Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1164

Whitney wiped away her tears, trying to hold it together. Right now, she had no room in her heart for anything else—she just wanted him to make it through.

Bryce Florence, old grudges, past betrayals-none of that mattered anymore. Not with his life hanging in the balance.

He wasn't worth dying for, not really. Not when it came down to it.

Whitney stood frozen outside the operating room for a whole hour. Not a sound from inside. Her legs felt like dead weight, her body drained and shaky. Finally, she collapsed onto a chair, exhausted.

She was the only one in the hallway. Everyone she cared about was scattered across the hospital in different rooms.

Tonight was going to be a long, lonely night.

Her thoughts drifted to the little baby she'd just helped save. Sammy had said Ludwik had given her a nickname-Little Pumpkin. He'd told his son, "Your sister's real name, that's up to your mom."

Whitney stared at the operating room doors, her eyes filling again. She whispered, "I did everything I could to save the baby. Now it's your turn-wake up from this surgery, okay? Come pick her name yourself."

him, how she'd hated him when things were at their

out, he kept

don't wake up and take care of her, I

She needed him to

daughter's condition after the surgery. She had to know how the

a word out

he couldn't help it. "Mom, are you at the operating room? Uncle Shane said Dad went after Bryce—the bad guy—and got really, really hurt. Is he okay? I'm scared... I asked Uncle Shane but he said he didn't actually see Dad, so he doesn't know! Is Dad going to

everyone else—he's tough as nails. I told you not to ask, but you keep

to sound grown-up

both boys. "Sammy, don't be hard on Danny. He's in surgery right now,

voice got softer. "She hasn't woken up, but the doctor said it's

her

deep voice came through the receiver. "I just checked on your daughter in the NICU. Whitney, you stay

anything changes, let me know right away. I'll get the best surgeons