Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Bryce was convinced that he had tonight's plan nailed down perfectly.

Ludwik had turned back halfway, leaving only Parker, who had tailed him to the airport with his bodyguards. Bryce had managed to trap Parker there, pulling off a clever switcheroo.

By all accounts, Parker shouldn't have been able to figure out the swap so quickly, let alone chase him out to sea...

His phone buzzed.

Bryce glanced at the screen. It was the henchman he had sent to deal with the situation earlier.

Parisa was seated calmly on the speedboat.

Bryce ignored the call and let it go to voicemail.

The group moved silently across the water, the speedboat slicing through the waves until it docked at the harbor of Emperor City's bay.

"Ms. Tennyson, let Ms. Sheldon take you ashore," Bryce said, releasing the steering wheel and turning to face them with a gentlemanly demeanor. "I have an old apartment nearby. If you don't mind, you and Ms. Sheldon could spend the night there. I don't know where you planned to stay initially, but with Ludwik's goons on the hunt, I wouldn't recommend a hotel."

Parisa glanced at the shoreline, noticing it was a quaint, older part of town. The Inko Group was located in the bustling commercial center of Emperor City.

She didn't refuse, only asking, "Is it far from the Inko Group building?"

Bryce nodded. "I brought you and Florence here for your safety. If Ludwik and Parker have full control of Inko Group, going there could be like walking into a trap."

"I came back to save Inko Group. Not going to the company is out of the question," Parisa replied calmly. "But to have an ambush as soon as I return? Ludwik knowing my every move is quite peculiar."

As her words hung in the air, Florence exchanged a knowing look with Bryce.

Bryce remained stoic, his long fingers gripping tightly. He let out a cold chuckle. "You really don't understand this Ludwik. He's as cunning as they come, ruthless in his ways. Ms. Tennyson, I once had a thriving company, but under his malicious manipulation, I lost everything. His greed knows no bounds; there's nothing he wouldn't do."

"Mom, Mr. Lutz is telling the truth," Florence chimed in. "He used to be engaged to Whitney, but once Ludwik took her, he tried to destroy Mr. Lutz— and me. Now, even though he's at rock bottom, he's still looking out for me. He risked his life to save us tonight. In Emperor City, he's the most knowledgeable about the situation. You can trust him to help with Inko Group."noveldrama

Bryce flashed a shy smile, embarrassed. "Ms. Sheldon, I can't stand how they treated you. No need to praise me. Ms. Tennyson will see my character through her own interactions. I've been wronged by Ludwik, my company is gone, the future looks bleak, but I never intended to lean on Ms. Tennyson or Ms. Sheldon. Tonight, I helped because I can't stand letting Ludwik win. I despise him."

His righteous anger masked the desire lurking beneath, making it seem like his assistance to Florence was purely out of vendetta against Ludwik.

Parisa narrowed her eyes, studying the handsome man before her. "So, you really hate Ludwik?" she asked.

"Hate doesn't cover it! He took my fiancée! Even though Whitney is vile, unlike Ms. Florence, Ludwik's violent rampage for her, causing chaos in the business world and persecuting Florence, is unbearable," Bryce asserted with conviction.

"So, you hope I'll take down Ludwik?" Parisa inquired.

Bryce hesitated, then candidly

admitted, "Ms. Tennyson, I'd be lying if I said I had no ulterior motives. Yes, I hope your powerful

justice His crimes, like the

background can bring Ludwik to

attempted murder of Phineas, are unforgivable. Surely, you wouldn't want to see Inko Group fall into his hands."

Florence nodded in agreement, "Yes, Mom. Mr. Lutz has been oppressed by Ludwik for too long. His only wish is to see justice served. He's always stood up for me."

Parisa nodded, her dark eyes giving nothing away. She smiled politely, "Thank you for looking after Florence."

"It was no trouble at all, Ms. Tennyson."

"Are you struggling right now?" Parisa asked.

Bryce paused, a shadow flickering in his gentle eyes. Finally, the pivotal moment had arrived. He glanced at Florence, their eyes meeting briefly.

With a bitter laugh, Bryce confessed,

"Struggling is an understatement.

Ludwik has blacklisted me. My company bankrupt, assets

liquidated, no bank dares to fund

et

me, and all my partners toe Ludwik's

line. Ten years of building a O

business, gone. My talents wasted, and I'm left with nothing. Ms.

Tennyson, it's not a pretty picture."

Florence looked on sympathetically, "Mom, Mr. Lutz is innocent, but Ludwik's ruthless. He and Whitney have no limits, and as long as he holds sway, Mr. Lutz can't get back on his feet."

I owed him so much for all the help he had given me, so while I was in Germinia, I thought it was worth introducing him to you. Besides, he's got a great head for business, and he probably knows more about the Emperor Citylnko Group than you do..."

Parisa sat quietly, her eyes fixed on the table, considering. "Sounds like Mr. Lutz was quite successful before. It seems he's got connections and a certain standing in Emperor City, doesn't he?"

"Exactly. The Lutz Group was once a

rising star among the new

"Mr.

enterprises in Emperor City!" Florence nodded in agreement. Lutz is a young entrepreneur of some renown. His skills are on par with Ludwik's, but Ludwik has a strong family background to back him up."

"So-"

Parisa's voice trailed off as she switched gears with a seemingly unrelated question. "It makes sense now why Mr. Lutz would say he's hit rock bottom, that his business went under, yet he can still show up like he did on the yacht, with dozens of people in tow."

"If Mr. Lutz hadn't mentioned losing everything, I'd have thought he was quite well off and influential."

The air suddenly felt heavy, the room falling into an uneasy silence.

Florence's gentle smile faltered, tightening at the edges.

Bryce clenched his hands subtly at his sides.

Who would have thought that Parisa would change the subject so abruptly, remembering even the tiniest details?

How could someone claim to be destitute yet afford bodyguards to rush in the middle of the night for a rescue?

Was she suspicious?

Bryce took a deep breath, suddenly aware that Parisa's seemingly casual questions were probing. Was she doubting his story about bringing bodyguards for the rescue? Or did she suspect he was pretending to be broke?