Seeing him asleep, Ashton let out a quiet sigh. He had been considering calling Whitney to probe into what was really going on with Tiana. It seemed like there was a huge misunderstanding between Parker and Tiana.
But then, the thought of Whitney's overprotective, harsh demeanor made Ashton reconsider.
From what Felix mentioned, Whitney seemed to be organizing some work for the Sheldon Group and planned to visit Banyan City soon.
Apparently, there was some investigation into whether Barclay and Cherry were biologically related...
What was she up to?
The first time Ashton saw Cherry, he was taken aback by how much she resembled Parker, especially the distinctive shape of her nose and eyes. It was rare for a baby to have such defined features.
But since Parker himself didn't believe Cherry could be his daughter, Ashton dropped the suspicion.
It wasn't unheard of for nieces to resemble their uncles.
In the middle of the night, Ashton moved Parker to his own apartment, leaving the reeking man behind to take a shower.
Around 3 AM, a phone call suddenly exploded in the room.
Parker woke up, his head throbbing painfully. Irritated, he tore at his black shirt and yanked the ringing phone from his pocket, intending to smash it.
But the phone survived, its ringtone continuing to pierce his ears.
Opening his bloodshot eyes, filled with cold fury, Parker eventually rolled off the bed, picked up the damned phone, glanced at the caller ID, and sobered up a bit.
It was from the Doonan family estate in Banyan City!
His family, especially his grandfather, respected his privacy, so this call must be important.
Parker rubbed his temples, forcing himself to answer the call.
"Hello—"
"Master, it's me, Butler Alex. Do you have a moment?" Alex noticed the rasp in his voice.
Parker stood up, leaning on the bed, "What's the matter?"
Alex's tone was grave, "It's bad news, Master! Ms. Melford has attempted suicide at the Melford estate and was rushed to Banyan City Hospital. She's still in surgery...
The Melfords came to the Doonan Mansion making a scene in the middle of the night, and this has alerted your father. The old man rushed home, and they've been demanding compensation for their daughter!
This suicide attempt by Endora has caught us off guard and has caused quite a stir in Banyan City. There are even reporters camping out at the hospital.
The old man is furious with you, demanding you return to the Doonan family estate by dawn, no matter where you are!"
Parker's drunken haze cleared immediately, his mind as if doused with cold water.
"Endora committed suicide?"
"Yes, Master. It seems Ms. Melford returned to her parents' house alone today, claiming you wanted to break off the engagement and had been trying to push her away for a month.
Her grandmother criticized her for being incompetent, driving her out of the house.
The news of Ms. Melford's miscarriage three years ago and resulting infertility has leaked, becoming a scandal in Banyan City.
This has made the Melfords a laughingstock, and Endora couldn't handle it. Her parents, Cato and Alice, said she'd be doomed to spinsterhood, which might have triggered her. Ms. Melford then attempted suicide in her apartment.
The old man wants to know if you're responsible for Ms. Melford's miscarriage years ago?
He's very angry, accusing you of tarnishing the family's reputation and making a grave mistake. Please, come back as soon as possible."
Alex's rambling made Parker's headache worsen, his handsome face growing colder.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Love Beyond the Mask