Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 782

Over there.

Whitney was driving aimlessly, suddenly realizing she had nowhere to go.

Covered in bruises, she couldn't show up at her uncle's, and Tiana had vanished off the face of the earth.

As for Ludwik... she didn't even want to think about him.

Eventually, she parked her car in the underground garage of Sandy's employee housing.

The apartment was one Whitney had arranged through the Sheldon Group, and Sandy lived there alone.

After ringing the doorbell, a sleepy Sandy came to the door. Seeing Whitney's swollen face, she gasped in shock, "Sis, who did this to you?!"

Whitney didn't answer her question but walked in tiredly, "I need to use your shower. I'll stay here tonight so my uncle's family won't worry." Sandy, mouth still agape with questions, watched as Whitney disappeared into the bathroom.

The mirror reflected Whitney's torn black dress, hastily left without even a coat in her rush to escape.

Noticing the red marks on her arm, her eyes reddened, and her heart grew cold.

Why had things turned sour with Bryce?

Initially, she was serious about making their marriage work. Perhaps everything changed after Ludwik kidnapped her to the island. That's where the seed of their rift was planted.

Ever since her return, she couldn't genuinely reciprocate Bryce's affections, always evading, unable to truly accept him.

That must have infuriated Bryce.

She admitted to herself that she was also at fault...

"Sis! It wasn't Bryce, was it?"

Sandy, waiting by the bathroom door, finally saw her emerge, holding some ointments, remembering Whitney had left with Bryce earlier that evening...

Sandy grew furious, "Not saying anything means yes, right? Why would Bryce lay a hand on you?

about you

collapsing onto the

said something, he believes it? Ronan had no proof. Besides, couldn't you have lied?" Sandy was both angry and surprised, noticing the deep bruises on Whitney's legs, "Sis, you didn't lie, did you?" "I didn't want to

her eyes dropping coldly, "Sandy, Bryce called me cheap, and he

how you should see it, though." Sandy, knowing Whitney was morally compromised but still firmly on her side, reasoned, "Given Ludwik's urgent condition, it's not like you could have taken him to the hospital. After all, he's your ex-husband;

mentioned that you and Bryce... haven't really been together

but now

and accepting

attempt to justify her actions, "Stop trying

to the island by Ludwik was against her will, then tonight...

him in such pain and physically

It was instinctual...

was doomed to be caught in Ludwik's

pretty eyes cold with warning, "But sis, domestic violence is a cycle. It

rift between you and Bryce is permanent

be encouraging separation, but I have zero tolerance for domestic abusers, and I believe you

like a good

think highly of him as a brother-in-law. He seemed so gentle

preferences. It looks like

expected Bryce to be so ambitious, even trying to

Bryce is more complex than we thought. Even Mr. Nelson said with a smile that

Whitney's eyes flickered.

tonight, she had seen Bryce's unknown

grand ambitions, what were

waiting years just to marry her to fulfill a

She felt utterly lost.

was time to start digging into Tiana's disappearance.

-

Saltland Island.

Parker Doonan's bedroom for

Three days!

room, let

with her no