Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 405

Ash gently placed her on the bed, nodding as he shared his replaceings. "It was tough tracking her from just a silhouette, but I managed. The girl is Ms. Sheldon, heiress to the Sheldon Group in Emperor City."

Elaine froze at his words, her mind buzzing as pieces of information clicked together. Her mother had mentioned that Jason was planning to arrange a new alliance for Ludwik, with Florence being the chosen one. The kidnapping... the shadowy figure behind it? And now, Florence, making her moves on Ludwik.

A cold loathing surfaced in Elaine's eyes. She understood everything now; she had been played by Florence, turned into a mere pawn! This girl, despite her young age, harbored a ruthlessness that surpassed even Elaine's, silently sharpening her blade and striking at both her and Whitney, sweeping away the women around Ludwik. And then, she made her move...

Biting her lip in frustration, Elaine thought of Whitney's downfall with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

"Ash, how could he secretly meet with Florence?" Ashton wondered aloud, puzzled as he looked at Elaine. "Elaine, were you hoping to somehow win Ludwik back by asking me to look into this girl?"

Of course, that was Elaine's wish, but her expression softened as she shook her head. "After the way Ludwik has treated me, my heart has grown cold. This is what I've become, and only you, Ash, have stayed by my side, making me see who truly cares. I was merely curious about this girl, and also, it's a pity about Whitney. I heard she and Ludwik had a falling out. It seemed like she was so close to finally seeing the light."

Ash sighed, looking at her. "Elaine, you're too soft-hearted. Whitney was willing to cut you out of the picture for her gain, and here you are feeling sorry for her? You need to look after yourself."

Elaine replied innocently, "I've always been soft. I can't hold onto hatred like Valerie does. I tend to forget those who've wronged me quickly."

Ash's expression flickered at the mention of Valerie. Lately, he had been running back and forth to the hospital to take care of Elaine. Despite her mistakes, Ludwik's account was only one side of the story. Ash believed Elaine wasn't inherently bad; after all, she had saved him from drowning in the lake when they were kids. How bad could she be? Yet Valerie kept giving him the cold shoulder, which was getting on his nerves.

-

After Ash left, Elaine immediately called Delphine, sharing everything about the puppet master behind the scenes, her voice filled with vexation. "This Florence is no simple character! It must've been her who kidnapped Whitney's son. Well, Whitney had it coming. How did Florence manage to get so close to Ludwik without raising any suspicions? Mom, you need to dig deeper into this Ms. Sheldon in Emperor City."

Delphine was in disbelief. "Ms. Sheldon has a good reputation in Emperor City, known to be frail and confined to her home, innocent and uninvolved with the world. To think she's outmaneuvered both you and Whitney. It's no surprise though. Recently, I heard Jared is about to acknowledge an illegitimate daughter, guess who?"

"Whitney," Elaine said bitterly.

"That's right! This woman's background is more significant than we thought. Jared values her highly, planning to grant her a substantial share of the stocks, and he's headed to Banyan City today. It's the talk of Emperor City. If this illegitimate daughter returns, Mrs. Sheldon and Ms. Sheldon will feel threatened. But don't underestimate Mrs. Sheldon; she's a formidable opponent."

Delphine shared with a cold laugh, "Remember when your father took over the Tennyson family's medical empire? It was when Parisa broke up with Hudson, and Mrs. Sheldon rose to power. Do you think the Tennyson family's collapse was without Mrs. Sheldon's involvement? We, the Bartels family, benefited silently. Even Parisa's mysterious death wasn't our doing; Mrs. Sheldon was involved."

-

Elaine was stunned by the depth of these family secrets. Interesting, Whitney's birth mother was ruined by Mrs. Sheldon? Then even if that wretch returns to the Sheldon family, she'll have 'wonderful' days ahead. Elaine plotted darkly...

Two days later, Ludwik finalized the appointment of the new CEO for Skyfaith Group and its chief acting officers, swiftly settling the company's internal and external affairs. After a marathon ten-hour transition meeting, Ludwik returned home with a grave demeanor. Felix had packed the young master's belongings into a suitcase, ready for departure. Ludwik lit a cigarette, then turned to face his son, who stood coldly on the staircase. "Daddy's heading to Emperor City tomorrow. You'll stay with mommy for now." "Are you taking over the Lippert Group from grandpa?" Danny asked, showcasing his precocious understanding.

Ludwik wasn't surprised by his son's mature tone; the boy had always been sharp, likely Sammy was the same. Partially closing his eyes, Ludwik replied, "That's just one of the things. Daddy needs to replace Sammy and sort out some other matters." "Sammy must be found! How long will you be gone? Do I have to stay in Banyan City the whole time?"

Ludwik didn't answer the first question, his tone turning somber. "You and grandma will stay put for the next half a month. With Sammy missing, I'm entrusting you to mommy to keep her from getting too sad."

"You clearly love mommy," Danny pouted, sighing.

"..." It was obvious to everyone, except that woman, perhaps. Or maybe, she just didn't care.

Ludwik chuckled bitterly, his gaze as cold as ice, as he embraced his son and they headed to the car. When they arrived at the apartment, Whitney wasn't home. Ludwik asked Yael for the key.

It was ten o'clock. Whitney left her office at Skye Gem Ltd., walking unsteadily and reeking of alcohol. She had returned to work today, refusing to let the recent troubles over Sammy keep her locked away at home anymore. Keeping busy did seem to make things better. After a long day, Nyx wanted to cheer her up, so he suggested they have a few drinks at the office. Whitney had been feeling so bottled up lately that she couldn't stop drinking once she started, ending up absolutely plastered. Nyx dropped her off at her apartment building and then left.

Whitney made her way upstairs alone, opening her door to a silent apartment. She kicked off her high heels, revealing pink toenails, and paced around the room. Her slender legs stood out from her tight skirt and blouse. It was a hot early summer night. Whitney frowned, pulled her blouse out from her skirt, and headed to the kitchen to gulp down a glass of water.

The strong smell of alcohol in the air was enough to make the tall man sitting on the couch wrinkle his nose in annoyance. He was completely ignored by Whitney. Ludwik glanced at the bedroom; Danny was asleep. Standing up with a cigarette between his lips, he quietly closed the bedroom door behind him.

As he turned his head, his gaze froze. Whitney had started undressing from the kitchen onwards. She was swaying, humming to herself, her brows furrowed as if she was uncomfortable. Her blouse had slipped down to her waist, the burgundy color making her waist look as white as snow, enticing Ludwik with thoughts he shouldn't have.

As his gaze traveled up, following the curve of her back to the lace at her shoulders, his expression darkened. "I can't replace the bathroom..." Whitney mumbled, looking lost.

Ludwik glanced quickly at the uncurtained window, his expression ice-cold. He grabbed her, leading her towards the bathroom. "It's here," he said, his voice low and tense.

Whitney nodded vaguely, her eyelashes fluttering slowly as she began to unzip her skirt. Ludwik couldn't look away, even if he wanted to. And he asked himself, why would he want to? This might be the last time, he thought with a cold laugh, though his eyes darkened

even more.

"You..." Whitney leaned against the wall, turning around with narrowed eyes, "Ludwik? What are you doing here?"

Ludwik stiffened. She was supposed to be as drunk as a skunk; how could she recognize him? His eyes dimmed slightly as he answered seriously, "I just dropped off my son."

"Am I dreaming? Damn, even in my dreams, I have to deal with you," Whitney slurred, tilting her head.

He paused, his gaze intensifying. Unable to resist, he stepped closer. The sudden rush of masculine scent and his towering presence cornered Whitney in the tight space. She looked up, trying to see him clearly...

Suddenly, her wrists were caught in his strong grasp and pinned against the wall. Ludwik leaned down and fiercely kissed her...