Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 478

The chill in the air was palpable as Ludwik glanced at Florence. She was set to leave for Banyan City in the afternoon.

His impatience was evident. The decision he made last night had been a struggle.

It wasn't that he didn't care about Whitney's feelings. But in reality, he had no choice.

"You might not agree, but it's the truth. Florence's proposal was better than yours; she won the contest fair and square. The General Manager will announce the results to the company and the public!" Ludwik spelled out each word with emphasis. A gleam of triumph shone in Florence's eyes. The 4% stake in the Sheldon Group was now hers! With Ludwik's intervention, even her father couldn't back out now.

She shot Whitney a venomous look.

Whitney staggered back as if weightless, her gaze fixed on Ludwik's lips, but his words were incomprehensible to her. Turning around, she dashed out, overwhelmed by disappointment.

"Keep an eye on Florence," Ludwik hastily ordered his assistant before rushing after Whitney.

He caught Whitney just as she was about to enter the elevator, pulling her out and dragging her into an adjacent empty office.

Without a word, he left her there, hoping to keep her safe from any rash actions.

But Whitney was seething, her eyes fixed on him with utter loathing. "How dare you do this to me? How can you just decide the outcome of the contest, sacrificing fairness for her happiness?! Do you have any idea what losing this contest means for me?" Tears streamed down her face, scorching Ludwik's heart.

He wanted to reach out, to wipe her tears away, but his hand clenched into a fist instead. "Is it really just about not getting that 4% stake? Are you so afraid of her taking your place as the heir? The shares and the Sheldon Group will still be yours in the end." He had heard Florence say the same thing last night, which had swayed him to disadvantage Whitney temporarily.

"Florence is your sister. Couldn't you have let her win just this once? If it's about honor, you've already won plenty of accolades in the jewelry industry. She has nothing. She's been seriously ill; why do you have to take this so seriously?" Ah, the irony.

He painted her as a woman obsessed with wealth and power, fighting over shares.

The pain in Whitney's heart felt sharper than the loss of the contest itself, more piercing than his reasoning for making her lose.

Bloodshot eyes and a scornful laugh, "She's ill so she deserves to win? What kind of sickness does she have that you'd treat me this way?! What if I said she was faking her illness?"

Sandy once mentioned how Florence loved playing the victim.

Whitney's emotions surged. "You think I care about those shares? No, it's Florence who's using you to get them! Losing the contest means facing backlash from the media and the Sheldon family. I'd be ousted from the Sheldon Group and become an outcast in the Sheldon family. That's exactly what Florence wants, isn't it? And you too, right? Ludwik, I despise you! You have no clue why I returned to the Sheldon family!"

"For what? Tell me!" Ludwik demanded sharply.

Tears streaming down her face, Whitney was there to investigate her mother's death, to gain a foothold in the Sheldon Group to stand against Holly!

But now, he had fallen for Florence, siding with her against Whitney.

Her heart shattered completely in that moment.

With a hollow laugh, Whitney vowed, "I'll never forget how you sacrificed me today to please her. Ludwik, from now on, we're enemies!"

Ludwik felt a sharp pang in his heart, knowing she would hate and misunderstand him.

Yet, the ache persisted.

His cold self-mockery broke the silence, "What if my intentions weren't to make her happy? Whitney, it's fine if you don't understand me. But if you think we're going to be enemies, think again!" His looming shadow seemed to tell her she couldn't escape.

Whitney pushed him away, and just as he reached for her, his phone rang. It was Dr. Ford from Banyan City.

Ludwik's expression changed drastically as he let go of Whitney to answer the call.

To Whitney, this confirmed her suspicions that the call was from Florence.

With a scornful laugh, she stormed out.

Ludwik watched her leave, regretting he hadn't had the chance to explain his recent trip to Banyan City and the search at Elaine's house that turned up nothing.

He sighed deeply and answered the call, "Yes, I'll bring Florence to the airport by four, we should arrive in Banyan City by eight. How's my mother?"

Dr. Ford's response furrowed his brow further.

"Natalie's condition is worsening, severe anemia has led to her falling into a coma. Mr. Lippert, we're preparing a blood transfusion. Please make sure Ms. Sheldon arrives on time." "Understood."

Ludwik ended the call, his hand trembling as he lit a cigarette.

-

Whitney locked herself in her office.

The news of her loss in the contest quickly spread throughout the S-T Group.

Speculation was rife since Florence's proposal had been lackluster at best.

But in the world of business, results trumped all. Florence's victory, regardless of how she achieved it, boosted her standing in the company, especially with Ludwik's support now an open secret.

Whitney's future looked uncertain.

Her father's call came at that moment.

After a brief hesitation, Whitney answered, "Dad..."

"I've got the picture," Hudson said curtly, his voice laced with a mix of anger and resignation. "I never thought Ludwik would be so brazen in backing Florence. The Lippert family owns the lion's share of S-T Group. With him meddling in the competition, those 4% shares, I've got no choice but to hand them over to Florence. Otherwise, if Ludwik decides to make a fuss, it's going to be a Sheldon versus Lippert showdown. This contest wasn't fair, and dad knows it. He won't let you get kicked to the curb by S-T Group. There's some pushback from within the Sheldon family about you joining the ranks, so we'll put that on ice for now. We'll figure something out..."

Tears welled up in Whitney's eyes at her father's attempt to comfort her.

Her strategies, utterly ruined by Ludwik's interference, filled her with an intense loathing for him.

Sitting desolately until dusk, Whitney finally grabbed her bag and left the office.

Most of her colleagues had already left for the day, but the few remaining cast peculiar glances her way, murmuring among themselves.

"Enough gossip, everyone. Time to head home!" Sandy shot them a warning look as she approached.

Seeing Whitney's pale face but stoic demeanor, Sandy knew she was taking it hard.

"Whitney, let's go for a walk," Sandy suggested gently.

Without a word, Whitney stepped into the elevator.

Sandy's assistant burst in, indignantly muttering, "Why does Whitney have to suffer like this? Nyx is over there, looking all smug. She's clearly Ludwik's favorite. He even left the office with her just after three, and Nyx was all dolled up, looking like she was off to a date with Mr. Lippert!" "Isla..." Sandy gave her a look, signaling her to keep it down.