Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 816

Florence was up to no good, that much was clear. Why would she visit her dad without an ulterior motive?

Plus, her dad was already aware that she wasn't his biological daughter. After all the terrible things her family had done, how could he even consider seeing her? What on earth was going on here?

"Mrs. Wendt, I'm starting to think Dr. Ivan didn't leave his job under normal circumstances. This might have everything to do with Florence's visit to see my dad. We've been duped by a smoke screen!

I told you a hundred times not to let anyone visit my dad. How could you let Florence through?"

The caregiver was at a loss for words, "The day Ms. Sheldon showed up, I tried to stop her. Mr. Sheldon didn't want to see her either.

But there she was, heavily pregnant, sobbing outside, begging to apologize face-to-face to the chairman, sharing her tragic story. After being abandoned by Mr. Lippert, she didn't know what to do about the baby.

She went on about how her mother and Hugh Sheldon were punished too. Now with Jared's health declining, she didn't want to be a burden to her grandparents. She said she was planning to leave town for good and just wanted to see her dad one last time. The chairman, having raised Ms. Sheldon, couldn't bear it and ordered me to let her in..."

That spelled trouble!

Whitney's expression grew colder the more she listened, "After she went in, did you stay with my dad the whole time?"

"There was a moment when Ms. Sheldon's pregnancy seemed to cause her pain, and I had to leave for about fifteen minutes to fetch an obstetrician."

Whitney clenched her fists, her face turning pale!

Once the caregiver left, knowing Florence's malevolence, she might have seized the opportunity to act against her dad.

But what could she possibly want with her dad now?

She was practically powerless, and even if she threatened her dad, she couldn't return to the Sheldon Group.

Wait a minute...

The truth about everything her dad learned upon waking up had been 'accidentally' revealed by Bryce.

And now Florence suddenly sneaking into the hospital room... Were those two scheming together?

A shiver ran through Whitney's eyes as she quickly said, "Mrs. Wendt, is my dad awake? Can you get him on the phone?"

After a rustle, Hudson's concerned voice came through, "Whitney, you haven't been to the hospital in days. Is something wrong?"

"Dad, I wanted to ask you, after I refused to let Bryce join the Sheldon Group partnership, did Bryce come to see you again? You didn't get pressured into signing anything, did you?"

"Uh?" Hudson's mind raced to catch the key points, his face changing subconsciously, but he couldn't remember signing any contracts. After a moment of thought, he shook his head in confusion, "I don't think so. I don't remember signing anything." "Really?" Whitney sensed the uncertainty in his voice, her temples throbbing, "Dad, how have you been feeling these past few days? Why is your speech so unclear? You should be getting better.

Could someone have... given you some medication?

Think carefully, did Florence make you take anything when she visited?"

"Whitney, I..." Hudson's head began to ache as he tried to recall, a blurry memory flashing by, "I remember taking an orange pill that wasn't prescribed by the hospital, but I really can't remember who gave it to me." "Since you woke up, the only people who have visited you, besides grandpa and grandma and me, were Bryce and Florence. Was it one of them?"

Hudson frowned, his eyes narrowing suddenly, "I remember now! It was Bryce who gave me the medicine. He came to see me alone, and I was having an episode. I thought it was hospital medication at the time.

Only later did I realize the hospital never prescribed that orange pill.

As for what Florence said during her visit, I really can't remember.

What's going on? Is there a problem?"

A cold dread raced through Whitney's heart, sinking heavily.

Bryce and Florence... they might be conspiring behind the scenes!

How could she forget? Florence once had a lab, where she cruelly experimented on Sammy. She must have some banned substances. Listening to her father's unclear speech, he might have been given something to cloud his senses. The whole Sheldon Group contract situation... could they have orchestrated a secret plot?

Her nails dug into her palm, her temples pounding with cold fury.

"Whitney, what's happening? Is there something wrong with that emergency pill Bryce gave me?" Hudson was sharp.

Taking a deep breath, Whitney managed to steady her quivering voice, "It's nothing, dad. Don't worry about it. I'm coming to see you right away. You need to have a brain scan immediately, Mrs. Wendt!"

"Yes, Whitney, I'm here," Mrs. Wendt took the phone.

Whitney's voice was cold, urgent, "My dad has been given an unknown drug, possibly causing cognitive delay and intermittent memory loss. I'm going to get the top neurologist from Harmonia Country to see him right away!

You and the security team must ensure he's well protected. Not even a fly should get in! I'm tied up at the moment, it'll take me at least 8 hours to get to the hospital..."

The caregiver, sensing the gravity of the situation, apologized, "Whitney, is it my fault for not stopping the chairman that day... Did Ms. Sheldon do something?"

"We don't know what she did yet!"

Whitney nearly screamed as she hung up.

Ludwik, who had overheard, clenched her cold hand, unraveling her trembling fingers. His face was a mask of cold resolve, "Whitney, it seems Bryce and Florence might have targeted your father over the contract."

"It's obvious now, those scoundrels! Mr. Sheldon just woke from a deep coma, so vulnerable, and they swooped in, tampering with his medication and exploiting his weakened state. They must have coerced him into signing something. Whitney, Florence must be plotting her comeback through Bryce!"

Tiana was seething with anger, her eyes wide with horror.

Whitney, wracked with guilt, confessed, "It's all my fault. I kept saying no to Bryce, and that's why he went behind my back to target my dad. I've put my dad in danger, and I don't even know if he signed any contract, let alone what it was..."

Panic took over, and she stood up abruptly, "This won't do; I need to head to the Sheldon Group immediately."

"You can't even walk in this state. You need at least a night of IV fluids to fully recover," Ludwik said, furrowing his brows as he firmly held her down. "Call Cody, ask about today's situation at the Sheldon Group. Bryce has already shown his true colors. If he got the contract, it's time for him to make his move against the Sheldon Group!"

"Exactly, Whitney. No matter how urgent it is, you need to heal before you can confront the Sheldon Group. Showing up like this, in front of all those shareholders, might only cause more trouble!" Tiana lamented.

"This might have been part of Bryce's plan all along!" Whitney was on edge, a chill running down her spine. It was her negligence that had caused her father to suffer right after waking up, proving Bryce to be utterly ruthless, far beyond her worst estimations. The next morning.

Despite still recovering from the IV treatment, Whitney mustered the strength to walk. She quickly got ready and rushed to the Sheldon Group-