Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 488

It was that final sentence that jolted Hudson awake, a chill seeping into his heart.

He looked at Whitney, his resolve hardening. "If the woman I've shared over two decades with is such a venomous witch, my father would've never kept her by his side. It took me so long to acknowledge you as part of the Sheldon family, and before I could make it up to you, you were put in danger. Let's go with this! The truth will come out."

Whitney squeezed her hands together, "Just act natural when you get back home."

Hudson felt heavy-hearted.

Just then, Danny woke up on the couch. Overhearing their conversation, he saw Hudson and immediately climbed down, "Grandpa, are you going back to the Sheldon house?"

"Yes, I came to see your mom. Do you want to come back with me for a visit?"

"Sure!" Danny walked over to Hudson, taking his hand. He gave Whitney a meaningful wink.

Whitney remembered that Danny had mentioned wanting to visit the Sheldon family to check if they had a certain type of embroidery that Sammy had torn off. With Holly bold enough to orchestrate a kidnapping, she was genuinely worried.

Seeing her anxious yet unable to voice it out loud, Danny ran over and whispered, "I'll be super careful, don't worry. Maybe I can even help grandpa catch the old witch!"

Whitney thought it over and decided that with Holly currently preoccupied, it might be safer for Danny to investigate the Sheldon household. She let him go.

After Hudson left with his grandson, only Parker and Sandy remained in the hospital room.

Parker clearly had something to say. Sensing this, Sandy found an excuse, "I'll go get Whitney some water."

With the room falling silent after the door closed, Parker began, "Your deduction was spot on, and it seems like your dad might really divorce Florence's mom. I can't believe she'd blatantly kidnap you, wanting you dead!" Whitney: "No, it's both Florence and her mom who wanted me dead."

Parker was shocked but then realized it made sense. Florence's infatuation with Ludwik was obvious, and her jealousy towards Whitney returning to the Sheldon family was understandable.

In Parker's view, Florence was no simple character, managing to turn Ludwik against Whitney...

He shifted his perspective, "Whitney, if you suspect Florence wants you dead, why not take Ludwik back from her? It's only by holding onto Ludwik that you can truly defeat Florence."

"Isn't Elaine enough?" Whitney retorted coldly, then added, "Hasn't he gone off to Banyan City to replace Florence already? You couldn't stop him."

"This is different from Elaine's situation!" Parker frowned, "Before Ludwik left, he insisted I shouldn't go. My guess is, firstly, he didn't want me to know something. Secondly, he wanted me to stay here to protect you. He's still worried about you!" Worried about her?

Then why, upon waking, was his mind only on Florence, angering her?

And yet, he said: "Don't harbour any illusions about me, I only care for Florence!"

With her eyes brimming with tears, Whitney fought to keep them from falling, "Mr. Doonan, fooling me once was enough. I mustered the courage to ask him if his kindness towards Florence was due to his mother, and he denied it!"

Parker sighed deeply, "I asked him too, and he also denied it! I don't know what his reasons are, but whatever harsh words he says to you, take them in reverse. His rush to Banyan City must be about Natalie, not because he's worried about Florence. Is he deceiving you, preferring you hate him rather than let you know the truth? If so, this truth must be related to you. Whitney, we need to investigate Natalie's condition; it's clearly worsening. And Florence, what role does she play? Calm down, his actions last night, his urgency to save you, that wasn't fake, you saw it."

She did see it... He fought to make her comfortable, their awkward closeness in those moments.

Parker emphasized Ludwik's concern for her. But once he woke up, he changed, only recognizing Florence.

Who was right?

Whitney didn't know who to believe anymore. The repeated blows had made her retreat, not the emotional martyr he accused her of being. His harsh words always hurt her deeply.

"Last night, it was Felix who accompanied Florence to Banyan City. I just got Ludwik's phone back, and the last call was from Felix to Ludwik. After that call, I remember his face changed in the ambulance."

Parker handed Ludwik's phone to her.

Whitney checked the call log, and indeed, it was Felix. She remembered his sudden change last night too.

What could Felix have said to make him rush to Florence the moment he woke up?

"Wait for Felix to return; as Ludwik's most important aide, he must know something. Then you can ask him!" Parker said, "Rest for now; you can't return to Banyan City yet with the investigation going on. I'll protect you."

Whitney looked at him, her mind a tumult of emotions. Unable to wait, she sent a message to Tiana.

Can you go to Natalie's hospital and replace out what's really wrong with her, why she's in a coma?!

Banyan City.

Ludwik sat in a wheelchair, stopped outside a luxury hotel suite. Despite his weak appearance, his expression was cold and severe.

Felix, with a bodyguard and a doctor in tow, whispered, "We found out that Florence slipped away from the airport and has been staying here. Since blood donation is voluntary, I couldn't forcibly bring her back to the hospital last night. If she refuses to donate blood, the hospital would call the police."

Ludwik's lips were a thin line of ice. Not just Felix, he too couldn't lay a hand on her. Blood donation is a matter of free will.

"Florence, open up," he called out, his voice tightly reining in his anger.

Myra quickly unlocked and opened the door from the inside.

Florence leaned weakly on the couch, her surprise at seeing Ludwik's injured appearance forcibly suppressed, her heart skipping a beat. This morning, her mother had sent word that Whitney was saved, and it was Ludwik who had rescued her!

But she hadn't expected Ludwik to get stabbed while saving Whitney, ending up in the hospital for surgery, nearly losing his life.

Florence felt so jealous she could almost spit blood.

After sizing him up, as Ludwik entered, she forced herself to sit up, "Ludwik, you're so badly hurt, why come all the way to Banyan City to replace me?"

Ludwik narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the girl for the first time with sharp intensity.

She had fled the scene, refusing to donate blood to his ailing mother at the last moment. This was not the same girl who had previously appeared fearful and obedient.

Asking why he had come all the way to Banyan City to replace her? In reality, her actions were forcing him to personally come and plead with her.

Ludwik never tolerated threats, had plenty of tough measures up his sleeve, but when it came to his mother, he couldn't afford to take it lightly. After all, the blood was in Florence's veins. If there were other options besides her rare blood type, he wouldn't have to be at her mercy.

A cold smile played at the corner of his mouth, "Florence, is there something you're unhappy with me about?"