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

from the spacious villa the Melford family once had. Tiana

at the pair, her voice hoarse. “I’m sorry, Tiana, I

thought you were dead! Thank God Bryce got out… He managed to get word to me, and

out; 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!

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

and it made Whitney’s

Tiana, don’t be afraid. I’ll do everything I can to back you

“Whitney, you don’t understand the power of Ludwik Lippert, the influence

ensued like a flood of wild beasts, causing

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

don’t make her feel worse,”

“We’ve been cowards for three years because of Elaine’s tyranny. How

was brought to its knees by a single word from Ludwik,

bitch has committed countless wrongs, and I refuse to believe

Banyan City, destroying her reputation overnight. Elaine twisted the story of Tiana’s visit to the sanitarium to save you, accusing you both of

Chapter 251

and Elaine quietly

with a massive debt. Tiana was so vilified that no

for her parents, she might have taken her own life by then. What’s more despicable is that she soon

the child, and to this day, after so many men that

to tremble, her face turning a ghastly pale. “Stop talking!”

lip but continued to hold her, “Ludwik abandoned her to her fate, and Elaine ruthlessly finished them off. Anytime Nolan Fuller

was threatening me, too. I’ve been useless!

pregnant and desperate, somehow found work,

minions.

Melford family ended up hiding in the streets,

she wouldn’t even see me. I

eyes blazed with a fiery red. Her friends were living such stifled lives, tormented to this

Elaine, that woman was a tyrant; her misdeeds

have had her pick of the most eligible bachelors in Banyan City. All

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 for Ludwik

was fixed on

baby’s cry emerged from

girl’s tender cries took everyone aback.

immediately rushed in. “Sweetheart, why are