Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 956

"Ashton," Elaine's eyes widened with a hint of surprise, and she took a couple of steps towards him before stopping herself. Her gentle eyes suddenly filled with fear and pity, "What are you doing here?" "What's going on here?" Ashton frowned deeply, moving towards her.

Whitney stepped in front of him, her slender frame blocking the tall and sturdy Ashton!

The depth of Whitney's gaze was like a sharp sword, her look towards Elaine was especially cold.

Witnessing the scene, a chill ran down her spine, curving into a sneer.

Without making a sound, Whitney stood in front of Ashton, facing the cops, and demanded, "So, the long-lost Elaine shows up! What exactly happened here tonight?"

"Yeah, what's all this about?" Ashton chimed in.

Facing Ashton, Elaine took a step back, offering a bitter smile, "Ashton, I'm staying here temporarily. By chance, I saw this van kidnapping a girl, so I called the cops. It was only after Parker arrived that I realized the girl looked like Tiana's daughter... Quite a coincidence." As she spoke, Tiana's attention was suddenly pulled towards her child.

She frantically pushed through the crowd looking for her daughter, "Officers, where's the kidnapped girl? Where is she now?"

It was indeed Cherry...

"Tiana, over here!" Parker shouted from a distance.

Turning around, Tiana saw an ambulance parked three meters away from the corner, with a stretcher beside it.

Covered with a white sheet, a small bulge lay on the stretcher, unresponsive to her voice.

cold, her breath caught in her throat, eyes

dashed over, "Is it really

in guilt as he

this happen...?" Tiana hurried over,

Meanwhile-

had slightly changed. The woman's once luxurious long hair was now a simple bob, her figure gaunt, cheeks hollow. Yet, that captivating skin remained well-kept, pale and clear. Her eyes,

how she had Ashton completely under her spell, believing every word she

art, always finding the right

Ashton's gaze softened upon seeing Elaine's frail and impoverished figure, devoid of her once luxurious attire, now in plain cotton and jeans, a flicker of emotion passing through

gone for nearly a year, left Banyan City, why come back and live in a place like this?

her eyes. Irritated by his naivety, she said sarcastically, "The officers are here working hard on the case! I hardly believe that

side but

a smile, "This Elaine has a history, probably unknown to the officers here. She was involved in a kidnapping case, so I have every reason to suspect that Elaine is part of the gang that kidnapped Cherry, working with Endora." "This..." Ashton frowned, puzzled, "Whitney, what are you talking about? She just

she says?" Whitney looked at him

is not unfounded. Do you really think Elaine would return to Banyan City out of the blue, just in time

frail face, his thoughts began to churn, slowly sinking into

Ashton was her only chance at redemption. People like Whitney and

eyes, on the verge of crying, "Whitney, Parker, I know I've wronged you in the past, made some foolish mistakes,

to return to Banyan City, it has

ostracized, so I secretly stayed in this cheap, old house... If I had known, maybe I shouldn't have saved Cherry, shouldn't have gotten involved in this

the familiar victim act, the

But...

a mocking smile, "Elaine, don't rush to play the victim just