Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 452

Her sarcasm always had a way of igniting his fury-

Thinking about her evening antics with Bryce, Ludwik scoffed, "Indeed, I'm afraid Florence would be heartbroken if she found out you're Danny's mom, so better keep it to yourself." Whitney's fists clenched tightly by her sides, her heart feeling as if it were pierced by needles.

She tried to suppress her emotions but couldn't hold back the frustration, her eyes reddening as she growled, "Ludwik, you would do anything for her! I won't help you hide the truth, nor will I let my child suffer because of Florence. Today, you were too busy with your girlfriend, neglecting Danny, which led to the incident at the Lipperts'. If anything had happened to him, I wouldn't have forgiven you! Sammy has already... Sammy..." Her voice broke, choked with anxiety.

A sharp pang of regret stabbed Ludwik's heart as he glanced her way. What was meant to be a jibe had triggered a massive reaction; blinded by anger, he had overlooked the sensitive topic of Sammy's disappearance, which now had her on edge.

"Whitney," he said, his voice laced with a mix of concern and regret as he moved closer, pulling her into a hug without another word, "Don't cry! I just "

How could she not see he was only trying to provoke her?

His long fingers forcibly tilted her chin upward, his dark eyes fixated on her tears, as if they burned him, prompting him to hurriedly reach for a tissue.

"You know well that revealing you're Danny's mom here at the Lipperts' wouldn't do him any good. Jarvis, Riley, didn't you see for yourself that night? You know what you should do."

Ludwik wiped her tears, avoiding directly addressing his earlier attempt to provoke her. His only desire was to hold her close, "Danny's fine; he met my grandma for the first time, and she treasured him like a precious gem."

Whitney's tension eased a bit upon hearing this. She pushed away his hand as it reached to wipe her tears again. Tearfully, she jumped off his lap, turning her back to him with a cold demeanor. Rejecting his attempts to console her. Ludwik, left holding the tissue, felt a wave of loneliness as his expression stiffened, "Do we have to be this distant?"

"What choice do I have? For Florence, our past and even Danny's origins must be buried."

She continued her biting sarcasm.

A cold, bitter feeling slid down Ludwik's throat as he disposed of the tissue. Then, noticing the coat she had dropped...

Whitney felt a gust of wind as Bryce's coat was tossed aside. In its place, Ludwik draped his own coat around her, cold yet distinctly masculine.

Whitney, engulfed by his scent, was momentarily transported back to a chaotic restroom encounter, her cheeks flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She gave up trying to toss the coat aside, instead turning to glare at him fiercely. "Don't glare at me. You're wearing it," he stated, unreasonably, in his car.

Whitney, her thoughts drifting to Sammy, couldn't help but ask, "Have you been looking for Sammy?"

Ludwik felt uneasy at her tone, "Of course, I have. Do you believe me?"

Whether she believed him was irrelevant; what mattered was progress, "Any leads?"

"Parker is investigating a black car that entered Emperor City."

His voice was steady, but his concern was palpable. His people were tirelessly searching, a testament to his guilt and a major reason for her resentment.

Ludwik cracked the window for air, his tone reassuring, "He'll be alright."

"My boy is smart and wise..." Whitney clenched her teeth, holding onto faith. Sammy's asthma was her main worry; had he been able to keep his inhaler safe during his disappearance?

Every day, Whitney clung to hope, trying to imagine positive outcomes. Their son was a link between them, and in that moment of shared concern, Ludwik drove them to the Lippert Resort in silence.

Whitney finally conceded, "Bring Danny to me; if he's hurt, make it quick."

"Whoever hurts him will answer to me," Ludwik replied tersely, his silhouette standing tall and imposing as he entered the grand resort.

-

Not long after Ludwik disappeared inside, Florence's car arrived. The security at the Lippert Resort respectfully opened the gates for her. As Florence passed by Whitney, still sitting in the Bentley, her face visibly upset, Florence couldn't help but smirk. Whatever had transpired between Whitney and Ludwik in the restroom, it was clear they had quarreled, likely due to Bryce's involvement, leaving Whitney stranded outside the resort.

Feeling a bit better about the situation, Florence smiled and asked, "Sister, did Ludwik not let you in? He's being quite cold to you. I'm here to visit Camilla; do you need a lift?"

Stepping out of the car, Whitney glanced at Florence's lone servant and scoffed, "Sister, aren't you tired of this charade? You orchestrated a fiancé for me today, all to provoke Ludwik. You got what you wanted."

Florence was taken aback by Whitney's directness, realizing her vigilance was stronger than anticipated. Feigning innocence, Florence blinked, "Sister, I don't understand what you're talking about."

"There's no audience here. Why keep up the act?" Whitney's sarcasm was biting as she stared down Florence's frail appearance. Since returning to the Sheldon family, this was their first private confrontation. If Florence wanted to play games, Whitney was ready to call her bluff, "Florence, I know what you're after: the Sheldon Group and the wealthy Ludwik. Your sickly appearance hides big ambitions. My return must be a thorn in your side, right? Sorry, but whoever crosses me, I cross them back! You took my man, so naturally, the Sheldon Group is off the table for you."

Whitney's eyes narrowed, a frosty veil cloaking her gaze, all to unsettle her.

Florence's doe eyes, once warm, chilled for a fleeting moment. She offered a pitiful smile, "Sis, you've got me all wrong. If a man's heart wanders, it's because he's found someone who truly moves him. Ludwik and I, we're genuinely in love. Didn't you see it for yourself?" Whitney's hands clenched behind her back, the claws of jealousy barely hidden.

"Well, you'd better make it to the altar with him then, or it's all smoke and mirrors," she sneered.

Florence bit her lip, choosing silence over words, and walked away. Entering the Lippert family estate, Myra glanced back at the fearless Whitney, frowning, "That witch figured it out! She's declaring war on you, isn't she?"

Florence's lips turned cold, then she smiled, "Can she win? She has no idea why Ludwik is with me. That alone will break her. Besides, I hold all the cards."

Myra, aware of what 'all the cards' implied, especially for a mother, felt a surge of confidence. Florence, armed with her trump card, was not worried.

After asking the Lippert family's butler, she learned Ludwik was at Camilla's and headed there.

-

Inside Camilla's villa.

As Ludwik entered, he saw Camilla anxiously holding Danny, the little boy's ear bleeding slightly, being bandaged by the family's nurse. A fuming little girl stood next to them, alongside her mother, Heidi. "Great-grandma, why are you holding this nobody who hit me, instead of me?" the little girl shrieked.