Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Bryce's voice, filled with surprise, made Whitney's heart skip a beat.

She clenched her eyes shut, her voice laden with an apology. "Bryce, remember when you asked if I'd be with you? My answer now is, yes, I can. I wasn't lying... If you don't mind, we could date, even get married."

She repeated herself, her emotions barely fluctuating, not even a hint of a smile touched her lips.

"Whitney! You wouldn't believe it, it's like hitting the jackpot out of the blue. I don't mind, of course, I'd love to! Silly, I've been waiting for these words for over four years. I thought I'd have to wait forever, maybe never hear them. And now, you've said yes, even mentioned marriage, I'm over the moon, can't sit still. I'm so eager to run over, see you, and find out if you're smiling just like me..."

His voice, warm and low, overflowed with joy. Yet every word made Whitney feel all the more guilty.

"Bryce, actually I..." Whitney tried to confess the truth behind their relationship.

"Actually what?" Bryce chuckled, cutting her off, "Whitney, don't tell me it's April Fool's and you're pulling my leg. Or is it like the last time you wanted me to play along for a fake marriage to please your grandparents? God, Whitney, that would break my heart. It's not like that, right? This time... you're really saying yes, right? I was hoping you'd finally moved on from Ludwik. Not using me again as part of some scheme. My heart, it's a heart too... I've been more considerate towards you than he ever was, always agreeing to your requests, willing to be used. But this time, I can't keep ignoring my own feelings. If this marriage is just a facade, I'm sorry, I can't do it..."

Bryce's voice grew softer, filled with a bitter laugh that choked him up. Whitney's intended words were abruptly silenced. Surrounded by feelings of guilt and shame, she had considered a fake marriage.

Florence's vile demands were so sudden, and without love for Bryce, she couldn't face dating or marrying him. But Bryce's desolate confession put her in an unjust position. Indeed, every time, she was using him, also diminishing his genuine feelings, inflicting invisible wounds. He hoped this time, their relationship and marriage would be real, otherwise, he would refuse...

It was a perfectly reasonable demand. Whitney's face burned with embarrassment, she clenched her phone tight, biting her lip in a pained smile, "It's not fake. I've been thinking about marriage. And you, Bryce, you're wonderful. Since I've brought it up, I'll treat you with all seriousness, and try... to rely on you. I apologize for using you in the past."

"Silly, I was more than happy to help, why apologize? Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the chance to be close to you. I really, really like you, Whitney, because I love you so much, I don't want to live in a fantasy anymore. I don't know why you suddenly want to marry me, maybe Florence's pregnancy got to you? But I'm thrilled. You said it's a real marriage, not a fake one. Then, I'll treat you as a partner, and in the future, as a wife. My feelings and desires for you are real... Whitney, can you accept that?"

His voice, smooth and deep, carried a suppressed excitement. Whitney's face paled, resistance within her. But he was testing her limits, and she understood that her proposal of marriage couldn't be just a platonic relationship. One step at a time. Why couldn't she have her own life? Why should she live under Ludwik's control?

Her heart sank into an icy pool, already frozen. She changed her tone, trying to sound casual and calm, "I get what you mean, Bryce. It's not too much to ask, I'll try my best."

"Whitney..." Bryce whispered into the phone, chuckling softly, "That's fantastic, Whitney. I wish myself, that my wait is over, and my dreams come true."

Thinking about her initial reluctance, driven by desperation rather than genuine feeling, Whitney couldn't bring herself to smile. But she couldn't let Bryce know the truth. Otherwise, would Florence target Sammy?

Whitney swallowed the bitterness, "Alright... Bryce, that's all I called to say. Are you busy?"

"Ah, I'm working on reviving a failed

construction project, planning

blueprints. The Lutz Group's

et

skyscraper has to be top-notch, it's going to be another landmark in Emperor City... but let's not talk about that, I can't wait to see you!" novelbin

Bryce, hopeful, asked, "Can I come see you?"

Whitney glanced out the window, overwhelmed by the pace of things. "Is tomorrow okay? I've still got some work to wrap up."

"Then tomorrow, I'll come to your villa. I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight, Whitney."

"Alright... then, goodnight. I'm going downstairs for dinner."

"Enjoy your dinner!"

Whitney put down the phone and let out a sigh of relief. Her gaze was distant, lost in the dark screen. A self-mocking smile crept onto her lips, her mind a blank. But for Sammy's sake, she had no other choice. Alone and without options.

At ten in the evening, Whitney

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returned to Delight Mansion from her office. She didn't visit Natalie at the Lippert family hospital again. Tiana came back with Danny, bringing her supper, checking her forehead, "You're still burning up! I knew you wouldn't feel like having dinner, you probably didn't drink much either. Come on, eat some soup. You know the saying, 'You're iron, and food is steel.' Do I really need to remind you? The sky isn't falling, Whitney."

Whitney, leaning on the couch, suddenly hugged Danny, laughing softly, "You're right, the sky isn't falling. And even if it does, I'll hold it up for my treasures."

The child's sobbing voice scorched Whitney's heart, yet beneath the sorrow, there was only a profound silence.