Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"Nonsense!" Sammy interrupted, fixing his gaze on the man's handsome features. "Is that what you told her? That the child is Florence's?"

Shane furrowed his brow in thought, trying to make sense of it all. "How could I deny it? Isn't that the case? Your dad came back from Eurovoria a few days ago, barely set foot on the ground before bringing the child over. Do you think this kid has another mom or that Ludwik has another woman?"

"You're talking nonsense."

"Well, Ludwik and you never say anything. And don't you two always come to see the child? I'm not dumb. This kid is definitely Ludwik's. He even said as much himself."

"Yes, she's his daughter, but she's not Florence's! Uncle Shane, you've messed things up. You've upset Mom and misled her!"

Sammy stomped his foot, a rare moment of losing his composure. But right now, his heart was filled with regret! He thought he had been careful. That morning, he specifically asked the bodyguard to drive around in circles, leaving the car at the neurology hospital just to create a false trail.

He figured Mom wouldn't be tracking them since she wasn't even in the Lippert family, so she couldn't possibly know where they were. But he promised Dad he'd be cautious.

Who would have guessed? Mom was smarter than they thought.

Suddenly, Sammy realized that Mom's angry departure last night might have been a feint, a strategic retreat. Yes! He and Danny had fallen for it.

In their eagerness to visit their sister, they messed up. And now, unfortunately, Mom had found out. She knew about their sister's existence. But she misunderstood, thinking she was Florence's child, Florence and Dad's flesh and blood.

He was in deep trouble. He'd messed everything up...

"Uncle Shane, please help me find Mom. We need to explain everything to her! She's upset, she didn't even come in to see Danny and me, she must be heartbroken..."

Seeing the kid's eyes redden with urgency, Shane wasn't sure what he was supposed to explain. He just nodded. "Your mom left in a hurry just now, didn't even look for you two. She must be really confused. She can't have left the hospital too long ago. Let's hurry and find her if you're this worried." "Sammy? Sammy!" Danny came out, looking bewildered. "What's going on?"

Sammy turned, his gaze heavy with worry. "Mom was here. Somehow, she found us! She discovered our sister..."

"What?!" Danny was left standing there, his face paling to match his brother's.

As evening approached, Ludwik remained patient. Parker's men had spent the day tracking Bryce from a distance, noting that he seemed to be making circles around Emperor City.

At 6:10, Bryce returned to the villa briefly, then headed towards Emperor City International Airport.

Upon receiving the news, Ludwik quickly prepared to leave the office. "Parker, it's time to move!"

Parker frowned. "Do you think the 'mystery person' will land at Emperor City Airport? If we plan to intercept, how many people should we bring?"

"I'll have bodyguards from the Lippert family sent over," Ludwik said, his expression dark. "We can't make a scene at the airport; we need to be discreet. Ten elite bodyguards should suffice."

Parker nodded in agreement. While the Doonan family had plenty of capable hands, most were in Banyan City. And asking the Wilson family for help might arouse suspicion among the Inko Group's shareholders.

The shareholders had no idea that Ludwik intended to intercept the 'mystery person' and uncover their true identity.

The answers to Bryce's enigmatic behavior and hidden agenda might finally be revealed tonight.

Ten minutes later, a Range Rover was on the road. Ludwik contacted the Lippert family to dispatch ten skilled bodyguards to follow his vehicle. After hanging up, Ludwik's brow furrowed deeply. His fingers hovered over Whitney's number. He'd been trying to call her since morning, but she hadn't answered even once. He'd called over a dozen times...

The woman's stubbornness was giving him a headache. She was clearly upset, still mad about last night's unanswered call. There were reasons, but he had no way to explain them, and he couldn't leave his responsibilities during the day.

The silent frustration lingered in his throat, simmering as he stared out the window, dialing her number again.noveldrama

"What's wrong, Ludwik?" Parker asked from the front seat, noticing his troubled expression in the rearview mirror.

Ludwik rubbed his temples with a

net

large hand, a sign of his inner turmoil. "Whitney hasn't answered my calls all day. She's not one to stay angry for long. Even if she's sometimes stubborn, she's not cold hearted. I've called her so many times, and she's never ignored me like this before. Her good manners would usually prompt her to at least tell me to stop calling."

"I don't know what's happened... but I have a bad feeling."

"She's upset with you? Just because you missed a call last night?" Parker shook his head. Women were truly hard to understand.

"Also, she has this feeling I'm hiding something. I deliberately hung up on her the other day."

"That's where you're wrong, Ludwik. When you told me about Florence's baby, I was shocked beyond belief. You're keeping this baby a secret, but that's risky. Eventually, the truth will come out."

"The baby is still undergoing treatment. Who knows if she'll make it..." Ludwik said, his voice turning somber as he massaged his aching brow. "If she's not going to survive, why tell her?"

"That's just your perspective. You can't decide for Whitney. She's a mother; she has the right to know."

Parker sighed, wondering if Ludwik's overbearing nature and machismo had influenced his own relationship with Tiana Melford. Looking at how meticulous and controlling Ludwik was with Whitney, it was evident he was trying too hard to manage everything.

The more he tried to control, the more he confined her. Of course, it's always easier to see someone else's situation clearly while remaining blind to one's own faults.

Ludwik shot Parker a dark,

dangerous look, his eyes like storm. clouds about to break. "A child she never even knew existed, and then to

have him come and go just like that? Howdo

How do you expect her to handle that? She's my woman, and you better not overstep your boundaries

or start meddling." Content belongs

Parker felt a chill run down his spine under Ludwik's piercing gaze. He knew better than to cross him or stir things up with Whitney. That would be a one-way ticket to trouble.

The car ride fell into an uncomfortable silence.

The call Ludwik had made went unanswered, the ringing eventually stopping on its own after several long seconds. His frustration was palpable, the air around him seemed to grow colder with his deepening frown. What could have gotten her so upset? It's not like she didn't see the phone ringing. She was deliberately ignoring him.

Could something have happened to her...?

Just then, his phone buzzed unexpectedly. He glanced down, hope fluttering in his chest, only to see Sammy's name lighting up the screen.

Frowning, he answered the call, his voice softening slightly, "Sammy, what's going on?"

"Daddy... I messed up," Sammy's voice cracked, and he sounded on the verge of tears. "Something happened! Mom found out we went to the hospital, and she followed us. She saw Danny and me in our sister's room with her own eyes."