Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 720

Just as Whitney turned around in shock, Bryce's eyes shifted from a cold glare to anger and hurt. "How could you go behind my back and still contact him?"

He strode over, yanked Whitney toward him, and glared at Ludwik.

Ludwik, with a cool and indifferent gaze, slightly squinted and replied, "Which eye of yours saw it was her contacting me? What's wrong if I'm the one reaching out to her?" Whitney's face paled slightly under Bryce's accusation.

But she quickly regained her composure, her gaze turning icy as she slipped her hand from Bryce's grasp. She looked up, struggling to say, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have contacted him. But only Ludwik knows where that old factory is. Before this, I did call you first, asking you to look into it. But you kept saying you couldn't find it, and then suddenly you had a meeting..."

Bryce's expression darkened, realizing he had shot himself in the foot.

He masked his anger with a sigh, "Whitney, you have to understand! I didn't intentionally avoid helping you. Emperor City is huge, with countless factories. I honestly didn't know where it was. The meeting came up all of a sudden, and I rushed over as soon as I heard from Audrey."

Whitney pondered, looking at his earnest face.

"Bryce, maybe you're busy, and I'm not doubting your excuses, but with your resources, can you really not find the factory? Maybe Tiana wasn't even at the factory. Nyx mentioned she was seen at the Velvet Lounge, busy with something else, investigating someone. Bryce, do you know the Velvet Lounge? Could you find out who Tiana was looking into there?"

Whitney's questions were sharp, her gaze fixed on Bryce.

A shiver ran through Bryce at her knowledge of the Velvet Lounge. Her questioning seemed to imply something more.

needed

as he feigned surprise, "Ms. Melford is missing? She was investigating someone? I have no idea about that. As for the Velvet Lounge, it's known as a den of vice, but the Lutz Group never entertains there, so I wouldn't know." Whitney mulled this over. Shane had

wonder if he really

having listened to the conversation,

The Velvet Lounge?

of the place, recently acquired by Jarvis, notorious for its

Jarvis were known to be thick as thieves. His denial of knowing the Velvet Lounge was

sarcasm, "Mr. Lutz, do you genuinely not know the Velvet

it. What are you implying?" Bryce

looked

visited the Velvet Lounge, possibly to investigate someone. A woman entering such a place is likely checking on her man or a friend's husband. Since Tiana had no boyfriend, it's not far-fetched to assume she might be looking into Mr. Lutz. What could Mr. Lutz possibly be hiding to make Tiana investigate him? Maybe he's not as innocent as

taken aback. Ludwik was

a moment, she wondered if Tiana

Had Bryce realized and thus deliberately

and went to him instead. If we were to follow his logic, then detectives would be out of a job. Oh, Ms. Melford went to the lounge to check on a friend's man? Ludwik,

frowned, her eyes showing a tumult

if you're swayed by his few words of suspicion towards me, then I have nothing more to say. I'm disappointed... After everything I've done for you these past three years. If you think Ms.

to Ludwik of

him, the chief rushed over, ignoring Ludwik and approaching Bryce with a subservient attitude, "Mr.

couldn't help but be disillusioned by the