Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 473

Sandy pulled Whitney aside and nodded toward the office door. "When I got here this morning, I saw Florence sneaking into your office. The door was ajar, and she hasn't come out yet. There aren't many people around yet..." There was a hint of suspicion in Sandy's voice.

"What's she doing in my office?" Whitney frowned, her concern evident. "All the plans from yesterday are in there."

"That's exactly what I was afraid of! Whitney, she came unprepared yesterday, looks like she's after our ideas?"

Sandy's tone was laced with sarcasm and caution. "I didn't want to barge in without you here."

Nodding, Whitney strode toward her office, pushing the door open. The office was modest in size. Florence stood with her back to the door, leaning over Whitney's desk, rifling through the papers.

Suddenly, she pulled out a document, skimmed through it, and muttered under her breath with a smirk, "This is it... Ludwik's got my back anyway..."

Sandy, witnessing her 'theft' and hearing her smug muttering, burst out from behind Whitney, confronting Florence with a cold laugh, "Florence, what are you up to? Is that the new project proposal Whitney drafted?"

Caught by surprise, Florence froze, then slowly turned around. Her eyes widened upon seeing Whitney, and she quickly tossed the document aside, blocking it with her body while attempting to hide something else, "Whitney, I wasn't..."

"What weren't you doing? Sneaking into the deputy manager's office first thing in the morning to take a peek at the competitor's proposal, and even trying to plagiarize it?"

Sandy stormed in, snatching the document Florence had tried to dispose of and hide. It was the white-covered proposal Whitney had drafted the day before.

Sandy, give it back!" Florence's face flashed

Sandy's assistant and a few colleagues gathered

the document aloft, eyes narrowing, "Give it back so you can destroy the evidence and claim you didn't plagiarize? Florence, remember, the deputy manager's office

relaxed demeanor the day before, sipping on her iced tea and chatting away, with no care in the world despite the looming deadline. Now, with Ludwik's protection, who could argue if two identical proposals were

didn't steal, it's not like that, Whitney..." Florence pleaded, tears

office to steal her proposal are blind? If you have an

yesterday's incident and seeing Florence's attempt to repeat her scheme, was determined

fuss over..."

seen through her

immediately pulled

not necessary..." Florence looked pale, her face tinged with purple, clutching at her chest, struggling to

situation, saw Florence's distressed state. If something happened in her office, it would be hard to explain. She stepped forward, intending to check on Florence, to see if she was genuinely ill. But as Whitney reached out, Florence dodged, casting a glance toward

I know you're upset, but please don't treat me this way..." Whitney was taken aback. Before she

the office, his concern for Florence evident as he rushed to her side, ignoring

had been in a frail state at the hospital, needing blood transfusions,

gaze darkened as he carefully helped Florence up, his worry for her overshadowing any concern for Whitney, who felt the sting of neglect and the physical

Ludwik, thank goodness you're back. Sandy and

sleeve, her face pale and bloodless from crying, coughing