Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Whitney was the talk of the town, her budding romance with Bryce and whispers of wedding bells had everyone reeling. It was hard to believe that just the other day, Whitney was stewing over Florence's pregnancy and nursing a broken heart courtesy of Ludwik. How did she bounce back so fast, diving headfirst into a relationship with Bryce?

Tiana was speechless, caught between congratulating her friend and worrying for her. She tried to catch Whitney's eye, silently begging her to explain.

Getting the hint, Whitney suggested they head upstairs for a more private chat. As they left, Tiana politely excused them to Mr. Lutz, mentioning the housekeeper could make him some tea. Bryce, feeling right at home, mentioned he'd left some oatmeal in the kitchen for Whitney.

Tiana was flabbergasted, her concern for Whitney growing. Upstairs, Whitney struggled to articulate her feelings. She didn't love Bryce, not yet, but she couldn't divulge the real reason behind their sudden union to Tiana.

Tiana, shaking her friend's arm, speculated if Ludwik's betrayal with Florence had pushed Whitney into Bryce's arms. She warned Whitney that marriage required real emotions, something she feared Whitney wasn't ready to give.

Whitney's thoughts, however, were elsewhere, consumed by Sammy. She assured Tiana she was ready to move on and embrace a new chapter with Bryce, despite her friend's doubts.

They talked about Whitney's determination to support her father and reclaim the Sheldon family's legacy, a conversation that was both bitter and hopeful.

Meanwhile, Parker found Ludwik at the hospital, lost in his grief over the loss of his and Whitney's unborn child. The tragedy had left Ludwik a shell of his former self, yearning for something he could no longer have.

In a nearby bar, Ludwik drowned his sorrows, Parker by his side. Ludwik confessed his pain and anger,

revealing how the pregnancy had et

been a beacon of hope for reconciliation with Whitney. Now, with their child gone, so too were Ludwik's dreams of a future together.

The conversation laid bare the complexities of their relationships, the pain of lost futures, and the harsh realities of love and loss.

"I know it was my mistake that got

Florence pregnant, a hurdle she couldn't overcome, along with Sammy... But I made it clear, I wanted to terminate Florence's

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pregnancy. She couldn't forgive me, her heart turned cold, and to marry Bryce, she was willing to abort our baby to prove she could escape my turmoil, to leave me behind from the core of her being. She treated me like garbage. Parker, I despise her, and I won't let her get away with it. She owes me a child!"

Ludwik crumpled the paper in his hand almost to dust.

xel

Moments later, his panic subsided. He put down his glass and, with surprising tenderness, tried to smooth out the paper, afraid of wrinkling it further or tearing it, fearing he might lose the proof that Whitney was ever pregnant.

As if, on that piece of paper was the daughter he longed for. Parker suddenly averted his gaze, his eyes rimming with red.novelbin