Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 928

"And all these misunderstandings, it's like you've been walking yourself deeper into them, step by step.

This whole mess between you two, it's really because you're too cynical about love, too chicken to give it a real shot!"

"Stop it! I did try, once, didn't I? And what came of it? He lost his memory, that's what! My brief happiness felt like stolen goods, those few days of bittersweet joy, that's all I ever had with him.

Just one Endora? Ha, isn't one Endora enough?

Look at what they've done to my family?

I'm the chicken because I knew, with Parker turning a blind eye, there'd be no place for me in Endora's world. I was afraid of exactly this outcome, sick and tired of her bullying for the past three years, sick of the deceit and manipulation!" Her words struck a nerve, echoing the gloom of the past three years.

Whitney, heart aching, wrapped her in a comforting embrace. "I'm sorry, Tiana, I didn't mean to call you a coward when it comes to love. I know, in the three years I was away, you and Cherry have been dodging and hiding, enduring Elaine's torment, and it's changed you." "Yes, I've become useless, and I hate myself for it! Because I have Cherry and parents who've lost everything in their old age. Despite putting on a brave face, my confidence is shattered."

Tiana's insecurity held her back from pursuing someone like Parker, a gem among men. Unexpectedly pregnant, she kept it a secret, convinced that Cherry was Barclay's child, too afraid to disrupt the natural order by seeking a relationship with Parker.

"Tiana..." Whitney silently vowed to herself, "I'll help you rebuild your confidence."

She was determined to help Tiana find her fearless self once more.

It was simple, really, just a matter of unraveling the mystery of Cherry's parentage.

Tiana home, handed her some 'medicine,' and reminded her, "You still need to follow the doctor's orders,

surgery today. He sent a message, forcing me to register our marriage tomorrow, and the wedding... it's set for three days from

only gave half the antidote, my dad's life is hanging by a thread, and I don't want to delay any longer. Let's just do the

any chance of marrying into a decent family." She tried to appear nonchalant with a laugh, but her eyes were cold with

eyebrow. "Don't talk like that, Tiana. And I warn you, don't do anything foolish on your wedding day. Some things might just turn out better

life as a tragic, twisted soap opera, "Now, my only goals are

pull through, things will turn around, I'll see to

exhausted, opened her laptop. "I've also placed an order on the

antidote will surely bring

would still have to be

glancing at her watch. "Tiana, get some rest, I've

was that thing you had to

not giving a straight answer but hinted, "By the way, Cherry seems to have run off back to Banyan City with Ashton. Yael told me the little one has been missing you

panicked, trying to get

Remember, your dad was just released this morning, I didn't think it was right for her to see him like that, and you've been too busy anyway." Tiana, not suspecting a thing, thought of the upcoming wedding, her face paling, her lips pressed tightly. "She's running back now, how am I supposed to hide

the wedding? It could traumatize her, Cherry hates Barclay, she said she'd rather die than recognize him as her dad!" Whitney pondered, then offered a faint smile, "It might not even come to that, maybe Cherry will end up with a better fate than we thought. Her coming back now might not be such a bad thing after all."

is, the wedding might not go as planned, where would Barclay get the chance to acknowledge

bound to be

-

drove to the

sitting cross-legged in Ashton's lavish living room, busy with her Legos, while Ashton, a man of considerable size, surprisingly showed a rare patience, guiding the child step by step. "Well,