Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"I need you to understand the gravity of your situation. If you don't come clean, you're going to regret it," Whitney stood imposingly in front of her, an air of authority surrounding her. "You're under house arrest, essentially a prisoner in your own home. Sammy isn't your bargaining chip anymore. I know who took him, and so does Ludwik."

"You think I'm going to let you run to Ludwik, claiming I conspired with Florence to hide Sammy? That's absurd!"

"You're spouting nonsense! I've told you, I have no idea how Sammy disappeared."

Elaine was acutely aware that without Sammy's whereabouts as leverage, she was worthless to Ludwik. He would personally see to her end. She was desperate for a way out.

Whitney leaned closer, her grip tightening on Elaine's hair. "I don't want excuses. I want to know what happened that night. How did you lose Sammy? And what about Natalie? Was she taken too?"

Elaine, her thoughts in turmoil, clenched her teeth. "Even if it kills me, all I can say is my people initially took Natalie and Sammy to that old villa in the hills. Then, out of nowhere, they tell me Sammy's gone."

"Do you think we didn't search for him? I looked all night! I have no clue who intercepted your son and Natalie. As for Florence, I don't even know her! Whatever enemies you and Ludwik have made, they're playing their games behind the scenes, taking advantage of the situation."

"And you never met the person who took Sammy?"

"Never!" Indeed, Elaine had only guessed that Florence might be behind the abduction.

Sifting through her words, Whitney shifted focus, "You mentioned Natalie was intercepted too?"

Thinking Whitney was buying her story, Elaine nodded quickly. "Natalie and Sammy disappeared together. But while Sammy remained missing, Natalie was returned."

Whitney frowned, her hand moving to Elaine's throat, squeezing tightly. "How long was Natalie gone?"

"I-I think... about four hours?"

"And her condition upon return?"

"I don't know..."

"Think!"

Choking, Elaine's fear of Whitney escalated. "My guys told me she was unconscious, lips turned blue like she was poisoned, but still breathing. I wanted to rush to the villa, but you and Ludwik were already on it. I panicked and fled back to Banyan City."

Doubtful of Elaine's statements, Whitney pressed on without giving her a moment to breathe. "Did you harm Natalie? Like injecting something into her spine?"

"I... I didn't! Once I sensed Ludwik's suspicion, I was scared of her dying. There was no time for that."

Whitney narrowed her eyes. Her mention of mistreatment was deliberate, and Elaine's denial told her if there had been any spinal injections, Elaine's reaction wouldn't be so surprised.

"So, Natalie's ordeal during those four hours could have been in Florence's hands. She had enough time to do something to Natalie, like injecting her spine with some chemical or poison."

A chilling thought crossed Whitney's mind. What if Natalie's sudden illness was premeditated?

"You claim not to know Florence? That she had nothing to do with Sammy's kidnapping?"

Elaine's eyes shifted nervously. "Truly, I don't. If I had any inkling it was her, I'd have turned that evidence over to you or Ludwik to clear my name. Why would I let myself be confined by Ludwik, our family in ruins?"

Whitney thought to herself, even if Elaine knew, she lacked proof of Florence's involvement.

"Write a statement, legally binding. If it turns out you lied or provided false testimony, you'll face jail time."

Hesitant, Elaine thought back to her call with Florence and, despite her reservations, penned down her testimony and signed it.novelbin

As Whitney left, Elaine retreated to the bathroom, staring at the marks on her neck in the mirror, a deep-seated hatred for Whitney brewing within. If it weren't for Whitney, she wouldn't be in this mess, trampled upon.

Florence had played her, but her disdain for Whitney was far greater, wishing her and her sons dead.

Seeing an opportunity to leverage Florence, Elaine hastily sent a text: "Florence, I didn't admit to your involvement with Sammy. I covered for you, or else Ludwik would have your head. In return, I need your help to get out of Banyan City. I want to 'disappear.' The Bartels family, they need your assistance too...

What I offer in return: anything you want to know about Ludwik, I'll spill. Let's work together to bring Whitney down!"

Florence's face turned a shade of green upon reading Elaine's message. Shocked that Elaine, of all people, dared to blackmail her, and successfully at that.

She couldn't let Elaine spill anything to Ludwik.

Left with no choice, Florence agreed to Elaine's terms, for now.

The next day, Whitney relayed the fruitless outcome of her inquiry at Elaine's to Parker, hoping the message would eventually reach Ludwik through him. She had learned nothing about Sammy's whereabouts.

However, the situation with Natalie's illness was a different story. Whitney had pieced together enough clues to form a solid theory about what might be wrong with Natalie's health, from potential poisons to lingering carcinogens.

But she hit a wall. Dr. Ford had

clamped down on any information regarding Natalie's condition, following Ludwik's strict orders. He was tight-lipped about the cause of Natalie's illness and the treatment plan, only offering Whitney

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assurance that Natalie's treatment would proceed methodically and that she stood a fifty-fifty chance of recovery.

"Ms. Valentine, rest assured, Mr. Lippert won't let anything jeopardize the treatment process. That's all you need to know. If you wish to stay and care

for Natalie, you're welcome. But please, don't push for more information than is necessary," Dr. Ford had sternly advised.

Whitney pondered their reluctance. Why was Ludwik so adamant about keeping her in the dark about Natalie's diagnosis of a blood disease and spinal necrosis, which required a marrow donation for any hope of recovery?

Had Ludwik not noticed the tell-tale puncture mark on Natalie's spine, or was he deliberately overlooking it?

What exactly had he and Dr. Ford discovered that they found so taboo to discuss?

Over the next few days, as Whitney took care of Natalie, her eyes often welled up with tears, witnessing Natalie's gradual decline. She understood the desperation and heartache Ludwik must have felt, watching his mother suffer.

She

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could empathize with his fear and despair, realizing why he was so overprotective of Florence's health, panicking over a mere scratch or cough.

Understanding his predicament, Whitney decided she needed to confront Ludwik. Why keep her in the dark when an open conversation could lead to answers? If he would just confide in her, she was ready to share her suspicions about Natalie's mysterious symptoms and the ominous puncture wound. Only by laying everything out in the open could they hope to find the true cause of Natalie's illness and the perpetrator behind it.

A week flew by, and it was time for Whitney to return to Emperor City.