Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"Actually, if Whitney would just hurry up and marry Bryce, my threat would be gone," Florence spat venomously, her eyes simmering with resentment. "That witch, if she's already given up on Ludwik, why keep him dangling?"

"If she knew Sammy's been found, she wouldn't be under my thumb anymore."

"I bet Ludwik won't tell her, he can't even face Whitney now. Did you forget, Whitney went public with her new relationship? With the two of them at each other's throats, communication's practically impossible."

Holly pondered, patting her daughter on the shoulder, "Calm down. Besides, isn't Sammy a bit of a lost cause? How would Ludwik just hand him back to Whitney?"

Florence considered this, her frustration slightly easing as she furrowed her brows, "I need to find a way to test Whitney."

Just then, Myra rushed in, her iPad alight with breaking news, "Ms. Sheldon. Whitney tracked down the paparazzi who was stalking her and traced it back to you. She's hit back with a news piece exposing your actions, mocking that if you can't keep your man, you should look at yourself rather than framing her."

"What?" Florence's face hardened, trouble following trouble. That witch Whitney.

"Show me that tablet!"

---

At noon, Ludwik stepped out of a meeting at Pearl Plaza, uncharacteristically flustered with mistakes made not once, but twice during the conference. Parker and Felix waited to catch him.

"Ludwik, let's grab some lunch."

Ludwik wasn't in the mood, his mind elsewhere, "Felix, I need a list of the top psychologists worldwide."

Parker chimed in, "Looking for a shrink for Sammy? What's wrong with him?"

"I suspect he's been hypnotized," Ludwik's gaze deepened.

"That makes sense now. But it seems like the solution should come from the source. Ryan operated on his brain; he must know something. Don't worry, Ryan wouldn't dare leave him like that!"

"Every day Sammy refuses to come back to me, it's as if I haven't really found my son. Parker, can you understand that feeling? How do I explain this to Danny? How do I respond to his hopeful gaze?"

Parker remained silent as they settled into a restaurant on the second floor of the mall.

After ordering, Parker broached the subject, "This is actually what I wanted to ask you. You've found your son, but are you going to tell Whitney? Even though Sammy's situation is complicated, and he's refusing to come back, Whitney has been tormented enough, doesn't she deserve to know?"

Ludwik's grip on his cup tightened, his stoic facade cracking, his voice turning icy, Why tell her? She's busy playing lovebirds! If Sammy was her priority, she wouldn't rush to marry another man! What about our child? Did she ever think of him? Since she didn't, since she could coldly abort our child, she doesn't deserve to know."

Parker got his answer.

Ludwik's refusal stemmed from anger, but beneath the rage, Parker saw something else. Ludwik's heart still had a soft spot for Whitney, despite his outward coldness. If he truly had no feelings left, he would've told Whitney straight away. But he didn't, he had promised to return a whole son to her. He feared Whitney's collapse upon seeing Sammy's condition, which was the real reason behind Ludwik's tough exterior. He couldn't bear to break her heart, preferring her to cling to the hope that Sammy was somewhere, safe and sound.

Parker's contemplation was interrupted by a commotion from the mall below-a high-society lady making a scene over Whitney's jewelry brand, accusing it of being tainted by scandal.

Whitney, confronting the accuser at her store in Pearl Plaza, defended her brand and personal life with grace and assertiveness, debunking the accusations of being a homewrecker with reasoned arguments and inviting the woman to reconsider her stance based on facts, not rumors.

As the situation escalated, Bryce intervened, protecting Whitney from the woman's aggressive behavior with a cool, commanding presence, drawing a line against the unjustified assault on Whitney's character and work.

"If you're looking for trouble, I'll have mall security handle you! Ms. Valentine already explained, the jewelry is top-notch, and as for her character, that's none of your business. If you know what's good for you, leave. Don't ruin our event!"

"You dare to push me?! You must be

the pretty boy from yesterday, calling each other boyfriend and

girlfriend, who would believe that! bet this, Whitney is just playing the field, keeping you around to sell her jewelry! Caught meddling in someone else's relationship, she quickly pairs up with you talking marriage. Go on, tie the knot then! Thinking you can fool us all!"novelbin

As the lady finished, some bystanders got riled up, "Right, if I wanted to shake off rumors of being the other woman, I'd also grab a man and claim he's my boyfriend. Isn't that a classic celebrity move to clean up their image?"

"These bosses think they can play us for fools, taking our money while living scandalous lives."

"With a brand nobody's heard of, let's boycott her stuff!"

Whitney clenched her hands.

Bryce stood by her side, surveying the scene, his eyes darkening, "Whitney, what do we do now? Our relationship is still under scrutiny..." From the mall's escalator, Ludwik descended with long strides, his cold gaze fixed on the drama at the counter. He was about to intervene. The woman grabbed Bryce's hand beside her, declaring firmly, "Just like I said yesterday, Mr. Lutz and I are genuinely in a relationship. Our connection isn't some stunt pulled in light of yesterday's gossip or for some promo. We've even set our wedding date; it's next month." Ludwik froze, as if doused in ice water, staring intensely at her delicate profile.