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

actions pained Whitney, who carefully observed Tiana

the spacious villa the Melford family once had. Tiana had been

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 three years!”

Thank God Bryce got out… He managed to get word to me, and I knew you were alive. These three years,

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

I’ve been okay these three years,” Tiana replied with a placating smile, her

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

I’ll do everything I can to back you up, to restore the Melford

the power of Ludwik Lippert, the

night three years ago and all the subsequent horrors that ensued like a flood of wild beasts, causing

anger. “Tiana, the three of us have ended up like this all because of Elaine Bartels. You need

her feel worse,” Tíana

in her eyes, insisted. “We’ve been cowards for three years because of Elaine’s tyranny. How long will you keep hiding like a mouse?

The Melford.Group was brought to its knees by a single word from Ludwik, and with Elaine manipulating behind the scenes, you’ve been

has committed countless wrongs, and I refuse to believe that no one

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

Chapter 251

family, and Elaine quietly ran

massive debt. Tiana was so vilified that no man would consider

have taken her own life by then. What’s more

the child, and to this day, after so

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

Elaine ruthlessly finished them off. Anytime Nolan Fuller and I tried to help Tiana, Elaine would whisper in Ludwik’s ear, and the Fuller

threatening me, too. I’ve been

and desperate, somehow found work, only to be suppressed

minions.

and the Melford

wouldn’t even see me. I could only secretly buy some baby formula for Cherry and pick up some household necessities.”

with a fiery red. Her friends were living such stifled lives, tormented

was a tyrant; her

young and radiant; she should have had her pick of the most eligible bachelors in Banyan City.

saw 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

on a specific

then, a baby’s cry emerged from the

girl’s tender

rushed in. “Sweetheart, why