Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )

-

Whitney blinked wide-eyed at the ceiling, her fingers cold against her racing heart. It was one of those moments where she felt her heart skip a beat, and she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Eyes closed, she tried to picture what her mom would look like if she were still around...

Rubbing her temples, she finally managed to calm her restless heart.

Why did she keep dreaming about her mom coming back?

Emerging from her bedroom, her face showed every bit of the restless sleep she'd had.

Yael Tennyson came bounding down the stairs, ready for her morning run. Spotting her cousin, she exclaimed, "Whitney! Did you get in last night? I didn't hear a peep!"

Whitney opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, twisting off the cap and taking a long drink. "Yeah, I got in late. Didn't want to wake Uncle, so I let myself in quietly."

"You shouldn't drink cold water when you look so pale," Yael scolded gently, taking the bottle from her. "Why are you back here anyway? Weren't you staying with the Lipperts to help with the kids?"

Skipping her run, Yael turned to the kitchen to make breakfast for her sister and dad. "Is something going on, Whit?"

"Nothing much," Whitney replied with a small smile, raising her eyebrows in a calm manner. "Just had a spat with the kids and decided to escape for a bit."

"Seriously?" Yael was taken aback by the unexpected answer.

She gave her usually composed cousin a bemused look. "You're regressing, huh? Fighting with Ludwik is one thing, but the kids too?"

Whitney didn't elaborate, instead gazing out the window at the lawn, her eyes distant.

After a while, she checked the time; it was eight o'clock.

Normally, Sammy would be up by now, though Danny might still be asleep.

She pulled out her phone to activate the location tracker for another device.

After breakfast, around nine, while clearing the dishes, she checked the tracker again and noticed the location had moved!

Eyes narrowing, she put down the dishcloth, washed her hands, and returned to her room, changing quickly as she kept an eye on the location.

Bag in hand, she bumped into Yael and Keegan Tennyson returning from grocery shopping.

Keegan frowned, noticing her hurried demeanor. "Where are you off to now? Had a fight with your sons and ran back here, now you're leaving again?"

Whitney nodded, sidestepping them without much explanation. "You guys sort yourselves out for lunch. I'm off to see the kids."

"Honestly, Whitney. What are you up to these days?" Keegan grumbled, watching her go with concern. "Yael, your sister seems off lately. Not her usual self. Ludwik's back, and if he wants to patch things up, he should be trying harder to make her happy. But still, something seems amiss."

Yael shook her head, puzzled. "Dad, don't worry. Maybe I'll chat with the nephews. I think Ludwik still cares a lot for Whitney; you can tell."

"Hope there's nothing serious between them," Keegan muttered, watching Whitney's retreating figure. Once in her car, Whitney drove towards where the tracker indicated.

Her eyes were sharp with determination. Where could those two be sneaking off to so early in the morning?

Sneaky little devils, always up to something behind her back...

Inside Inko Group, morning light filtered through the windows.

Standing tall at his desk, a man who'd worked through the night stretched his broad shoulders, bones cracking audibly.

Parker, looking like he'd been run over by a truck, groaned as he slumped over the desk.

Glancing at the imposing figure by the window, Parker noted that aside from a slightly pale complexion, Ludwik showed no signs of exhaustion from their all-nighter. "You're like a machine.

"Go get breakfast," Ludwik commanded coldly.

"Get lost," Parker snapped, shoving aside his chair, gathering all the Inko Group contracts with a sense of resignation. "You whip through three files white I can't even see the page numbers. I've spent all night correcting these contract figures; I'm practically blind now."

"Useless," Ludwik retorted icily.

Parker just wanted to strangle him at that point.

Glaring with tired eyes, he grumbled, "Ludwik, no one can keep up with your work pace. We've calculated the company's three-day loss all night and managed to recover most of it, Uncle won't have my head when he wakes up now. Just waiting for the 'expert' from the main branch to return."

Ludwik lit a cigarette, the smoke clearing his mind as his sharp gaze bore into Parker. "What did the shareholders say?"

"No concrete news about the return. Just a vague email," Parker replied. "No idea when or who's coming back. Think this person might be watching us from the shadows?"

Ludwik exhaled a cloud of smoke, eyes narrowing like a predator. "I need to meet this person and

uncover who they really are. No news from the shareholders isn't a problem. Have you kept tabs on Bryce?"

"If someone's coming back, Bryce will be involved, and we'll catch him in the act!"

"He's been holed up at home, hasn't stepped out," Parker reported, having checked Bryce's transaction records. The guy hadn't even ordered takeout-clearly hiding.

Just then, Parker's phone buzzed with a notification.

A message from one of his men: "Mr. Doonan, Bryce just left his house. Should we follow?"

"What?" Parker shot up, grabbing his phone and dialing immediately, barking orders, "Of course, follow him! See where he's headed!"

Ludwik heard this, crushed his cigarette in an ashtray, his gaze icy and steely. "Bryce wouldn't move without reason. If he's out, it means the mystery person might be returning today...

Parker, make sure they follow him closely. Once we have Bryce's location, we move!"

"Make sure you stay on top of it," Parker reiterated into the phone, his expression mirroring Ludwik's steely determination.

As long as they kept a close eye on Bryce, they could unravel the mystery and finally pull back the curtain on the enigmatic figure...

Right now, Ludwik had no appetite for breakfast. His stomach was empty, but his mind was fully occupied with the task at hand.

He rubbed his temples with his long, slender fingers, trying to shake off the exhaustion. Despite a night of, intense work, he still managed to look impeccably put-together in his crisp white shirt and black trousers, not à crease in sight.

Beneath the shirt, his well-defined collarbones hinted at his underlying strength.

Every step he took was composed and confident, a sight that was both calming and impressive. Parker couldn't help but smirk. Honestly, Ludwik had been a striking presence since they were kids. No matter how many times he saw him, Ludwik's poise and charisma were something to envy.

He tossed Ludwik's phone over to him. "I think your phone went off a moment ago. Better check it!"