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

that was so different from the spacious villa the Melford family once

fell from Whitney’s eyes as she looked at the pair, her voice hoarse. “I’m sorry, Tiana, I came back too late. Tell me everything that’s happened to you in these past

back!” Valerie finally 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 I knew you

she feared giving herself away, her wings not yet fully grown. She clenched her fists as she looked at Tiana. “My biggest regret is dragging you down with me! But this

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

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

everything I can to back you up, to restore the Melford family’s

understand the power of Ludwik Lippert, the influence of the Bartels family…”

all the subsequent horrors that ensued like a flood

“Tiana, the three of us have ended up like this all because of

feel worse,”

with tears in her eyes, insisted. “We’ve been cowards for three years because

of yourself 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

and I refuse to believe that no one can expose her!”

twisted the story of Tiana’s visit to the sanitarium to

Chapter 251

blacklisted the Melford family, and Elaine quietly ran them into the ground, not

Tiana

found her in a daze, and if she had not needed to care for her parents, she might have taken her own life by then. What’s more despicable is that she soon discovered she

day, after so many

tremble, her face turning

them off. Anytime Nolan Fuller and I tried to help Tiana, Elaine

threatening me, too. I’ve been useless!

work, only to

minions.

broken, and the Melford family ended

became increasingly wary, to the point where she wouldn’t even see me. I could

red. Her friends were living such stifled lives, tormented to this

a tyrant; her misdeeds

bachelors in Banyan City. All ruined, a scandal, an unwed mother, three

Tiana, Whitney only despised Ludwik and Elaine. However, now that she found out about how Ludwik had destroyed Tiana’s family and how he completely ignored Elaine’s sins, Whitney’s hatred

was fixed on

baby’s cry emerged from the bedroom.

infant girl’s tender cries took

“Sweetheart, why are