“The blast happened in just a blink of an eye, who could've expected it! I heard from the mansion's staff that a man and a woman had walked into the greenhouse. There was a balcony there for guests to enjoy a smoke or just get some fresh air, even had an elevator. Imagine if that couple got trapped in the elevator with the explosion happening... The sound of it shook me to the core."
Shane recounted with vivid detail, "Mr. Wilson turned as pale as a ghost. A housewarming party turned into a disaster. Firefighters and paramedics are still on their way, but I doubt anyone inside made it out alive.
I called because I was scared you might've wandered into the greenhouse. Thank goodness you left early."
Whitney listened in shock, her thoughts inadvertently drifting to Ludwik.
She had left, but had Ludwik left the Wilson's mansion?
He mentioned he came to the party just to see her.
Could he have... walked into that greenhouse? Given his habit of stepping out for a smoke...
This thought barely had time to settle before Whitney's face lost all color.
"I'll let you go, it's chaos over here. Since you're safe, that's all that matters," Shane said before hanging up.
Whitney gripped her phone tightly in silence.
Bryce glanced over, concern etching his features, "Whitney, what's wrong? You look terrible."
"Mr. Nelson just called. There was a sudden explosion in the greenhouse at the Wilson's mansion. He thought I was caught in it."
Bryce's eyes darkened with something unspoken, worry evident in his voice, "Was anyone in the greenhouse?"
"A man and a woman, probably guests from tonight's party."
Whitney replied distractedly, "No idea who's trapped inside, but with the firefighters yet to arrive, no one dares to approach the blast site. Heard there's an elevator involved, probably got them stuck real bad."
A man and a woman?
Bryce caught onto this detail, his expression changing instantly.
He narrowed his eyes subtly, though his face otherwise maintained a composed lament, "How could such an accident happen..."
Whitney looked down, her brows furrowed in worry, then suddenly said, "Bryce, can you pull over?"
"What's wrong?" Bryce frowned, turning to her.
Whitney scrambled for an excuse, "I just realized I left my clutch at the Wilson Manor.
Plus, Mr. Nelson called to check on me. As a friend, I feel I should go back and be there for him."
"Alright," Bryce said, his gaze deep and lips curling with a hint of sarcasm.
She was making excuses to go back, wanting to see if Ludwik was involved.
No matter, Ludwik was probably dead by now.
How amusing.
That man would no longer be a thorn in his side.
Bryce made a turn.
Five minutes later, they arrived at the gates of the Wilson Manor, just as Whitney received a text from Shane.
Curiously, she wondered why he hadn't called instead.
The message made her eyes widen in shock: 【Whitney, I have bad news.】
Whitney's heart trembled violently, almost too afraid to confirm her fears, hesitant to read on.
She held her breath and looked down: 【I checked the surveillance. Ludwik was seen entering the greenhouse elevator from the second floor. After the explosion, the elevator plummeted to the ground floor, and the glass shattered.】
Ludwik had entered the greenhouse right before the explosion?
He was dead...
No, that couldn't be possible.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Love Beyond the Mask