Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Whitney was utterly bewildered. What on earth was her son doing here?

Without a second thought, she spun around, her brow furrowed, and jogged toward the room.

The glass doors of the intensive care unit were closed, but she could see inside.

As she reached the doors, she froze completely.

Inside the room, not only was Danny there, but Sammy too!

The two brothers were standing beside an incubator...

Whitney's eyes, wide with shock, moved to the incubator. The tiny bed had its glass cover partially open, and a monitor was set up next to it.

As a healthcare professional, she recognized it immediately as an incubator for newborns.

Premature or sick newborns stayed in there for treatment.

And when she stood on tiptoe, she saw the tiny hand of a baby moving beneath the glass cover.

Red, threadlike veins were visible on the pale skin, a small needle was inserted, and the little fist moved weakly and slowly, its fragility evident...

She glanced at her sons again. Danny was leaning over the glass cover, smiling as if encouraging the little baby.

Sammy stood by, his demeanor serious, watching the baby's every move while conversing with a doctor in a white coat.

Whitney stood there, stunned for what felt like an eternity, her mind blank.

It was unbelievable; her heart felt as if a massive stone had plunged into it, leaving her breathless.

For a moment, she took a step back, her eyes wide with shock and confusion.

Who was that baby?

Why were her sons in a stranger's baby room, visiting this infant?

Questions overwhelmed her mind like a storm, and her heart felt a sharp, inexplicable pain.

The pain was so intense she couldn't think straight, only feeling an overwhelming discomfort, a cold sweat breaking out on her back, making her shiver, her face as pale as a sheet.

Why did she feel such heartache? Watching that tiny hand, her eyes welled up silently.

What was going on with her?

She clutched at her heart, trying to calm her racing thoughts, leaning against the wall to breathe deeply, yet the cold air couldn't soothe her. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions.

She had suspected Sammy of hiding something from her.

During those frantic hours of searching, she feared he was secretly battling some illness.

But never, not even in her wildest dreams, did she imagine they were visiting a newborn.

What connection did this infant have with them?

Who was this baby?

Her mind raced, and soon she had a vague answer.

Could this baby be one Ludwik brought back?

Before his business trip, her sons' actions weren't this mysterious!

Moreover, since returning, Ludwik and the boys had been acting secretive, as if hiding something from her.

A chill spread through her body, freezing her to the core.

If Ludwik brought the baby back, then what was his relationship with the child?

Whitney felt as if an icy bucket of water was hanging over her, ready to douse her with a truth she couldn't bear.

She turned to look at her sons again. They hadn't noticed her presence, still talking to the baby.

The table was littered with Barbie dolls, toys, and tiny baby bottles...

Suddenly, Whitney remembered the other day when she overheard Danny talking about buying dolls.

And Sammy mentioning something about looking for a doctor.

It all made sense now; it was for the newborn in the incubator.

Her heart clenched with fear and an instinctive dread, her face turning ashen.

She forced herself to look away, resisting the urge to rush in and scare them.

A sudden uncertainty gripped her.

Whitney turned and quickly left the ICU floor.

She dashed to the stairwell, taking in

to the

deep breaths of the humid air

et

blowing in from the window, her fingers clutching her bag, shaking slightly until she regained her composure. She immediately

contacted Shane.

She said one sentence over the phone.

"What? Whitney... You're at my hospital?" Shane was taken aback, so surprised he ran straight from the hospital chairman's office.

He rushed up to the third floor, barely catching his breath, and spotted Whitney's slender silhouette standing coolly by the corridor.

Shane took a deep breath, instinctively glancing toward the neonatal unit.

Whitney turned around, catching the direction of his gaze, she said, "Sammy and Danny didn't see me."

"Oh." Shane was at a loss for words.

Whitney's gaze was intense, like a blazing fire, making him feel exposed, as if the secret he had been keeping was suddenly laid bare. Her piercing gaze was daunting. He uncomfortably raised an eyebrow, forcing a smile, "Why are you here, Miss? Just passing through?" "No need to act or beat around the bush. I've seen it all."

Whitney said directly, her clear eyes fixed on him.

Shane suddenly felt overwhelmed, her piercing gaze making him momentarily tense, his smile faltering, "Seen what? What are you talking about?" "The baby."

That was it; there was no denying it now.

Shane sighed inwardly, cursing the moment Ludwik brought the child in, sternly warning him to keep it secret. He had anticipated this day might came.

The thing is, Whitney was different from other women. Her eyes were incredibly perceptive.noveldrama

And she was sharp; if you wanted to keep something from her, you'd need both brains and skill!

Clearly, in this situation, neither the kids nor Ludwik had handled things well.

Florence's secret offspring was now a ticking time bomb.

He scratched his head in frustration, forcing a strained smile, "Oh, don't overthink it!

Your kids have been hanging out with me a lot lately. They mentioned being cautious because of Bryce, so they've been visiting here.

This is a pediatric hospital, after all. There are lots of babies around, and they're just checking out the newborns."

"This baby, did Ludwik bring it in after returning from his trip?" Whitney asked, each word carefully enunciated.

Shane froze, his expression going blank.

He chuckled awkwardly, "No way, you've got quite the imagination..."

"If Ludwik didn't bring it in, why would my two kids be visiting it? Shane, we go way back, don't we? We've been friends for a while now, right?

Ludwik was off in Eurovoria for over two weeks, and when he came back, did he or did he not bring a baby in with him? Is it that little one inside?!"

Her voice, usually calm, rose to a desperate yell, her eyes blazing with an intensity that could pierce through Shane. Those sharp, piercing eyes seemed to bore into Shane, leaving him at a loss for words. She had figured it all out-what was left for him to say?