Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"Hmm, sir?" The young girl looked bewildered, her eyes wide with innocence. "I'm sorry, I don't know you."

The man's gaze softened as he realized his mistake. Perhaps it was just a case of mistaken identity?

Ludwik nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Clutching her handkerchief tightly, the girl's doe-like eyes deepened with an intense fervor as she watched his retreating figure.

"Ms. Sheldon..."

Soon after, Myra had the chauffeur pull up the car and came over with an umbrella, silently dabbing the young lady's face with a kerchief, a slight smile on her lips. "He's gone now."

"Do you think he'll remember me?" the girl mused, her gaze downcast. "He looked at me a few times, but not really."

Myra spoke with a hint of mystery, "Even if he doesn't remember, you'll see him again soon enough."

The girl's eyes softened with a hint of hope.

In the hospital office, Ludwik knocked and entered.

Dr. Ford stood up to greet him, holding a thick file of medical records, clearly uneasy in Ludwik's imposing presence.

"What exactly is going on with my mother that requires your constant reassessment?"

"Mr. Lippert, please prepare yourself," Dr. Ford cautioned, handing over the file with a heavy sigh. "Natalie's blood tests, after a thorough consultation, confirm she has a malignant hematological disorder related to spinal cord regeneration. Simply put, it's a form of leukemia—sudden and aggressive. Her collapse this morning was a symptom. The blood tests from this morning helped us diagnose her with this lethal condition..."

Ludwik stepped back, incredulous. "Impossible. You've done organ tests after she woke up! You said it was just exhaustion and old age, that she would recover slowly. How could she suddenly have this disease?"

"Leukemia requires blood analysis, which is why it wasn't apparent in earlier tests..."

"Why does she have leukemia? My mother has been ill for years, but this is impossible."

Ludwik was in disbelief, grappling with the suddenness of it all.

"I'm also analyzing the reasons, and coincidentally, along with the blood test results, we've also analyzed the composition of two pills prescribed by Ms. Valentine. Natalie has been bedridden for three years, under routine care. The family doctor's prescriptions have been safe. The only variable could be Ms. Valentine's medication, which is quite potent."

Ludwik's expression darkened, parsing Dr. Ford's implications. "And the analysis of these pill components?"

"Let me show you the lab results. These medications contain about three hundred components. Ms. Valentine's prescription was complex."

In the lab, Dr. Ford pointed to the

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data, explaining, "Some of the components Ms. Valentine used are highly risky intended for poisoning. Her deep understanding of pharmacology meant she used poison to fight poison, a sound theory in theory. But applying it to Natalie's body, could we ensure it worked without causing harm? And these drugs are classified as biologics. Leukemia has many

triggers: gic mutations, chemical reactions, viral

infections..."

Ludwik's lips turned pale, catching the term 'biochemical reactions'. He remembered Whitney's admission, her desperate gamble with her mother's medication. She said, to avoid detection by him and Elaine, she had to suppress her mother's recovery signs, making them undetectable by doctors. So, the medication contained potentially lethal components. Could it be that long-term use of these drugs triggered the malignant disease?

Dr. Ford, sensing Ludwik's speculation, felt the pressure of explaining to such a powerful figure. "We can only speculate," he said. "Your mother, in a vegetative state for three years, lacked an immune system. Ms. Valentine's medication contained toxic elements, possibly triggering the fatal disease... But her intentions were good, unlikely foreseeing such an outcome."

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Ludwik was silent, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. He thought his mother's awakening signaled a quick recovery. Instead, it brought a more deadly disease. His fists clenched; he knew he couldn't blame Whitney. She had good intentions, desperate for her mother's improvement. And indeed, it was these medications that woke her mother. But the awakening was far from perfect, accompanied by a more lethal illness. Ludwik was tormented.

"How do we treat it?" His voice was icy. "I want results. Cure her."

Dr. Ford shook his head, "Only a spinal cord transplant, and quickly."

"The disease is aggressive. Your mother already showed symptoms this morning. We've tested her blood again; her spinal cells are dying rapidly and not regenerating. Soon, she might experience nosebleeds, vomiting, severe anemia. Considering her age and rare panda blood type, finding a match is difficult, almost one in a million. If her anemia worsens, she¶l need regular blood transfusions until a match is found. That's why I urged you to come, to use your influence to find a living donor and a compatible match, not just in

Harmonia Country but globally,

regardless of cost or effort."

A chill enveloped Ludwik. His mother's rare blood type had complicated her long-standing illnesses. He had always opted for care over surgery to avoid risk. He couldn't bear losing her, not when she had just woken up.

"She can't die," he muttered through clenched teeth, instructing Dr. Ford, "Mobilize all resources, everywhere. Find a spinal cord and blood match at any cost!" With his command, Dr. Ford nodded, immediately setting the medical team into action.

Ludwik's despair deepened, his eyes shadowed and bloodshot. He took a deep breath and called Dr. Ford back, his voice laced with urgency, "Don't let the news of my mother's illness leak, especially not to her herself. And... don't tell Ms. Valentine, either!"

Grabbing the medical reports, he finally tore them up, closing his eyes in a moment of somber reflection. "And keep your lips sealed around Ms. Valentine, particularly about the possibility that these components might have caused my mother's leukemia. If she catches even a hint and falls into a pit of guilt, I'll hold you responsible!"

Dr. Ford was taken aback, finally grasping that Mr. Lippert had no intention of blaming Ms. Valentine. Not only was he not placing blame, but he was also intent on keeping the woman in the dark. After all, Ms. Valentine had only wanted to help; she never intended for Natalie to fall ill with leukemia. And besides, it wasn't definitively her treatment that was to blame, as the exact cause of leukemia was elusive.

Ludwik made up his mind to keep Whitney in the dark. The news of his mother's grave illness would only distress her. Moreover, if she knew it might be related to her, she'd spiral into a vortex of self-blame. Now, with Sammy nowhere to be found, his already strained relationship with her was on thin ice. He couldn't afford to let this precarious bond suffer further damage; he couldn't bear to push her away...

"Mr. Lippert," Dr. Ford's assistant hurried over, "Ms. Valentine was just at the hospital. She visited your mother's room..."

Ludwik's brow furrowed. "Dr. Ford, you need to find a match, and I'm giving you three days!"

"Mr. Lippert, finding a match for the rare blood type is a monumental challenge..." Dr. Ford responded with a rueful smile.

But Ludwik had already stormed off from the oncology department.

Outside the ICU, through the window, Ludwik's gaze immediately found Whitney standing by his mother's bedside, her figure gentle and caring. She was checking Natalie's pulse, asking thorough questions, and even helping her turn over in bed. Her concern was genuine, not feigned.

Inside the room.

As Whitney spoke to Natalie, helping her turn and wiping her down, her eyes suddenly caught on something on her back. Near the lower part of her spine, right where the spinal cord lay, was a notable puncture mark. Whitney's brows furrowed-When had Natalie undergone a spinal injection or blood draw?Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.