Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 1110

"You're all coming?" Parker blurted out, clearly taken aback.

"If we don't get moving, it's gonna be too late. Her mom could be in real danger," Ludwik said, squinting slightly as he turned to Felix. "Send a few of the Lippert family's people to keep an eye on Bryce and Florence. I need to know where they are right now."

"Parker, take your crew to Inko Group. If all goes well, I want to get her mom out of there directly," Ludwik commanded, his eyes steely and determined. He was convinced that once Whitney saw Parisa at Inko Group, Parisa would trust him completely.

"Alright, Ludwik," Parker responded quickly, already on the move. "I'll clear the path now."

Upstairs at the Sheldon Group.

Hudson lifted his weary eyes from the paperwork, slowly widening them in disbelief as his daughter spoke. "Whitney, what are you saying? You mean to tell me your mother..."

His breath hitched, and the color drained from his handsome face.

Dropping his expensive pen, Hudson stood up, his fingers trembling slightly as they braced against the desk. His chest heaved with a mix of emotions. "Slow down, sweetheart. I can barely understand, let alone accept this..."

"Dad, there's no time left! No matter how shocked you are or whether you can accept it, according to what Ludwik and I found out, Mom is really alive. For the past twenty years, she's been living in Germinia, but she recently came back to Emperor City and got caught up in Bryce's scheme, along with Florence!

Ludwik and I are heading to Inko Group to replace her because Ludwik suspects she's inside the company. She might have turned against Bryce.

Oh, and you wouldn't believe it, but Florence impersonated me, even went through surgery to look like me, and presented herself to Mom.

Their intentions are obvious-they want to use Mom's influence to stage a comeback and seize her assets!

Dad, she's in real danger, and she might not even know it."

Whitney's eyes grew wetter as she pleaded with Hudson, her voice tinged with urgency.

Hearing this, Hudson didn't waste a second. Despite the chaos in his mind, he stepped away from his desk, his emotions a jumble of tension and sorrow. He forced a bitter smile. "So, you're telling me that if we replace her, will she even want to see me?"

"Mom might have amnesia! I'm not sure if she remembers you, but she surely forgot what her own daughter looks like; otherwise, she wouldn't have been deceived."

Hudson's gaze turned icy with anger. "Florence... How did she end up like this? After she and Hugh Sheldon messed things up for the Sheldon Group and you, I thought she'd change. Who knew? It was your grandmother's indulgence that spoiled her. I locked her away with the Sheldon family, but your grandmother let her escape, and then she disappeared."

"Her disappearance was planned. She didn't just go anywhere-she went to Germinia," Whitney said coldly, pulling her father towards her. "Dad, now's not the time to dwell on this. I came to you, firstly, to share this good news, and secondly, because if anything happens, the Sheldon family's influence could help Mom."

Hudson nodded solemnly, his eyes now filled with resolve. "I understand."

He quickly instructed his secretary and then followed Whitney out.

Downstairs, Ludwik waited patiently. When Hudson emerged, he seemed in good shape, no longer needing a cane.

"Father-in-law," Ludwik greeted, courteously opening the car door.

Hudson paused, giving him a sideways glance without a word.

Whitney, on the other hand, turned crimson with embarrassment, glaring at Ludwik for his attempt at flattery even in such a serious moment.

"Let's drive," Hudson said, his eyes distant as he grappled with his thoughts.

The closer they got to Inko Group, the faster his heart raced. Was he really about to see her after all these years?

As his mind wandered, Ludwik's phone rang again. It was Parker. "Ludwik! You need to hurry. Enter through the underground parking lot of Inko Group. Avoid the main entrance security. There's been a change!"

Ludwik's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "What happened?"

"I'm too late," Parker's voice was icy with urgency. He frowned deeply as he glanced at a tall, mixed-race man standing nearby. "Just get here fast. We'll explain everything."

Whitney, seated in the back with Hudson, couldn't hear the conversation, but she noticed Ludwik's unusual expression. "Ludwik, what's going on?" she asked, concerned.

Ludwik pressed his lips together, not saying a word. He floored the gas pedal, and within minutes, they were at Inko Group's underground parking.

A team was discreetly waiting for them at the entrance, ready to assist.

Ludwik scanned the group, noting they weren't Inko Group employees, before leading Whitney into the elevator.

The elevator took them straight to Phineas's office.

Hearing the elevator, Parker immediately came out to meet them. "Mr. Sheldon. Ms. Valentine One of your mom's assistants is in the office. I caused a scene in the Inko Group lobby, and the shareholders wouldn't let me in. But this assistant recognized me and let me through. Erik, was it?"

As they entered the office, Parker introduced them to a sharp-looking, mixed-race man. When Erik saw Whitney, he was momentarily stunned, his mouth opening in disbelief. "Who are you?"

Whitney stepped forward, her eyes scanning the room anxiously. "Is Parisa here in the building?"

Erik snapped out of his shock, his eyes darkening with realization. "Could you be...?"

"She's Parisa's real daughter!"

Ludwik declared with a piercing accuracy, his eyes narrowing sharply as he spoke. If this assistant had the clearance to meet with Parker, then she must be one of Parisa's most trusted, and likely already in the know about some things

"You're Ms. Tennyson's assistant, right? With some skills of your own?" Ludwik asked, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's.

Erik nodded, a bit taken aback. "You know me?"

A sly grin curled on Ludwik's lips. "Oh, I've been around. Back when I was in Germinia, I visited the Inko building. I even pulled some surveillance from SanctumMary Medical and happened to catch you escorting Florence to the hospital."

"What, you... Could you be that

»TT

Ludwik?" Erik's voice was tinged with surprise. He'd done some digging on Ludwik in the past but never managed to get a clear look at his face Florence had made sure any footage from SanctumMary Medical with Ludwik in it was erased.

Ludwik gave a slight nod, his sharp eyes locked onto Erik as he redirected the conversation back to Whitney's question. "Where's Ms. Tennyson?"

He scanned the office, noting Parisa's absence, and a sense of unease settled in

his chest.

Erik's brows furrowed at the question. "Ms. Tennyson went out. Didn't she get in touch with you?"

Ludwik's eyes flickered with a sudden intensity. "Are you saying she left Inko Group and was supposed to contact me today?"

Erik replied, "Yes. By now, she should have wrapped things up and arranged to meet you at Skye Gem Ltd."

He continued, "We couldn't track down any information about her biological daughter before, but Ms. Tennyson had a hunch about Skye Gem Ltd. She said she wanted to meet you there in person to figure out what's real and what's not."