to bring the Melford family to such a state? Taking a deep breath, Whitney got out of the car and slowly entered the building.

Just as she was about to knock, the door swung open, and she came face–to–face with the last person she expected.

Valerie, holding an empty can of baby formula, looked up, and her eyes widened in shock.

The two friends stood there, tears glistening in their eyes.

“Valerie,” Whitney called softly.

“Whit… Whitney?” Valerie dropped the can, her voice trailing off as she turned and called back into the apartment, “Tiana! It’s Whitney! She’s here!”

Footsteps echoed from inside.

Tiana appeared behind the door, her formerly round cheeks now slender, her long hair cut to a bob that brushed her pale shoulders.

The sweet, brash girl Whitney remembered from three years ago had transformed into a quiet, slick woman.

Her features were soft, with a hint of motherly allure, but her eyes lacked sparkle. She looked at Whitney in shock, tears welling up.

Whitney took another deep breath, her lips trembling as she stepped inside without a word.

“Whitney… What are you doing here?”

Tiana quickly wiped her eyes and cautiously glanced outside before swiftly shutting the door.

Chapter 251

carefully observed Tiana and the small two–bedroom

so different from the spacious villa the Melford family once had. Tiana

Tiana, I came back too late. Tell me everything that’s happened to you

snapped out of her daze and embraced Whitney, breaking down. “We thought you were dead! Thank God Bryce got out… He managed to get word to me, and

she feared giving herself away, her wings not yet fully grown. She clenched her fists

okay these three years,” Tiana replied with a placating smile,

worn down and afraid, and it made Whitney’s heart feel as

back now, Tiana, don’t be afraid. I’ll do everything I can to back you up, to restore the Melford family’s glory,”

head in despair. “Whitney, you don’t understand the power of Ludwik Lippert, the

night three years ago and all the subsequent horrors that ensued like a flood of wild beasts, causing her to shake her head almost immediately.

her with sorrow and anger. “Tiana, the three of us have ended up like this all because of Elaine Bartels. You need to tell

feel worse,” Tíana tried to interject.

in her eyes, insisted. “We’ve been cowards for three years because of Elaine’s

but also of Cherry and your parents. The Melford.Group was brought to its knees by a single word from Ludwik, and with Elaine manipulating behind the scenes, you’ve been pushed to the

refuse to believe that

the story of Tiana’s visit to the sanitarium to save you, accusing you both of trying to slander her with a fake kidney donation, saying you deliberately went into early labor to spite Ludwik. That jerk believed it all and turned against you with a

Chapter 251

blacklisted the Melford family, and Elaine quietly ran them into the

but also leaving them with a massive debt. Tiana was so vilified

then. What’s more despicable is that she soon discovered she was pregnant

to this day, after so many men that night, we don’t know who the father

tremble, her face turning a ghastly

continued to hold her, “Ludwik abandoned her to her fate, and Elaine ruthlessly finished them off. Anytime Nolan Fuller and I tried to help Tiana, Elaine would whisper in Ludwik’s ear, and the Fuller Group and our family

too.

pregnant and desperate, somehow found work,

minions.

Melford family ended up hiding

her child, Tiana became increasingly wary, to the point where she wouldn’t even see me. I could only secretly buy some baby formula for Cherry and pick up some

with a fiery red. Her friends were living

Elaine, that woman was a tyrant; her

City. All ruined, a scandal, an unwed mother, three years of ridicule, plummeting from the heavens into

Ludwik had destroyed Tiana’s family and how he completely ignored Elaine’s sins, Whitney’s hatred

gaze was fixed on a specific spot…

then, a baby’s cry emerged from the bedroom.

mommy…” The infant girl’s tender cries

in. “Sweetheart, why