Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1017

Shane was left utterly speechless.

That was until he caught the menacing glare from Ludwik's eyes.

In an instant, he silenced all his questions, yet his eyes darted around, filled with speculation. If the child belonged to Florence, Ludwik wouldn't have anything to do with it. Yet, here he was, looking haggard and pleading for Shane's help to save his child. Something didn't add up. Whose child was this, anyway?

With countless questions swirling in his mind, Shane also felt a chill from the man's aura of danger and decided not to probe further.

The baby lay motionless in the incubator, her skin so tender and pink, invoking a surge of compassion, yet she appeared so fragile and pitiful.

Shane had once taken care of Sandy Turner's child, right from the start, and his heart softened at the sight.

He quickly made a call, "Doc, you need to get over here, and bring your best pediatricians, and hurry!"

Before long, a team of pediatric specialists arrived, filing into the emergency room.

"Looks like a preterm birth. What's the weight, barely 4 pounds?"

"Severe jaundice over here."

"She might have a lung infection too. Quick, let's check her breathing and get started."

"We can't delay; this is Mr. Nelson's friend's daughter. Everyone, let's get to it!"

Inside the emergency room, the doctors' voices echoed, organized and efficient.

Ludwik stood by the door, an immovable figure carved from ice, gazing through the glass without a flicker of movement.

It was only when he saw the doctors beginning to treat his daughter, their skilled medical interventions and experienced consultations, that he finally let out the breath he'd been holding, easing the tension in his chest.

His lips barely moved as he glanced at Shane, "Thanks."

for thanks among friends!" Shane clapped him on the back with a

instead, "Don't worry, we've got the best pediatric team in the country right here. They won't let anything happen to your daughter. They're experts

do is wait and keep

way, have you let Whitney know you're

the window, as if

hadn't forgotten the most important

rugged fingers pressing the screen with a deliberate

brushing over his chiseled jaw, "Please, Mr. Nelson, look after her for a few hours. Let

headed?" Shane turned, as

long and decisive, "I need to head

looking for him as soon as she got the

He couldn't stay here!

his daughter's condition so precarious and their situation

sudden revelation, afraid that it might

eyes. He stood still for a moment, making a silent wish in the sunlight that his daughter

drive to the Lippert family mansion right away, before Whitney comes looking

Ludwik got into the car and leaned back,

of Mr. Lippert's intentions, simply followed orders

-

a.m., Whitney was already

about the threat to her

safety of the Lippert family mansion without Ludwik's presence. She had Sammy reach out to Ludwik to come

without Ludwik's return, Whitney heard from Tiana about Phineas being

call Parker, who Tiana mentioned had arrived in Emperor City, she felt a sense of unease about Phineas's attack, fearing its unusual nature and the possibility of it being linked

of bed, tiptoeing to open the curtains to

reached for her phone to check the time and possibly call Parker,

message from a

she processed the notification, her complexion paling but her

to open the message, she read the