Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 395

"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."

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?