Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 478

The chill in the air was palpable as Ludwik glanced at Florence. She was set to leave for Banyan City in the afternoon.

His impatience was evident. The decision he made last night had been a struggle.

It wasn't that he didn't care about Whitney's feelings. But in reality, he had no choice.

"You might not agree, but it's the truth. Florence's proposal was better than yours; she won the contest fair and square. The General Manager will announce the results to the company and the public!" Ludwik spelled out each word with emphasis. A gleam of triumph shone in Florence's eyes. The 4% stake in the Sheldon Group was now hers! With Ludwik's intervention, even her father couldn't back out now.

She shot Whitney a venomous look.

Whitney staggered back as if weightless, her gaze fixed on Ludwik's lips, but his words were incomprehensible to her. Turning around, she dashed out, overwhelmed by disappointment.

"Keep an eye on Florence," Ludwik hastily ordered his assistant before rushing after Whitney.

He caught Whitney just as she was about to enter the elevator, pulling her out and dragging her into an adjacent empty office.

Without a word, he left her there, hoping to keep her safe from any rash actions.

But Whitney was seething, her eyes fixed on him with utter loathing. "How dare you do this to me? How can you just decide the outcome of the contest, sacrificing fairness for her happiness?! Do you have any idea what losing this contest means for me?" Tears streamed down her face, scorching Ludwik's heart.

He wanted to reach out, to wipe her tears away, but his hand clenched into a fist instead. "Is it really just about not getting that 4% stake? Are you so afraid of her taking your place as the heir? The shares and the Sheldon Group will still be yours in the end." He had heard Florence say the same thing last night, which had swayed him to disadvantage Whitney temporarily.

"Florence is your sister. Couldn't you have let her win just this once? If it's about honor, you've already won plenty of accolades in the jewelry industry. She has nothing. She's been seriously ill; why do you have to take this so seriously?" Ah, the irony.

He painted her as a woman obsessed with wealth and power, fighting over shares.

The pain in Whitney's heart felt sharper than the loss of the contest itself, more piercing than his reasoning for making her lose.

of sickness does she have that you'd treat

once mentioned how Florence loved

media and the Sheldon family. I'd be ousted from the Sheldon Group and become an outcast in the Sheldon family. That's

me!" Ludwik demanded

down her face, Whitney was there to investigate her mother's death, to gain a foothold

for

shattered completely

forget how you sacrificed me

his heart,

Yet, the ache persisted.

self-mockery broke the silence, "What if my intentions weren't to make her happy? Whitney, it's fine if you don't understand me. But if you think we're going to be enemies, think again!" His looming shadow seemed to tell her she

and just as he reached for her, his phone rang. It was Dr. Ford from

he let go of Whitney to answer

Whitney, this confirmed her suspicions that the call was

a scornful laugh,

regretting he hadn't had the chance to explain his recent trip to Banyan

call, "Yes, I'll bring Florence to the airport by four,

furrowed his brow

anemia has led to her falling into a coma. Mr.

ended the call, his hand trembling as he lit

-

herself

her loss in the contest

rife since Florence's proposal had been

Florence's victory, regardless of how she achieved it, boosted her standing in the company, especially with