Love beyond the mask (Whitney)

Chapter 140

Whitney felt a wave of warmth wash over her. “Aren’t you due for a meeting soon?”

“Yeah, sorry I can’t join you to pick him up, but I can arrange for the finest lunch.”

Then he grabbed a folder from his desk, striding past her. As he did, he gave her waist a gentle

squeeze. He straightened his tie and headed towards the conference room. “See you at noon.”

With a small smile, Whitney quickly returned to her office to change and grabbed her car keys,

determined to drive to Banyan City International Airport herself.

At the entrance of the conference room, Felix suddenly approached Ludwik. “Mr. Lippert, there’s some

crucial information you need to know.”

Ludwik stepped aside with him.

Felix whispered, “Mr. Lippert, it seems Orion Lippert is coming back today. Not a peep from anyone,

and the Lipperts haven’t stirred…”

“Is this news reliable?” Ludwik’s expression turned icy.

Felix hesitated, “Not certain yet.”

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“Find out. Keep a close eye on him!”

Felix understood the gravity when he saw the frost in Ludwik’s eyes. After severing ties with the Bartels

and now openly defying his father, Ludwik was in a high–stakes game. Orion’s return was not good

news. Mrs. Lippert and her son, Orion, had been coveting the Imperial Gem Corporation.

It was a quarter past twelve. Whitney waited at the airport, holding up a sign. It had been ten years,

and her memories of her uncle’s face were hazy.

From the back of the crowd, a thin man in a wheelchair caught her eye.

In that moment, Whitney’s breath caught.

She recognized her uncle’s face! But his left side was obscured by hair, and why was he in a

wheelchair?

Her eyes flickered with shock as she called out, “Uncle!”

Behind her uncle, a tall, striking figure in a navy blue suit was speaking with him. As they split up, that

man’s profile caught Whitney’s eye, a rogue charm to his young face. He threw a glance in her way as

he got into a car from another exit.

Who was this man?

“Whitney!” her uncle was already being wheeled over by his assistant.

Whitney snapped back to reality. Lowering her gaze to her uncle’s wheelchair, she saw the left side of

his face marred by horrific scars and her heart lurched. Her throat felt leaden as tears

welled up in her eyes, “Uncle, how did this happen to you?”

“It’s been ten years.” Uncle Keegan shook his head, his hand resting over the blanket that covered his

missing legs.

Tears fell from Whitney’s eye.

“Silly girl, don’t cry. Your uncle’s right here, isn’t he?” Keegan grasped her hand tightly. “Let’s not make

a scene here. Let’s get in the car.”

Embarrassed by the onlookers, Whitney wiped her nose and quickly opened her car door.

Keegan was helped into the car by his assistant, who then took the driver’s seat.

Sitting in the back alongside her uncle, Whitney saw his gaze drop to the slight bulge beneath her

sweater.

His brow furrowed with a surprised smile, “Whitney, we didn’t get to talk much on the phone. Are you

expecting? Have you got married?”

Whitney composed herself and nodded shyly, “Uncle, I haven’t had the chance to tell you.”

“You’ve grown up. It’s natural to start a family, and that’s wonderful.” Keegan held her hand gently.

“Your mother and grandfather would be happy knowing this. Who’s the lucky man?”

Whitney blushed, still unsure of L’s full identity, “Uncle, I’m taking you to meet him. He’s the CEO of a

real estate firm. I really like him, and I hope you will too.”

Hearing he was a CEO, Keegan didn’t question further and nodded.

With her uncle’s blessing, Whitney’s spirits lifted, and she quickly sent a Facebook message to

1.

He replied with an address: Banyan City International Hotel.

Whitney escorted her uncle to the opulent yet discreet restaurant. Upon reaching the private room on

the second floor by the window, a towering figure awaited. Dressed in a sleek black suit and a fine tie,

Ludwik’s exposed features were handsome and composed.

He exuded nobility, entirely at ease.

Whitney, on the other hand, felt nervous as she wheeled her uncle over to Ludwik, standing beside

him. With a smile, she introduced, “L, this is my uncle Keegan Tennyson.”

“Uncle, this is my husband,” she added, her voice laced with bashfulness.

Ludwik glanced over, and in that moment, Whitney felt her uncle’s wheelchair jerk sharply.

Bewildered, she looked down to see her uncle’s grip tighten on the armrest, his scarred face paling

under the cover of his hair.

Ludwik, noticing the man in the wheelchair and the scars on his face, paused momentarily. His eyes

flickered before resuming his composure. He extended his hand graciously, “Mr. Tennyson, nice to

meet you.”

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But Keegan didn’t reach out his hand in return.

Sensing the awkwardness, Whitney bent down to her uncle, “Uncle, are you alright?”

She was worried, recalling her uncle’s recent treatments before returning home.

“Yes.” Keegan finally spoke, his voice strained as if biting back emotion, “Whitney, push me

inside.”

Ludwik withdrew his hand, a man accustomed to the ebb and flow of the business world, unbothered

by the slight. He offered, “I’ll do it.”

As he pushed Keegan inside, Whitney saw her uncle’s hand trembling.

Ludwik took a seat across from Keegan, no longer examining him. With detached politeness, he began

ordering.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Ludwik handed the menu to Whitney as he answered the call.

However, his expression darkened in an instant. He rose abruptly, “What did you say? How could

Elaine…”

Whitney’s brow furrowed as she heard Elaine’s name, and she looked up with confusion.

Suddenly, the door to the private booth burst open. Ashton, clutching his cell phone and fuming, stood

in the doorway. His gaze swept the room, and upon spotting Whitney, his eyebrows knitted together in

displeasure.

He strode over to where Ludwik was sitting, seized him by the collar of his shirt in a fit of rage, and

bellowed without any regard for the others present, “You bastard! Did you pressure Elaine into dating

someone? She always listens to you, so she went out with some high–roller from Riverlyn City, and

what happens? She gets assaulted, and now she’s in the hospital trying to kill herself!

And here you are, wooing another woman, do you have no shame? How are you going to face the

Bartels family if she doesn’t make it?”

Ludwik’s expression turned icy. It was Ashton who had called him, leading him straight to this

confrontation – a situation Ludwik had not anticipated at all.

His brow was tightly furrowed as he turned to Whitney, his eyes filled with an anxious apology, “I must

leave now. Felix will come by to check on you later.”

Hearing about Elaine’s attempt to suicide shook Whitney, but a cold smirk quickly appeared at the

corner of her eye. Elaine had never given up on L. There was no way she would take her own life. This

was likely a…

“L, but my uncle is still here…” she said, a frown creasing her forehead.

Ashton scoffed coldly, “Elaine is dying, and you’re worried about your uncle? Have you no heart? We’re

going to Riverlyn Hospital now. She’s asking for you!”

Without another glance at Whitney, the man left the room hurriedly with Ashton, a deep crease of

concern between his brows.

Whitney felt a surge of frustration watching his retreating figure. She took a deep breath and bent down

to explain things to her uncle. It was only then that she noticed his face was ashen, his jaw clenched in Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

agony. He was gasping for air, his eyes wide with panic. Suddenly, he collapsed.

“Uncle? What’s wrong?” Whitney was stunned. She shouted for help, “Manager, call an

ambulance!”