Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 549

Whitney glanced up, her eyes locking onto the breaking news headline that detonated in her mind like a bomb, plunging her into an abyss of silence...

It felt as though an unseen force had yanked her into a chasm of darkness.

She froze, her body trembling slightly, her face draining of color.

On the TV screen, Holly's face appeared.

Tears streaked down her cheeks, a far cry from her usual composed self, "My daughter, Florence, is pregnant with Ludwik's child! The Lipperts are the top family in Harmonia, while the Sheldons... we're just not in the same league. I'm at my wits' end. I'm so worried, I don't know where Ludwik has taken my Florence? Our family's security reported that Ludwik has abducted Florence! God have mercy, she's pregnant, and I don't know what Ludwik plans to do. Will he force Florence to terminate the pregnancy? I'm deeply concerned. Please, let the media spread the word and help me find my Florence..."

The scene shifted back to the reporters, but Whitney couldn't bear to watch any longer.

She remained still for a long time, barely breathing, a sharp pain fragmenting her resolve and crushing her slowly rising hopes.

Her heart shattered, throbbing with a numb yet unbearable agony.

Florence was pregnant?

She stumbled backward...

"Whitney!" Tiana rushed over, steadying Whitney as if she were leaf in the wind. Tiana's grip tightened as she watched the news unfold, her anger palpable.

She saw Holly's tearful plea to the camera.

She couldn't see Whitney's face, but she could imagine the turmoil she was going through.

Not just Whitney, even she felt a shock that resonated through her entire being, struggling to accept the news.

to control the quiver of rage in her voice, her

A brief moment passed.

out a light

I thought, after you went through all the trouble to reveal Natalie's illness to him, he would finally see Florence for the vile creature she is! I thought he would act! We could've saved Sammy... But when the hell did Florence get pregnant? When did they even...? I'm going insane,

cut through Whitney, leaving deep, sharp

facing the news with a self-mocking laugh, "Tiana, you've said everything I wanted

you are, nothing could be more devastating than Florence carrying

her head, her face

promising to deal with Florence... but

down Tiana's cheeks, feeling as if

before they had a child. I'm not hurt I'm just.. how

Whitney cried, her tears

tightly around Whitney, "Whitney... I feel your

but contempt! But then,

Ludwik can't be so heartless as to ignore his own mother's vengeance just to be with Florence. Could there be some manipulation at play here? Or maybe, Holly is lying. Perhaps Florence isn't pregnant

as a ploy to trap

once Natalie

she'll be useless to

after her. So, she's

was trying to comfort

gaze icy, "It's not a lie. Tiana, my father's aide mentioned that Florence took leave from Sheldon

be Ludwik's child!" Tiana, grasping at

it even matter

have confirmed that Jason is negotiating with Mrs. Sheldon. They're trying to reach Ludwik

on quite the performance. Whether or not it's his child, with Jason

lip, at a loss for words. In the face of such revelations,