Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 492

Hudson gently stroked her hair, "Even though we haven't known each other for long, I can tell you truly care about Dad."

"And Dad feels the same about me." Whitney smiled.

"You get some rest. I need to see the lawyer." Hudson left.

Parker lingered outside the door for a moment before stepping in, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Looks like your dad is dead set on the divorce. But can he pull it off smoothly? The Sheldons still have the old man and the old lady, right?"

"It's unlikely to be smooth. Emma's very strong-willed," Whitney remembered her first encounter with the grandmother at the Sheldons. She had shown no affection.

Sandy emerged from the bathroom, agreeing with Whitney's statement. "Whitney, your granduncle is a very dutiful man. If Grandma firmly disagrees, with Florence's ability to sweet-talk her, there's going to be a huge fuss. Moreover, Ludwik and Florence are dating. Grandma, always keen to climb the social ladder, knows the Lipperts would never accept a divorcee into the family. She'll definitely prioritize Florence's happiness!"

A thorn pricked Whitney's heart, leaving her speechless.

Sandy implied that as long as Ludwik was still dating Florence, he'd be a formidable ally for Holly and her daughter.

Noticing her silence, Parker coughed deliberately, saying, "I heard Ludwik was rushed to a hospital in Banyan City for emergency treatment. He insisted on traveling, and his surgery wound reopened."

Whitney pressed her lips together, staying silent.

Danny, however, felt a surge of empathy for his dad. Remembering his own important news, he immediately stood up, clutching his little backpack. "Mommy! I have something important to tell you, and Daddy too!"

"What is it, honey?"

Danny glanced at Sandy.

Sandy quickly got the hint and left the room.

Parker, trusted by Danny, was allowed to stay.

Danny opened his backpack and pulled out the 'evidence' he had collected. "I found this piece of fabric, something we've overlooked all this time. It's actually a corner torn from a handkerchief! Why do I say so, Mommy? Look, this is a handkerchief I took from Florence's room!"

Whitney saw her son lay out a new handkerchief, then zoom in on the photo of the torn fabric on his phone. "See, the stitching patterns match. I'm almost certain the fabric on the phone also belongs to Florence's handkerchief! Plus, I found identical flowers in the sealed- off villa at the Sheldons."

"Danny..." Whitney was stunned by her son's replaceings.

She told Danny, "Tiana says this flower is called a tiger lily, extremely rare, only grows in the north, and it's very expensive, a poisonous flower. I checked, and it's a hundred thousand for a plant... The Sheldons can afford it, they planted it in the little villa, maybe Florence did? She must love this flower, even embroidered it on her handkerchief. Although I didn't replace another handkerchief with the exact same tiger lily, I suspect Florence kidnapped Sammy!!" Danny roared angrily, his eyes reddening.

Whitney's breath hitched. Her nerves jolted.

Although she had suspected Florence's involvement, confirming the piece of fabric was from a handkerchief and knowing Florence often carried one made her head spin.

Parker's expression turned grave as he stepped closer. "You found evidence linking Sammy's disappearance to Florence?"

"I found two pieces of evidence at the Sheldons, pointing unmistakably to Florence!"

Whitney asked Parker, "What about the van you and Ludwik found that morning, the one used to kidnap Sammy? Any leads?"

Parker replied, "Someone else was also looking for that van, I suspect to destroy evidence. We tracked them down, but that guy got blown up by a tanker truck. Ludwik had me follow up on the deceased's info. Turns out, he had financial dealings with a middle-aged man, a former mercenary named Lewis."

"Wait, Lewis?" Whitney was taken aback, interrupting Parker. She rifled through her memories, finally recalling something. "Sandy told me Florence had two people doing her bidding, one named Myra, the other Drew. Florence's dirty work, it's all done by this Drew." "If Drew is this middle-aged man I've been tracking..." Parker's pupils dilated with realization.

Danny, catching on, turned pale, his breathing quickened as he said to his mom, "Yesterday, I scoped out the Sheldons' villa, checked the back, and found a basement. The villa's backed by vast mountains. If Florence brought Sammy to Emperor City, she might be hiding him in that basement! Mommy! The first time I got close to that villa, my heart raced! The most dangerous place is the safest. Sammy might really be there!" Overwhelmed, Danny burst into tears.

Whitney felt a pang of pain in her chest, thinking her baby could have been so close yet hidden away... She couldn't forgive herself for only realizing now... "We have to go to the Sheldons to rescue Sammy! He's been held for almost a month!"

Whitney calmed her son. "We need a plan! Let's tell your granddad and show him the evidence. That way, we'll have a reason to search the villa." Parker nodded. "Let's do it tomorrow. Florence is still in Banyan City. It's only right to confront her there, in person, before we take any drastic steps!"

Whitney felt a surge of excitement. First, there was a chance to save Sammy, and second, she was frustrated with not having solid proof to expose Florence. Holly had tried to harm her multiple times, and Florence always covered her tracks. But this time, with Sammy's kidnapping, things were different. The embroidered handkerchief, the flowers grown in the villa, they could be the smoking gun!

"Mom! We've got to tell Dad everything, right? Get him to come back! Let him see for himself how twisted and terrifying Florence really is! She kidnapped Sammy! How dare she!" Danny said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with hope as he looked at her. Whitney's eyes flickered, her mind racing with the complicated relationship between Ludwik and Florence, something she wanted to understand. And there was Natalie's illness to consider too. If Sammy had been kidnapped by Florence, Ludwik had to be informed. Whether or not they were on the same side, for Sammy's sake, they had to unite against someone as devious as Florence.

Saving Sammy was the priority.

Whitney nodded, giving her son a somewhat disingenuous smile. "Ask him how he's doing first. If he's still kicking, you can have him come back and fill him in on everything!"

Parker felt reassured. Despite Whitney's tough exterior, she was clearly still concerned about Ludwik's well-being a good sign. Whitney was always sharp. Knowing Ludwik had his reasons, she would surely investigate.

Danny immediately pulled out his phone, contacting Felix.

Whitney glanced at the clock, her eyes narrowing as she scoffed. "I bet Florence will rush back to Emperor City ahead of schedule, thanks to Holly's mess."

Parker had an epiphany. "Might even be tomorrow."

Whitney's heart churned with anxiety as she silently prayed, 'Sammy, just hang on for one more day, darling. You've been through so much.'