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."

friends!" Shane clapped him on the back with a hearty

made him hold his tongue, offering comfort 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 at fighting

to do is wait

the way, have you let

the window, as if

hadn't forgotten the most important

took out his phone, his rugged fingers pressing the screen

his chiseled jaw, "Please, Mr. Nelson, look after her for a few hours. Let me know immediately

are you headed?" Shane turned, as if to

were long and decisive, "I

would surely come looking for him

He couldn't stay here!

not with his daughter's condition so precarious and their

revelation, afraid that

door, the morning sun emerged, its golden rays stinging Ludwik's cold eyes. He stood still for a moment, making a silent wish in the sunlight that

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

that, Ludwik got into the car and

Lippert's intentions, simply followed orders

-

Whitney was already

since learning about the threat to

of the Lippert family mansion without Ludwik's presence. She

waiting for two days without Ludwik's return, Whitney heard from

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 to Bryce or the Patrick

to open the curtains to

for her phone to check the time and possibly call Parker, when a message

a long-missed

breath hitched, her heart racing as she processed the notification, her complexion paling but her eyes darkening with emotion. Was he finally reaching

open the message, she read the brief, characteristic