Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 471

Separated by just a wall, the chill wind made Ludwik tighten his jacket as he sighed, his long strides taking him into the elevator.

Inside the house, Whitney leaned against the door, her hand covering her eyes as if to shield herself from the emotional storm within. Anger nearly choked her breath.

Their discussion had been about Sammy, but a single call from Florence and Ludwik was ready to dash to her side, breaking any resolve he had.

What was it about that woman that so captivated him?

Sammy's well-being had been brushed aside so hastily.

Whitney's gaze faltered, drifting unfocused to her phone as a new notification pinged. Opening Twitter, she wasn't surprised to find Florence's post from a minute ago: "His whereabouts during the day don't matter; every night he returns to snuggle beside me Mr. Lippert, my love."

Whitney scoffed; the message was clearly a jab at her.

Yet her eyes still burned, misty with the harsh truth that, time and again, Florence was prioritized over his own son. That was the reality!

Foolish Whitney... those wandering emotions of yours only highlight your naivety. Stop letting him play you... Tossing the phone aside, she took a deep breath, steadying her emotions before heading to Danny's room, hoping to offer some solace.

The little guy was bundled up in bed, his face the only thing colder than ice, but otherwise, he seemed okay.

"Mommy always said, don't let him ruin your mood. Daddy is Daddy, and you are you," Whitney said softly, caressing his head.

"Let's forget about that jerk. He's gone. Mommy, I wanted to tell you about something I saw at the Sheldons' place."

"What did you see?" her son managed to avoid mentioning Ludwik directly.

"Florence! I went to confront her today, but she had gone to work. I snooped around, almost made it into her bedroom, but Emma caught me. Mommy... there's something eerie about Florence. I saw all these weird potion bottles, and then, there were books on hypnotism!" "Hypnotism?" Whitney frowned. The bottles could be explained away by health reasons, but hypnotism? Was Florence dabbling in something sinister behind the scenes, as Sandy suggested? She resolved to have a serious chat with Sandy next time.

"I didn't get to read it; I was kicked out before I could. Then I sneaked around to the back where there are several cottages, and there's this one that's all boarded up."

"I remember that." Whitney recalled a rundown cottage on the Sheldon estate that Hudson mentioned was used for storage. At the far end of the Sheldon Mansion, neglected for years, "That cottage, what about it?"

"When I got close, my heart started racing, reminding me of the connection I have with Sammy. But I got dragged away by Molly before I could investigate further. The cottage is covered in ivy and flowers..." Danny paused, the mention of flowers sparking a thought.

"Mommy! Did you save the photo from Ludwik's phone?"

"I didn't, why?"

Squinting, Danny was uncertain, trying to match the embroidery on the fabric with the flowers he'd seen outside that cottage.

"The pattern on the fabric, I think I saw it at the Sheldon family's cottage."

"Are you sure?" Whitney's breath hitched. The embroidery seemed unique, not like typical flower designs.

"I don't know," Danny admitted, a bit confused. "Maybe I didn't see it clearly. Let's find out where that flower comes from, if it's rare. I'll try to sneak back to the Sheldons' cottage to compare it with the photo!"

Whitney was skeptical, worried her three-year-old son's imagination was running wild. But if the uncommon flower, intricately embroidered on a piece of fabric, was indeed planted at the Sheldon Mansion, could Sammy's disappearance be linked to the Sheldon family? Excluding the father, that left...

Her heart raced with a bold suspicion, especially after Danny mentioned Florence's odd look at him-a theory formed in her mind. But without evidence, it was just a theory.

"Danny, ask your dad for the photo tomorrow."

"Okay!" With a glimmer of hope, Danny settled down, "Mommy, let's sleep. Hopefully, Sammy is somewhere safe too, eating and sleeping. We'll find him!"

Whitney's eyes welled up as she kissed his forehead, "You're amazing, Danny. Sammy would be proud of how hard you're trying."

"Mommy, are you asleep?"

In the darkness, Danny's muffled voice broke the silence.

""What is it?"

"Just thinking about dad... Maybe he's being blackmailed by that witch, forced to do her bidding?"

Whitney paused, peering into the darkness at her son, feeling a bitter cold mix with sorrow. Her son still didn't want to see Ludwik in a bad light.

"Because it seems like dad isn't happy to see her. I looked it up, and real jerks don't feel guilty about seeing their mistresses. They're usually thrilled. But Ludwik seems miserable. He hasn't laughed in a long time... except when he's with grandma and you. Earlier, when he saw us eating, I noticed a smile, hidden but there. I think, deep down, dad cares about you, even if he doesn't show it."

Listening to her son's attempt at justifying Ludwik's actions, Whitney smiled bitterly. Her son was too innocent to see through the facade.

A man torn between lies and deceit could hardly be transparent. He had said it himself, Florence's naïve vulnerability was what he sought, a quality he claimed to have lost with Whitney...

Whitney's heart skipped a beat, her voice cool as she spoke, "How can someone as strong as him be under Florence's thumb? Don't make excuses for him. You believe everything you read online? Go to sleep!"

Whitney refused to discuss it further.

-

Danny pursed his lips weakly, sighing. Mom was really upset, all thanks to that Florence. There must be something fishy about her! He was determined to show dad that this woman was no angel!

The next day.

Whitney headed to work at S-T Group, where a new sales department competition was announced. Whitney's team was pitted against Florence's team. Within two days, they needed to submit a flawless jewelry marketing plan, and the company's executives would choose the winner to support with sales.

Moreover, the winning team would receive 4% of Sheldon Group's shares.

Time was tight.

But for Whitney, it was enough. All she needed was Sandy's help. They started their preparations early in the morning, working diligently.

At noon, Whitney went out for lunch and noticed Ludwik's office was shut. Wasn't he supposed to be inspecting S-T Group these days? Was he not at work today?

Whitney glanced indifferently and didn't bother with it. Returning from lunch, she found an unfamiliar, tall figure in the office...