Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel 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!”