Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Tiana hung up with Bryce, having explained the situation in detail, expecting him to come through with help as promised. Yet, Bryce mentioned he needed to make another call.

Tiana's patience wore thin after five minutes of waiting. She reached out to Bryce again, only to encounter an unsettling change in his tone.

"Ms. Melford, the clout the Sheldon family holds... I'm afraid I'm not in a position to confront it right now. How is Whitney holding up? I'll head over to the Treasure Restaurant right away."

Tiana was frustrated with Bryce's vague responses, not even hinting at a solution. "Mr. Lutz, didn't you boast about having powerful connections in Emperor City? We need to stand up to Hudson and rescue Whitney. Can't you leverage yourwork for this?"

Bryce inhaled deeply, his voice tinged with regret. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to reach the gentleman I had in mind!" In reality, the mysterious benefactor had coldly rebuffed Bryce, "I won't risk offending Hugh for your damsel in distress. Who knows, I might need Hugh's alliance against Ludwik in the future."

Unable to defy the influential figure behind the scenes, Bryce had no choice but to accept his inability to assist Whitney.

Tiana, sensing his hesitation, wondered if Bryce truly couldn't reach his contact or if they simply refused to help. Anger bubbled inside her as she retorted, “You said you'd protect Whitney no matter what, Mr. Lutz. Is this how you act when you're about to marry her? You can't even ensure her safety because you don't want to upset your connections?"

Fuming, she realized she was wasting her time with Bryce and would have to seek Ludwik's help instead.

Regretting the precious minutes lost, Tiana worried for Whitney's safety. She remembered her harsh words to Ludwik earlier and shuddered, but pride was a luxury she couldn't afford now.

Rushing to the elevator, she dialed Parker. "Mr. Doonan, where's Ludwik? He's needed at the Treasure Restaurant urgently. Only he can save Whitney now!"

"Whitney? What's happened?" Parker asked, clearly confused as he wasn't with Ludwik at the time.

"Mr. Doonan, can you tell me where Ludwik is right now? Please, it's urgent!"

“He's in a private room on the fourth floor."

Hearing the desperation in her voice, Parker added, "You go find him. I'll be there soon, Tiana. Don't worry."

"Thank you." Tiana's voice cracked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.

Arriving on the fourth floor, Tiana found the place eerily quiet, with only one luxurious meeting room in sight. She caught a glimpse of Felix through the bodyguards at the door.

Gathering her courage, she approached, "Assistant Felix!"

Felix turned, his usually stern face showing surprise. He was in the midst of a tense business meeting, with Mr. Lippert negotiating a multi-billion dollar deal, not the time for distractions.

“Assistant Felix! It's Whitney. She's in trouble," Tiana whispered, barely hiding her desperation.

Felix considered her plea for a moment before nodding and stepping inside the meeting room.

Ludwik was in the middle of a heated negotiation, unyielding on the price. "The Lippert family's chips are embedded with the world's leading SkyfaithSharp-F technology. Our partnership could pioneer unparalleled technological advancements. The world's wealthiest family might soon be the Lipperts of Harmonia Country. Think of the potential benefits."

Ludwik's confidence was palpable, his presence dominating the room. Despite being the new CEO, his achievements in just one month had the entire business community of Emperor City taking notice.

Under Ludwik's leadership, the Lippert Group had integrated his cutting-edge Skyfaith technology into their ventures, sparking a technological revolution. His refusal to lower the price only made the Lippert Group's chips more sought after, his audacity unmatched.

"Mr. Lippert, let's take a brief pausenovelbin

for an internal discussion,"

suggested the chairman of the

opposing company, aiming to

lighten the mood of the meeting

"Let's not make this too formal Today, I wanted Mr. Lippert to join us mainly to enjoy some fine wine and cuisine. Let's have dinner first!"

Ludwik didn't move, nor did he reach for the silverware in front of him.

He extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray.

Felix appeared next to Ludwik, seemingly having waited for a few minutes. Ludwik caught Felix tapping on a folder from the corner of his eye.

Knowing Felix for years, Ludwik recognized this as a sign of his impatience.

Without turning, Ludwik asked in a calm voice, "What is it?"

Felix sighed and whispered, "Mr. Lippert, it seems Ms. Valentine is in trouble. Ms. Melford said she tried to take a lock of Hugh's hair for a paternity test and got caught. Ms. Melford believes Hugh might kill Ms. Valentine!"

Ludwik's hand, which was about to pick up a fork, paused.

His eyes narrowed.

Was she at the Treasure Restaurant tonight to see Hugh?

Considering her current situation, it was like bringing a knife to a gunfight!

However, Ludwik's expression quickly reverted to his usual cold indifference. He continued with his meal, scoffing, "Her best friend, how dare she come to me instead of going to Bryce?"

Felix was at a loss for words, not knowing how to defend Tiana.

He also knew that Mr. Lippert was infuriated by Ms. Valentine's cold and assertive demeanor.

It wasn't likely that he would intervene on Ms. Valentine's behalf.

Ms. Valentine's attitude towards Mr. Lippert had been too volatile, treating him with disdain one moment and seeking his help the next.

What did they take Mr. Lippert for?

Even Felix felt it was unfair.

Understanding Mr. Lippert's stance, Felix knew he preferred to handle it with indifference. Ms. Melford would eventually lose interest and leave.

Ludwik elegantly tasted the foie gras on his plate, but it felt tasteless. His lips tightened as he changed the subject, "After dinner tonight, I'll visit Ryan's place. I want him to update me on Sammy's situation from the past few days. If the kid is still awake, I'd like to see him from the doorway."

"Understood, I'll contact Ryan right away-"

"Assistant Felix?!"

Suddenly, a woman's voice interrupted, bursting into the private dining room.

It was Tiana.