Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 909

Who's bothering the Doonan family now? I heard Parker got back to Banyan City days ago; it can't possibly be him...

"Barclay." Tiana spat the name with venom.

Whitney suddenly got it, and wasn't surprised anymore. Anger flared in his chest.

"Is this jerk sick in the head or what, still not letting your family, the Melfords, live in peace?" Whitney clenched his fists, caressing his phone with a cold smirk, "Barclay is nothing but a lowlife in the Doonan clan. Let me make a few calls to the Banyan City PD, see if I can get your dad released on medical grounds."

"But Whitney, your connections in Banyan City..." Tiana hesitated.

Whitney grinned, "Can't I leverage Ludwik's network? If all else fails, a little gust from the Sheldon family in Emperor City should reach Banyan City."

He stepped aside to make the call.

Tiana waited with bated breath.

Fifteen minutes later, Whitney came back with furrowed brows. Seeing her tense expression, Tiana grew anxious. Dealing with a homicide case through the back door might not be so straightforward. "Whitney, any chance they'll let my dad out on medical bail for his heart condition?"

"I put pressure on the Banyan City PD, dropped Ludwik and Ashton Fuller's names. They were wary at first, agreed to release your father for treatment, even promised to re-examine the crime scene... But then they called back minutes later, saying the Caldwell family had just appealed in court, presenting evidence for a murder charge. They said they couldn't sway the Caldwells, and pressing them was useless. The Caldwells are adamant about prosecuting your dad. Seems like we can only make headway if the Caldwells back down." Whitney's tone was ice-cold, "Hit a brick wall."

But Tiana suddenly realized, the Caldwell family weren't the stubborn ones; they were just puppets.

The real person refusing to let go, clinging to her dad, was Barclay.

That damned, despicable thug.

another." Whitney, mindful of her pregnancy and the urgency of the

stood still, her emotions churning to a

decisive call, and after what felt like an eternity, Barclay's sinister laughter oozed through, "Tiana,

you're behind this, aren't you? Your mother's family

Caldwells into accusing my dad

are you doing this to my dad? What did I ever do to you in a past life for

I thought. Half a day back and you've figured it all out?" Barclay's perverse laughter mixed with a twisted sense

as a snake, chuckling, "Kill

you could come and beg me in person, maybe then

his ashtray, hard to defend him, isn't it? Even with your friend Whitney stepping in, I've instructed the Caldwells to

just wait for

but she also sensed

to him, all this seemingly orchestrated for today, for

be

was Tiana's intuition; things weren't as simple as they

to you and beg!" she gritted her

his grand

Tiana took

open, and upon entering, she was greeted by a foul stench. Barclay lounged on the sofa, a scantily clad woman in his arms, their clothes in disarray, with used contraceptives scattered around. Tiana's world view hit a new low, and she felt

Barclay

down, Tiana. Don't be such a stranger. After all, you and I, we're practically old flames. Let's sit and catch up, shall we?" "Keep your distance! Don't you dare disgust me." Tiana swatted at the vile air before her, standing her ground as if she were on pins and needles, her entire body tensed up in defense. Her piercing gaze sliced through him. "Ever