Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"Man, you forked over a ton of cash to that godforsaken land of Beloria, nearly lost your life there in the past couple of weeks, and those Beloria Border bullies still gave you hell. Why's that?”

"Not much of a surprise when it's their turf, and they had guns pointed at my head," Ludwik replied with an eerie calmness, wiping the blood from his face with a grace that somehow conveyed a wild arrogance to Whitney. Bloodied and battered, he emanated an aura of defiance and danger.

Whitney felt a chill run down her spine!

Parker approached, voice lowered in fury, "The customs holding you up, that's gotta be Jarvis' doing, right? He can't stand the thought of you not being dead in Beloria. On the day of your mom's surgery, he doesn't want you back home!"

Whitney felt waves of shock. Had the feud between Jarvis and Ludwik escalated to this bloody extent? She harbored a secret about Jarvis and Thea, and now Ludwik seemed to be in deep trouble. Should she spill it to him?

“I'll settle the score with him about the Beloria mess. Is Dr. Ford here yet?" Ludwik cut Parker off, not wanting Whitney to dwell on his perilous journey. Parker nodded, "Dr. Ford and his team are prepping in the OR. Natalie's about to be put under. Dr. Ford said the surgery should take around four hours if all goes well. If..." Parker's voice hitched, his brow furrowed deeply, "You just got back. Go see Natalie; she's been waiting for you."

Ludwik turned abruptly, his gaze heavy with unspoken dread briefly meeting Whitney's, revealing a fleeting glimpse of vulnerable fear. Whitney understood that look; if Natalie didn't make it through the surgery, this might be their last goodbye. In Natalie's heart, she and Ludwik were still married, still family. Without hesitation, Whitney picked up Danny and headed in the direction Parker pointed.

“Let me hold him,” the man said with a sigh of relief, his deep voice enveloping her.novelbin

Following him to the hospital room, they found Natalie dressed for surgery, sitting quietly in a wheelchair. Parker was about to call out to her when Ludwik's hand suddenly stopped him.

His face set in a grim line, "Parker, I can't go in there. Let my mother keep waiting, keep holding on till after the surgery."

Parker's voice caught in his throat, "But what if.....”

"There are no 'what ifs'!" Ludwik's voice was ice cold, firm, and merciless as he turned to leave, "Where's Florence? Bring her here!"

Parker made a call, "Security, bring Ms. Sheldon over. She's needed in the OR.”

After hanging up, Parker reported in a hushed tone, "I had security track Florence for a week; she's been cooperative, even when I had her under house arrest yesterday. Didn't resist or try to back out of the donation. She's only left under my watch to visit the hospital with Holly once, to get some meds from Ryan. Everything's been too smooth. I'm half-expecting her to bail last minute..."

Ludwik glanced at Parker, his calm demeanor hiding a ruthless edge, "Whatever game she's playing, today her spinal fluid is going into my mother, whether she likes it or not. If she's smart, she'll avoid trouble."

As he spoke, Florence, seated in a wheelchair, approached him. His voice wasn't low, deliberately meant for her ears.

Florence clenched her fists, stopping

in front of Ludwik. She glanced over the crowd behind him, her gaze landing on Whitney, a thorn in her side. Tears welled up as she looked up at Ludwik with feigned affection, "Ludwik, I promised you, and I'll give

my most precious thing for s

recovery. If I had any intention of backing out, I wouldn't be here today." She stood, tiptoed closer to Ludwik, her eyes shimmering with hope, cautiously adding, "I've kept my promise. After Natalie's surgery, will you keep yours to me? Don't forget what you promised."

Her words lingered in the air, reaching Whitney's ears. Tiana also caught the undertone, glaring at Florence with disdain, whispering to Whitney, "She's putting on quite the show, acting as if she's bestowing some grand favor. What's that about? What did Ludwik promise her?"

Whitney's gaze turned icy, shifting away from Florence's frail appearance, noting that Florence seemed healthier, even a bit plumper than before. Was she preparing her body for this moment? Ludwik offered no response to Florence's plea, his cold gaze cutting through the air as he stepped away, “Let's get this over with. Remember what I said. No tricks. My mother makes it through today, so do you." His threat sent shivers down Florence's spine, her resolve hardening. Thankfully, she had her own plans in place.

Florence tightened her grip on the wheelchair, pushed towards the OR by Myra, with Ludwik and Parker watching until she disappeared inside. In the OR, Florence lay on the table, Ryan concealed among the е medical staff, giving her a subtle nod, his hand on a cooler with the necessary medical supplies. The transplant began, and Ludwik waited outside, breathless, his intense gaze locked on the operating room's light, standing immovable as time seemed to freeze. Danny stood by his dad's side, his tiny hand gripping onto the fabric of his jeans. The hallway was silent as a grave.

Whitney followed, her heart in her throat, worried sick about Natalie. To lighten the mood, Tiana deliberately changed the subject. "So, Ludwik really isn't treating Florence all that well, huh? Did you hear what he said earlier? It's like he sees Florence as nothing more than a tool, no real affection there! His engagement to Florence, I bet it was just a transaction for today's surgery! To help his mom, he's really willing to stoop low..."

Tiana's voice trailed off, her expression a mix of emotions. "Whitney, I guess we can't just label him as a total jerk. If my mom was sick and needed me to fake it with some guy, I'd do it. Would you?" Whitney was lost in thought, unwilling to answer.