Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 992

Cora whispered over the phone, her voice barely a rustle against the backdrop of the Fuller Mansion's expansive backyard, where the shadows of the night seemed to hold their breath. "Elaine, it's dead quiet back here. Nobody around. well-being... Then I lost the thread."

Around ten, Nolan stormed in, had a blazing row with the old man. I accidentally overheard him on the phone, calling someone 'Valerie'. He was saying something about getting a child back for treatment, claiming the Fuller family would spare no expense for the baby's "What?" Elaine gasped, her mind a whirlwind of shock and speculation.

Cora was an informant Elaine had planted within the Fuller household, a pawn in her game to curry favor with Ashton by feeding her insider information-bought with cash and promises.

But this...

Nolan calling 'Valerie' had to mean he was contacting her directly.

But... a child? What in the world?

Elaine's eyes widened in disbelief. Could Valerie have secretly had a child?

How could this be? That woman, silently plotting, hoping to trap Ashton with a child?

A dark fury blazed within Elaine, her breath hitched in panic at the thought. If that woman had indeed borne Ashton's child and he found out, Elaine's own schemes would become even more complicated. Her fists clenched tight, a mix of rage and malice coursing through her. If Valerie dared to show up with a child in tow...

She wouldn't hesitate to fight for Ashton's attention...

-

Emperor City.

Whitney stepped off the plane, a bundle of nerves, and rushed back to the Lippert family's quaint newly-purchased cottage.

It was a fresh afternoon, just after a light shower, the air crisp and inviting. Camilla was out in the garden, tenderly watering the flowers with a small watering can, when she spotted Natalie waiting by the side.

Natalie looked up at the sound of footsteps, her eyes warm and a touch awkward-after all, it was Jason Lippert who had invited her over to spend time with her grandchildren.

Living alone in Delight Mansion, with Ludwik abroad, she longed for her grandsons' company.

And with Whitney away in Banyan City, Natalie had stepped in to help look after the kids.

"Whitney, you're back!" Natalie exclaimed, a hint of surprise in her voice.

Camilla, hearing this, set down her watering can and turned, her white hair catching the light. "Oh dear, you're back! Did you settle everything in Banyan City?" Whitney searched for her children as she spoke, "Camilla, Natalie, I've sorted things out. Sammy called me yesterday, said he missed me, so I rushed back."

She didn't mention the incident with Bryce, not wanting to alarm her grandmother.

"The kids have been bored stiff! With Ludwik and his brothers gone from Emperor City, and Jason overprotective as ever, he's kept them indoors. They haven't been out much, got a bit stir-crazy, so I took them to a class the other day. They've been a bit off since, though. I've had them on a strict nap schedule to help them rest up," Camilla explained, her concern evident.

Whitney sensed something was amiss.

The kids must have been scared, and perhaps Jason or Camilla were unaware of the full story.

She smiled, masking her worry. "They're napping now? I'll go up and see them."

"They're upstairs!" Camilla said, lowering her voice as if to not disturb the children.

Leaving her luggage at the door, Whitney sanitized her hands and made her way to the children's room on the second floor.

As if sensing her presence, Sammy sat up in bed, his big eyes fixing on her as she entered.

"Mommy!" Danny scrambled out from under his covers, a bandage with a spot of blood on his forehead. "Sammy heard you downstairs and woke me up. You're really back!"

"Danny, your forehead! What happened, did Bryce...?"

Whitney reached out, her heart sinking.

"Shh." Sammy put a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet.

He patted the bed, urging her to sit with them.

"Mom, it's just a scratch. We were in a LEGO workshop when Sammy noticed a bomb. He got us out by climbing over a wall!" Danny recounted, his voice shaky.

"A bomb? Bryce did this?" Whitney's alarm spiked.

"It had to be his doing. He's been watching us around the clock. That's how he knew we left the Lippert estate for the workshop," Sammy said, his young voice laced with a cold determination.

"What happened exactly? Did Grandpa take you? Didn't he notice anything odd?" Whitney pressed.

"Grandpa thought a day out would be good. Sammy didn't want to go anywhere too public, so we ended up at a LEGO class. But we never expected danger there! Bryce, that monster, had tampered with the classroom. Grandpa wasn't there, and the teacher had stepped out, leaving just us. Thankfully, Sammy was prepared. He'd bought a special smartphone with an emergency alert feature."

Using his unique smartphone app, he noticed a small red dot under the table. Curiosity got the best of us, and we crawled underneath to find a timer attached. Instantly, we suspected it was a bomb!

Sammy helped me escape through a window, luckily we were on the ground floor. I got away with just a few scrapes, and we quickly called Grandpa to get out of there ASAP!

The next day, the news reported a fire that completely destroyed the classroom!

Whitney listened to her sons, her heart pounding and her breath shaky.

Bryce, that scheming man, hadn't given up on targeting her kids. Maybe Ludwik's pressure to bankrupt him and blacklist him within a week had driven him to murderous thoughts, aiming to take revenge on the Lippert family by targeting the children? Whitney regretted staying in Banyan City for too long, neglecting her children's safety.

Thankfully, she had returned just in time.

But knowing Bryce's vindictive nature, he'd surely want to see the Lippert family ruined.

If he could plant a bomb in a classroom, who's to say he wouldn't try to break into the Lippert home next, targeting the children or the elderly directly?

No amount of security could protect against a madman.

Whitney took a deep breath, her expression hardened, and she said, "Contact your father now, tell him to come back from Eurovoria as soon as possible, regardless of what he's doing. Without him, we, the women and elders, can't stand against Bryce. Your safety is the most important thing right now!"

She looked at Sammy, giving the command.

Sammy hesitated, knowing deep down that finding his unborn sister was also crucial. Their dad had called a few days ago, saying he had found Florence! For some reason, dad was also injured?

He couldn't ask dad to come back and abandon the search...