Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 785

Parker felt a strange stir in his heart, unable to believe that Tiana, that little lady, had the guts to seek him out alone. Was she worried about him? Did she think he had vanished?

A shadow of a smirk played across his lips as Parker swallowed hard, asking, "You didn't do anything to Ms. Melford, did you?" Phineas, faced with such a question, could only give a speechless look. He hadn't done anything to Tiana.

The real question was, what had Parker done to her, and did he even remember?

The poor girl had been in Parker's bed for several days now, and by the looks of it, his fever had almost completely subsided.

"I'm an old man, what could I possibly do to her?" Phineas rolled his eyes in secret. "The problem is, she..."

"What happened to her?" Parker asked, a mix of concern and cluelessness on his face.

Seeing his obliviousness, Phineas wasn't sure how Parker would react to the news that he'd unwittingly shared a bed with the girl for days.

What if Parker wasn't even into her? Blasting this news might just set him off.

Let the young folks figure it out themselves.

The Melford girl would likely seek some answers from Parker sooner or later. He'd find out eventually.

"It's nothing much, Ms. Melford got some bruises... ahem, she might need to stay in bed for a few days here on Saltland Island before she can walk properly again," Phineas awkwardly hinted with a heavy meaning.

Parker, failing to catch his uncle's drift, furrowed his brows in speculation. "Did she get injured by falling into the sea on her way here?"

"You could say that," Phineas sighed internally at his nephew's ignorance.

"Where are we now? How far from Saltland Island?" Parker turned to gaze at the sea, "How long have I been here?"

"More than twenty days. And Ms. Melford has been here for about ten days."

Twenty days...

was no telling

I need to head back to Emperor City now, to meet with Ludwik. As for Tiana, if she needs to recover, let her stay here. Once I've met with Ludwik, I'll come back for her." Phineas internally criticized his decision, seeing it as

did this Ludwik cast on you that you're so devoted to him? Parkie, I don't understand why you're so eager to follow him. Ludwik might be the top young man in Harmonia Country, but you, with your mother's brother, me, as a major financier behind the president, are

Yes, you are my mother's brother, a powerful man

when I first became the head of the Doonan family, we were in a tight spot, and Ludwik saved me. I

a loyal

to support him," Parker earnestly requested. "If you really dislike Ludwik, I could step in. This

chip containing secret technology, which honestly impressed me. He possesses monopoly

I haven't responded to him yet, even though I've heard he's been trying to arrange a meeting with me these past few days, eager

realizing Parker was back to

were beyond his control as an

up to no good, always plotting against Ludwik. With the Lippert family in decline, his naive nephew would likely lend Ludwik a hand, and there was nothing he could do to stop

Parker, Phineas

to meet your Ludwik, steer the

Parker said, sitting on the deck, his drenched, muscular body cooling in the breeze, feeling a

have caused Ludwik significant

return, quickly grasp the

-

the villa

having finished her breakfast, curled up in bed, grappling with unbearable stomach pain and the need for wound

She was immobile.

to noon... Where was Parker,

to secure the collaboration

not returned? Was he not as ravenous

her lip in frustration, her face flushed with anger. How

her hanging like this, without knowing how his talk with

Ludwik,

the rogue hundreds of times in her

-

Emperor City.