Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 458

Florence's tweet from the other night at 9 PM read: "Met someone who treats me like a treasure, Mr. Lippert- xoxo"

The accompanying photo: A delicate girl lying on a chaise lounge, with a man's arm supporting her head and his other hand on her wrist, taking her pulse. The pale beauty of her skin against the masculinity of his hands, an intimate touch, his body looming over her, as if they were about to kiss at any moment...

Whitney stared blankly at the photo, feeling as if her eyes were bleeding.

She knew that Florence had probably chosen the angle deliberately. After all, she had added her on Facebook just so she could see it, right?

Yet, the dull ache in her throat still surged forth.

9 PM the other night, wasn't that when he refused to give Danny and her a ride back to the hotel?

She had even looked at him then, thinking he had something else to do.

Turns out, he was in a hurry to accompany Florence, to take her home, tangled up in each other!

He was so enchanted by Florence that he didn't even care about Danny anymore.

Whitney could bear her own emotional suffering, but the thought of her son being wronged was unbearable.

No wonder Danny had deliberately blocked her view then. He must have wanted to spare her feelings.

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. He doted on his new flame so openly, was it any wonder he had promoted Florence to manager outright, always siding with her whenever she wanted to suppress Whitney?

To him, she must have become nothing more than an annoying mosquito bite.

"Ms. Valentine, Mr. Lippert is asking for you in his office!" Sandy informed her from the doorway, her voice laced with concern.

Fists clenched and eyes cold, Whitney turned to leave her office.

Knock, knock-

Ludwik stood behind his desk, his gaze deep, "Come in."

Whitney scoffed as she walked in, her heels clicking sharply. "What do you want, Mr. Lippert?"

Seeing his towering figure only fueled her anger.

Ludwik, frowning slightly at her icy demeanor, came closer and quietly shut the office door behind her.

"I didn't realize you were also working in the S-T Group's sales department... I introduced Florence earlier just because she..."

"Just because you've fallen for her and you're head over heels, right? I get it." Whitney's laugh was bitter, her sarcasm reaching her eyes.

It was Florence's way of taunting her, but now, she believed it. Men's hearts change as quickly as flipping through a book.

Aside from falling out of love, there was no other reason he would dote on Florence!

Ludwik paused, taken aback by her sarcastic tone. His mood darkened, "Why must you speak in such a sarcastic manner?"

"Who's being sarcastic here? To win a smile from your lady love, Mr. Lippert, you don't spare any dignity for your ex-wife, do you?"

"I told you, her promotion has nothing to do with me. I just wanted to take care of her."

Florence had admitted it! And yet, he was still making excuses. What was this, another one of his games to keep her hanging?

Whitney felt even colder, a single word 'taking care of' explaining everything. She interrupted him with a laugh, "Mr. Lippert, if it's not work-related, why are we here?" Ludwik, his patience thinning and feeling the sting of her rejection, wanted to tell her about Sammy's situation, hoping to cheer her up...

But she was so wrapped up in misunderstanding him.

His demeanor softened slightly, his hand reaching for her arm, "There's something important I need to tell you."

"Let go of me!" His touch only made her recoil further.

Remembering the intimate photo Florence had posted, she felt disgusted by his once cherished hand.

When he didn't let go, she forcefully pulled away.

"Ouch." Ludwik winced, his palm bearing a recent injury.

Whitney caught a glimpse of the blood and his pained expression. She opened her mouth to ask about his injury but swallowed her concern. It wasn't her place to care anymore. "What do you want to say? I'm not interested. If you want to flirt, go replace your darling. Keeping her here is just to disgust others, right?"

Whitney's taunt echoed.

Ludwik's face darkened, "Whitney! Enough!"

The news about Sammy, all the things he wanted to share to make her happy, were drowned out by her coldness.

Disappointed and hurt, he clenched his fists, his expression turning icy. Without another glance, he dismissed her, "If you're not interested, then get out."

Whitney paused, her grip tightening on the doorknob, and then she left.

"Ludwik, I brought you a first aid kit. I was so worried about your forehead getting infected..."

Florence entered, her voice gentle and concerned, holding the first aid kit like a peace offering.

"Oh, are you here too?" Florence asked Whitney, her smile innocent but tired as she coughed, making her way to Ludwik's side.

Her frail concern, how could it not sway a man's heart?

Whitney sneered silently.

"Please, sit down, Ludwik, let me take care of this, or I'll really start crying," Florence's voice wavered with unshed tears.

Ludwik glanced at Whitney, then at Florence who was all concern and vulnerability. Whitney had seen his injury and chosen to ignore it. Did she really not care about him anymore? His heart grew colder. Sitting down, he let Florence tend to his wounds, his voice devoid of warmth, "Florence, I left breakfast on the table for you. Make sure you eat before you go." Florence glanced at Whitney's stiff back and playfully chided, "Ludwik, she's still here. You're so protective of me, it's embarrassing."

Ludwik's face stiffened, then he laughed bitterly, "Why care about her? Make sure you eat everything, especially the pancakes and bacon. If you don't, I'll have to feed you myself." "Really now," Florence's voice bubbled with faux distress, "to be so doted on by a boyfriend, I'm finally experiencing it."

With that, Whitney's hand froze on the door handle, her heart turning to ice as she slammed the door behind her.

Ah, so they called her over just to rub it in her face? To show off how he's playing the doting partner, whipping up breakfast for Florence?

What a joke.

Whitney clenched her teeth and stormed off.

Inside, after Florence had applied her ointments, she approached the table and saw that the breakfast spread didn't include her favorite, bird's nest soup with a Western twist.

There were two identical breakfast plates laid out, but one had a dessert that many women would die for.

A slight pallor took over Florence's face as she instantly realized the breakfast wasn't prepared with her in mind...

Ludwik looked up, his demeanor calm and detached, "Florence, let's go out. I'll treat you to your favorite, bird's nest soup. You need it for your health."

Every bit of kindness, every indulgence, it was all so transparently for his mother.

Ludwik was a man of ice, impervious to the charms of other women.

There she was, pitiful in front of him, enough to awaken the protective instincts in any normal man, to stir up affection, but not him.

With her fists clenched, Florence bit her lip, thinking if this is how it's going to be, she'd have to use everything at her disposal to tear these two apart!