Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 1026

Ludwik said, "This is obviously for Bryce's ears. We need to let him think he's won, that when he's basking in his victory, that's when he'll make his next move. And it's then that he'll show his hand.

Besides, I'm playing a long game here."

Parker, with his dreamy eyes, looked confused. "A long game?"

Ludwik gave a cold nod, his gaze sharp as a blade, squinting fiercely. "Parker, Bryce is just the beginning. He's nothing.

But, from what I've gathered in Germinia, he's found himself a powerful ally. Florence is the key to contacting this mysterious backer, and this backer has deep roots. Do you understand now?

In Emperor City, with your uncle taken down, we're about to face a storm of blood and violence.

Bryce wants to rise from the ashes, and he's not just aiming for a comeback; he wants to bury me!

My goal is to uncover this mysterious ally of his."

"All this has been happening?" Parker's handsome face went through a series of emotions.

He thought Florence's escape to Eurovoria was just to dodge Ludwik's revenge.

Turns out, Florence was still in league with Bryce, even helping him find some powerful backer?

"Bryce attacked my uncle... Could his target be the Inko Group?"

Parker roared in anger, scoffing bitterly, "He really thinks too highly of himself, dreaming of murder and arson?"

"Because he found a backer," Ludwik's eyes turned frosty, taking a deep drag of his cigarette, the smoke casting a chill over his gaze. "He might have the grandiose goal you mentioned, but I suspect his initial intent was to silence your uncle." "Why?!" Parker's eyes blazed with fury.

Just then, Parker's phone rang from his pocket, its loud ringtone piercing the quiet hallway.

He glanced at Mrs. Wilson and her son in the distance, not wanting to disturb them, and stepped a few paces to the window to take the call.

Seeing the caller ID, his expression turned icy.

Ludwik approached, spotting the local Emperor City landline number on the screen, guessing it was probably the police station. "Answer it."

Parker nodded and picked up, "Mr. Lane, did that mute beast confess? Who ordered him to kill my uncle?"

Before he could finish, Mr. Lane sternly interrupted, "Mr. Doonan, we need you to come to the station immediately! The suspect suddenly died during interrogation.

Our officers did not employ any extreme measures. He died in his chair, and despite immediate resuscitation efforts, his heart had stopped.

We've sent his body for an autopsy to understand what happened."

""What? Dead?!"

Parker clenched his jaw tightly, a buzzing in his ears, barely containing a roar, "How could you let this happen? You had one job with the suspect, and he dies? Why didn't you check his health first?"

"Mr. Doonan, please listen..." Mr. Lane tried to explain.

Parker's eyes were icy as he smashed his phone on the ground.

Ludwik had heard everything. His brows furrowed deeply, pushing Parker, "We need to go to the station now."

"Ludwik!" Parker shot him a look.

Ludwik remained calm, his lips thinning, "I told you, they came prepared. Even if he hadn't died, getting anything out of that mute would've been tough."

"But this has Bryce's fingerprints all over it! Damn it, he dared to lay a hand on my uncle, I'll tear him apart piece by piece."

Parker was seething with rage.

Ludwik slid into the driver's seat, starting the car with a calm demeanor, trying to reason with him, "You're representing the Wilson family now. The police station won't play games; they're there to serve you. The suspect's death proves Bryce was well-prepared, covering his tracks.

We'll find evidence linking him to the crime, it'll just take some time.

Let's head to the station. If Bryce slips up even slightly that night, he won't walk out of there."

"Let's go!" Parker pounded on the window.

The two men rushed to the Bloom District police station.

They had barely stepped into the lobby when they were interrupted by the news of the suspect's cause of death. Ludwik caught sight of someone being released from the interrogation room. Bryce!

His eyes cold, he turned his sharp gaze towards him, his presence alone menacing.

"Bryce! I swear I'm gonna kill you today."

Parker, with his long strides, rushed forward, swinging a punch at Bryce.

Trained in martial arts, Parker's movement was too fast for Bryce to dodge, his face taking the full brunt of the punch, blood spraying from his mouth, "Ah... Mr. Doonan, why would you hit me?"

Bryce, his face swelling, turned around, his wrists free of handcuffs.

This infuriated Parker even more. He angrily questioned the police, "What's the meaning of this? You're letting him go? The Wilson family made it clear this morning, arrest him! He's the prime suspect in the shooting of Phineas, I was his doing, interrogate him! What, are you all incompetent?" Ludwik stood back, letting Parker do the questioning.

He wanted to understand the situation too, but his chilling gaze never left Bryce, as if trying to see right through him.

Bryce, catching Ludwik's gaze, felt a shiver of fear. Ludwik's presence was overpowering, and Bryce had firsthand experience of his ruthlessness.

However, Bryce quickly smirked.

Today, he was not the same person Ludwik had once pinned down and beaten, and soon, he thought, he would turn the tables on Emperor City. Yet, he showed none of his triumph.

Bryce hung his head, adopting a meek demeanor, taking Parker's blows without resistance.

Bryce looked at the officer with a mix of fear and desperation, pleading, "Officer, I swear I haven't done anything wrong. Why would Mr. Doonan smear my name like this? You've arrested me, interrogated me, and I've cooperated every step of the way. I wasn't even in Empire City the night before last. Can't you just explain that to Mr. Doonan?

I had no clue his uncle was in trouble; it's got nothing to do with me.

Now I'm blacklisted in the industry, drowning in debt. Where would I even find the guts or the mind to break the law now?

I didn't do it, I swear!"

Ludwik, who had heard it all before, was unfazed by Bryce's pleas and theatrics.

He approached Bryce with a sneer, towering over him imposingly, his gaze icy as he addressed the officer, "The Wilson family expects you to apprehend suspects, and instead, you're planning to release one? Are you trying to disrespect the Wilson family?!" Mr. Lane hurried over, a troubled look on his face as he whispered to Parker, "Mr. Doonan, you asked us to detain him, and so we did. We've interrogated Bryce too, but he has an alibi. We've checked it, and he wasn't in Empire City that night..."