Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 545

Dr. Bennett looked completely flabbergasted, nodding slowly. "When Natalie was first admitted, our blood tests did indeed reveal that she suddenly had spinal necrosis and leukemia. But... at the time, unable to replace a cause, I checked the two types of pills you'd been giving Natalie, Ms. Harper..." Ludwik's gaze turned icy, silently warning Dr. Bennett not to continue.

Whitney caught the exchange of looks between them, a suspicion briefly flickering through her mind. It finally clicked why Ludwik had hidden Natalie's illness from her in the beginning. He genuinely believed that Natalie's leukemia was her doing, with Dr. Bennett providing the basis for this belief. A respected hematologist, Ludwik had every reason to trust him.

Reflecting on it, Whitney remembered how Ludwik had kept her at arm's length during Natalie's hospitalization, forbidding her from treating Natalie. His looks were so complex back then. She couldn't help but scoff at herself, her self-mockery intense. Dr. Bennett's conclusion had created a rift between them from that moment, piling misunderstanding upon misunderstanding until it was irreparable.

"The pills I gave Natalie were safe," Whitney said with a bitter smile, yet firmly. "They did contain various toxic and chemical components, but I researched them thoroughly three years ago. They neutralized each other. They wouldn't cause irreversible harm to the patient's body. In other words, Dr. Bennett, you overlooked something. If my pills were to blame, Natalie would have developed leukemia within these three years."

Dr. Bennett froze, realizing his initial suspicion might have caused a huge misunderstanding for Ludwik. His face paled, and he stammered, facing Ludwik, "Ludwik, I said it was very likely... And, when you asked me to retest Ms. Harper's pills about two weeks ago, I did. The toxic and chemical components, I didn't make a mistake."

Ludwik's expression had changed; regret and guilt surged within him. He had trusted Dr. Bennett, thinking that by keeping Whitney in the dark, he was protecting her. She wouldn't have to live with guilt and pain over her mother! But it turned out not to be the case. Whitney had done nothing wrong; she clarified openly that her medicine was not faulty. The problem was with Florence! She had been scheming from the start, plotting against everyone close to him. Sammy, his mother, Whitney...

Ludwik was engulfed in sorrow, thinking if only he had noticed the subtle clues earlier. Whitney understood the collapse happening inside him and spoke slowly, "A tragic mistake. You didn't know. Strictly speaking, you can't be blamed. Ludwik, you're just too domineering. You do what you think is right. You thought hiding the truth from me was for my own good. Little did you know, even without your suspicions, Florence had already targeted you, laying her traps seamlessly. Sammy had told me Florence was conducting experiments in her lab due to her illness. If you had doubts about her injecting your mother with a chemical toxin, Sammy's words should clear your doubts. Florence might have a background in medicine; she knows pharmacology well enough to disguise herself as ill. She must have someone skilled in poisoning by her side. The fact that Sammy fell into her hands shows how cunning she is!"

After a moment of silence, Ludwik choked out three words, "I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse, indicating the weight of those words. "Whitney, I apologize for my arrogance. If only I had trusted you more back then, had been more open... Alas, there are no 'if only's." Ludwig's eyes were filled with sorrow, his fist hitting the wall in agony.

Whitney's lashes trembled; her innocence was finally vindicated! She had no concrete evidence, yet he chose to believe her, to believe that Natalie's spinal cord had indeed been tampered with by Florence. Deep down, Whitney was moved. He unconditionally stood by her side. So... she decided to reveal the purpose of their conversation.

Whitney looked up, her gaze steady on the man with bloodshot eyes, "Natalie is safe now. You no longer need Florence's spinal marrow; the deadly threat she posed is gone. As for Sammy..."

"No need to say more. I'll make Florence pay for everything she's done, one by one. From today, her hell begins." Ludwik's words were chilling, a cold fury emanating from him. He had been waiting for this day, to make Florence pay without mercy and get Sammy back. Now, with Florence as the prime culprit, there was no way she could escape hell.

Whitney's breath trembled, "I want to see a lively Sammy soon."

"I understand." Ludwik walked away, calling over Parker with a steely voice, "Lock Florence up. No one sees her. I'll interrogate her myself, no matter the cost!"

Whitney leaned heavily against the wall, her eyes red. He had finally awakened to the truth. Perhaps, deep down, he had been waiting for this day too. Ludwik, you must follow through, don't let my hopes be dashed again...

-

When Florence woke up, she was in

a moving vehicle, confusion

clouding her senses. Myra and Ryan were nowhere in sight! During the transplant surgery, in a deceptive move, Ryan had used previously frozen marrow and injected Florence with a cool anesthetic, causing her to pass out. Now awake, she found herself not in the hospital but in a car, guarded by a bodyguard and driven by a chauffeur.

"Where are we going?" she asked, panic rising.

The bodyguard smirked, "Florence, Ludwik has ordered us to take good care of you."

"I want to go home!" Her voice was frantic, the fear palpable.

The bodyguard sat with the stillness of a statue. "Ludwik hasn't given you the green light to head home, so don't make this harder on us." "Where is he taking me? I just donated bone marrow for Ludwik's mother, you better treat me with some respect."

No matter what Florence tried to

argue, the bodyguard turned a deaf ear. Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of a secluded villa nestled halfway up the hillside, with no other buildings in sight-utterly isolated, screams for help would go unanswered.

A shiver of anxiety ran through Florence as she guessed Ludwik's next move would be to burn bridges now that she had donated her

e2

marrow to Natalie. The only leverage she held was gone. Her worth Kad evaporated. And with her

Λου

involvement in Sammy's kidnapping, there was no way Ludwik would let that slide. It was time to settle

scores.

But she hadn't anticipated his urgency, his actions filled with venom! Could it be something Whitney had whispered in his ear? As she pondered, the car came to a halt, and her arm was firmly grasped by the bodyguard, dragging her out. "Don't drag me; I might trip. I can walk on my own..." A shadow of determination crossed Florence's eyes as her hand subtly caressed her belly. Despite the panic that flickered on the surface, deep down, she remained calm.