Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 830

Hudson scoffed with disbelief, "Your family's on the brink of a scandal, and you're here spouting confidence?"

"Even if I have to turn my back on everything, even if I lose it all, I'll protect Whitney. I won't let her get hurt again," Ludwik said, his voice deep and serious, deliberately avoiding Whitney's gaze. Hudson's breathing grew heavy.

Whitney, caught off guard, slowly lifted her eyes to the striking profile of the man beside her, then quickly averted her gaze.

Her heart was in turmoil.

Desperate to change the subject, she said, "Dad, we need to get you checked out. That medication mix-up could have been serious."

She paused before adding, "This has really shown us Florence's true colors, hasn't it?

She's not the frail and innocent girl you thought she was... She's been deceiving you for a long time. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't have believed me back then.

Now, all Florence cares about is using Bryce to take over the Sheldon Group and push me out.

Please, from now on, don't meet her alone. She's not... your daughter by blood."

Her emphasis on the last statement was a plea for Hudson to guard his heart.

Hudson knew the pain all too well, lamenting the years wasted raising a daughter who was not his, reflecting on the nature of betrayal within families.

"I've been too naïve," Hudson sighed, his voice heavy with regret. "If only I'd been more assertive in protecting Parisa and you. Parisa wouldn't have been driven out of Emperor City by Holly, wandering lost with your grandfather to Banyan City, only to die there." Whitney's eyes flashed with anger as she considered revealing the truth. "Dad, Mom didn't die of illness. She was drugged over a long period by a scheme involving Holly and the Bartels, and she died in a car accident when she was already near death." Hudson was shocked beyond words.

"Holly continued to harm her even after her death?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.

Whitney had pieced together the truth after confronting Elaine, who had hinted at the involvement of the Sheldon family's matriarch.

Whitney had sought to reconnect with her roots in the

slamming down in anger. "When I'm gone, I don't know how

her head, uncertain. "The accident was so

explained how Preston Valentine, manipulated by the Bartels, had overlooked her mother, treating their marriage as nothing more than a means to

the past were hazy to Whitney, who had

upon the accident and saved your grandfather, I only saw him in the car. Your uncle has held me responsible ever since, but I wonder..." Whitney's heart

both filled with a shared

see my mom at the site of the accident?" Whitney asked, hope

admitted he couldn't be certain, "It's been thirteen years... The accident was devastating. It's possible she was lost

Whitney's eyes at the

I spent years thinking

they grappled with their pain, Whitney reassured her father, "You didn't know, Dad.

a few times," Hudson replied, his voice tinged

that car," he mused, clinging to

mother had

Whitney prepared to take Hudson for his check-up, but Ludwik stepped in, eager to help. "Let me

glare was sharp, and Whitney hesitated, unsure if Ludwik's

reassuring wink, "Give me

you get a chance? There's no chance for you," Whitney

given. I'll face whatever comes without fighting back. Can't you trust

Ludwik. "You'll get no such opportunity! I won't let my daughter be involved with you again!" "Let's just get to the specialist," Ludwik said, feigning ignorance as he pushed

took charge without asking anyone, her

cane and land a solid thump on Ludwik,

mom's mix of anger and helplessness

was practically jumping for joy, thrilled

was the one lost