Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Whitney froze in place, a thick tension seizing her body.

That wasn't Danny's voice, she was certain!

She spun around almost instantly, only to see a small figure standing behind her. He had Danny's face, but those tear-brimmed eyes looked at her with a depth and calmness, slowly breaking into a smile.

"Mommy, I missed you so much."

Time seemed to stand still.

Whitney's heart clenched, and she quickly blinked away the tears, reminding herself that she couldn't cry upon seeing Sammy. After everything he'd been through, she didn't want to add to his pain.

She had to smile.

With a smile, Whitney carefully crouched down and opened her arms wide, "Sammy, my little heart.”

Sammy dropped his backpack and rushed into her embrace, his laughter filling the air around them.

Whitney felt his frail frame and couldn't help the tears that threatened to spill. She gently touched his head, her voice cautious, “Danny mentioned you got a bit hurt, my sweetheart. Can you tell mommy where it hurts?”

Sammy knew Danny had followed his instructions.

He also knew his mom was checking his head.

He brushed it off with a light kiss on her cheek, "It's a minor injury, mommy. You don't have to worry. I'm already getting it looked at."

"Will it heal?" Whitney's voice was heavy with concern.

"It will, it just needs some time. And I have to stay at the doctor's for a while."

"Sammy, when were you... found?"

The boy looked down, "About a month ago."

Whitney paused, then why hadn't Ludwik told her?

She had been kept in the dark, believing she had to marry Bryce to fulfill a deal with Florence and get Sammy back.

Reading his mom's thoughts, Sammy didn't want to make excuses for his dad. He revealed, "Dad probably thought I was very sick and didn't want to worry you."

Is that so?

Whitney's eyes lowered, filled with unasked questions. She couldn't bear to ask her son about the torments he might have faced under Florence's

care.

Wiping her tears, she gently caressed his cheek, trying to sound cheerful, “But that's all in the past now! Sammy, no more fears. You're back with mommy. I'll never let you or your brother be in danger again. We'll be inseparable. And about your injury, mommy will take you to the hospital. I'll make sure you get the best care. You're my bravest and proudest boy."

Sammy looked away, his eyes briefly flashing a deep red.

He remembered the terror of that stormy night, taken by Florence, the witch. But his mom's constant encouragement, her belief in his brilliance and cunning, kept him going.

He wanted to tell her his mind was fine, uninjured.

But it wasn't the time yet. He needed a reason to stay close to Ryan, to secure one last crucial piece of evidence.

If the child Florence was carrying was indeed... his mom and dad's?

Sammy's thoughts darkened. He couldn't bear to think of how his mom would face it all. Perhaps, he could only protect that sibling from the shadows. "Whitney..." Bryce's voice echoed from the doorway.

Whitney quickly stood up, hand firmly holding her son's.

"You and Sammy are reunited, that's wonderful," Bryce said, a smile breaking across his face.noveldrama

Sammy slowly turned to Bryce, "Long time no see, Bryce."

"You little rascal, you have no idea how much your mom has been through these past months," Bryce approached, patting his head. Sammy seemed more polite than that little devil Danny.

And since Sammy had grown up abroad, he must trust Bryce's help more.

Bryce was sure of it.

Sammy, however, was evaluating Bryce. Danny had warned him several times about Bryce's deceit, even suspecting an alliance with Florence. The balance in Sammy's mind wavered.

Tonight was his chance to test Bryce.

If Bryce was really with Florence, he'd hesitate to disrupt her plans at the hospital.

But Bryce had come, even capturing Hugh's men.

Sammy pondered...

"By the way, Whitney, I caught those

two men working for Hugh. They

tried to sneak in as doctors to

et

overdose your father, making it look like a medical accident. Hugh's quite eager for your dad to pass away, it seems." Content belongs

Whitney's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening as she walked into the hospital room.

Sammy concluded that Bryce must be on their side, helping his mom so much, likely unrelated to Florence.

He picked up his backpack, eyeing the red marks on his screen, "Hugh probably didn't expect mom to be back. Caught him off guard, and now he's on the run."

Hearing her son, Whitney's gaze hardened, "Bryce, take those two for interrogation. I want a confession, revealing the mastermind behind this."

"I understand. Leave this to me."

Bryce signaled his bodyguards, taking the men away.

Sammy, holding his backpack, stepped into the room.

This was his first time seeing his grandfather, even though he had the hospital under surveillance for days.

"Mommy, grandpa looks so cool!

You can tell he must have been quite

I

the looker back in his day. No wonder he has such a beautiful daughter like you," Sammy said, quietly standing by the bedside.

Whitney playfully glared at him, then gently placed his hand on Hudson's, "Dad, this is your other grandson. You haven't met him, but he looks just like Danny. Back when I wanted to investigate the Sheldon Mansion's cabin, you hadn't suspected Florence. Now that Sammy's back, he's the living proof."

"Dad, there's no need for tears because... Florence, she's not even your real daughter."

Whitney's words came out through clenched teeth, her blue eyes flashing with a cold light, "Hugh and Florence have been scheming against you for the Sheldon Group, time and again.

Now that I'm back, I won't let them off easily.

It's time to settle old scores and new."

She narrowed her eyes.

In the hospital corridor, Bryce stared at the incoming call on his phone, his gaze quickly darkening.

He glanced at Hudson's room, then chose to walk in the opposite direction to a more secluded spot before he disdainfully answered the call. "Bryce! What's the meaning of this?"

On the other end, Florence's voice broke through in a furious shout, spitting out her anger, "This is between that bitch Whitney and me. Stay out of it!

Have you forgotten our deal?

You dare to help Whitney now, huh? Aren't you afraid I'll spill all your dark secrets?"