Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 868

The moment they stepped out of the car, Parker and Ashton, along with their bodyguards, hurried over. Ashton strode forward, his expression grave, "Ludwik, why the rush to grab Florence?" Ludwik, lips sealed, charged into the building, "Everyone, follow!"

"Daddy!" Sammy, clutching his tablet, hurried after them.

The anxiousness of the father and son duo puzzled Parker, who waved his hand, leading the bodyguards in a rush.

On the 13th floor, Ludwik's long legs kicked the door open-

But the scene before him sent a chill down his spine.

The room was occupied, but Florence was nowhere to be seen!

Ludwik swiftly checked every corner of the bedroom, to no avail.

He emerged, frustration boiling over as he knocked down a few bodyguards, "Where is she?!"

"We don't know, we got here and Ms. Sheldon was already gone," they stammered.

"Ludwik..." Parker, arriving late, burst in.

Ludwik lifted his icy gaze, "Parker, Ashton, lock down the building, find Florence!"

"What's going on, Ludwik?" Ashton, sensing something amiss, paled.

Sammy, not seeing Florence, began to cry, "Mr. Doonan, please, find her!"

"Sammy, what happened?" Ludwik's tone was frosty.

"This can't be happening..." Sammy, distraught, searched every nook and cranny.

Finally, on the balcony's trash can, he found the tracker he had hidden in Florence's bag, a bag she never parted with.

He had managed to sneak it on, but why was Florence so clever this time to ditch the bag?

It had led the tracking signal to stay within this apartment.

"Did someone take her, or did she run? How could this..." Sammy muttered, frustration evident as he snapped his tablet shut. He had miscalculated; perhaps he should have hired someone to watch the entrance these past few days. "Don't blame yourself, son. It's impressive you could track her at all," Ludwik approached, seeing Sammy's tears, he too felt heartache.

Sammy had been protecting that child for so long, and now with Florence gone, it felt like his sister was gone too.

"Don't worry, Sammy, daddy will find her!"

Ludwik's mood was dark, foreseeing the worst had happened.

Especially since Sammy had only told him this critical information after Bryce's incident.

Bryce, aiming for the child as a lifeline, would have immediately secured Florence.

Now, it was likely...

Ludwik stood abruptly, lifting Sammy, "Florence might have left Emperor City tonight, or even the country."

"Yes, Bryce, to cut us off, would only have Florence go as far away as possible," Sammy nodded, wiping his tears.

"Ludwik!" Parker, out of breath, returned, "We've searched the entire building, no sign of Florence..."

"Stop searching here, you and Ashton need to immediately send people to Emperor City's port, all major train stations, and airports. Use whatever means to check Florence's tickets, and hurry! Once found, bring her directly!" "Got it," Parker sprinted away.

Ashton, piecing things together, stepped closer, "You once told me and Felix that Sammy cared deeply about the child Florence was carrying... Then you had me investigate Florence, but it got sidelined. Have you discovered something?" "Sammy said that child is mine." Ludwik's eyes were voids, "Mine and Whitney's!"

"What?" Ashton's eyes widened, struggling to grasp the news.

"Hurry, Ashton." Ludwik's voice was filled with urgency.

Ashton dashed off.

Ludwik, holding Sammy, didn't linger, his chilling aura silencing Sammy, who dared not speak.

He knew tonight his father was on the verge of madness.

Florence had vanished.

Escaped their sight.

Had he revealed the secret too late?

Sammy's heart ached.

He prayed for Florence's safety...

Hoping they could intercept her.

If she managed to flee abroad, predicting her fate would be impossible.

Sammy's eyes reddened.

Waiting for news felt like a century, though it was less than an hour.

Father and son sat in the car, the air frozen.

Parker's message came, heavy, "Ludwik, we've checked all ports, train stations, and airports. No travel records for Florence."

Ashton called simultaneously, "Searched all of Florence's properties in Emperor City, no sign of her. Even took Holly Walker in, but got nothing."

Sammy's pupils contracted, "If Florence's mom just delays us, letting her escape tonight, all our questioning will be in vain. Daddy-"

"Sit tight," Ludwik instructed, lips tight.

Then, revving the car, he ordered Parker through gritted teeth, "If we can't find travel records, it's Bryce's doing! He's covered her tracks. She might have taken a smuggler's boat out... Damn, I'm going after Bryce!

You keep checking for any smuggler boats that haven't left the port, Parker. If we don't find Florence tonight, it'll be too late, and disaster will follow."

What disaster? Parker was startled by Ludwik's tone.

"I'll keep searching!"

The call ended, leaving silence to engulf the car.

Sammy fidgeted, his mind racing. "How on earth did Bryce foresee that we'd come looking for Florence tonight? He moves her out of her apartment, covers her tracks completely, and then ships her off abroad?

Is this all just to control the baby she's carrying?

Dad, why do I feel like Bryce is being overly cautious about this?"

Right now, Ludwik couldn't afford to dwell on these questions.

His mission was to retrieve his daughter!

He drove to Bryce's mansion at breakneck speed, and the moment he got out of the car, he was a man possessed, his aura screaming murder as he charged towards the mansion's entrance. "Bryce, hand over Florence! Give her back to me!" Inside the mansion, Bryce was momentarily taken aback.

A chill flashed in his eyes as he pondered why Ludwik was so desperate to find Florence.

There was only one explanation: he must have found out about the peculiar situation with Florence's pregnancy.

But he hadn't expected him to find out this soon.

The informant must have been Sammy.

Florence had mentioned once that her secret had been discovered by that wild child.

Bryce's fists clenched as Ludwik's furious roar echoed once more: "Where the hell have you hidden her? I'll give you a choice: tell me where she is, or face bankruptcy tomorrow!" Ludwik was beyond frantic.