Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 433

“Look at you, causing trouble again…” Joanne had no choice but to climb the stairs and pull him away, catching a glimpse of Whitney out of the corner of her eye.

Joanne fixed her gaze on her son, instantly understanding, and, feeling a headache coming on, tapped his head. “I knew it. You’ve got your eyes on a girl again. Anyway, I was about to talk to you about her…”

Suddenly, Joanne spotted Jarvis and abruptly stopped speaking. In the Lippert family, everyone was cautious around each other.

After all, Jarvis was notorious within the Lippert family for being ruthless and cunning. Riley had had his fair share of troubles with him in the past.

Joanne forced a smile. “Oh, Jarvis is here. Come on, Justin, let’s go.”

“Mom, what were you saying? Who were you about to talk to me about?” Justin asked eagerly, even as his mother pulled him away.

Joanne tried to silence him, cautiously glancing at Jarvis before quickly leading her son away.

Jarvis squinted slightly, his gaze drifting down to Whitney before breaking into a smirk.

Things were getting interesting.

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Sienna said, “Ludwik, Florence threw up, and it was severe. You have to come quickly; I’m afraid she might faint!”

Ludwik immediately called for a doctor.

On their way, Sienna gritted her teeth. “It’s all Whitney’s fault. She deliberately wore the same red dress as Florence, flaunting it around, making others mock Florence, saying she’s not as pretty or as well-shaped as Whitney. Florence, considering her sister’s feelings, only dared to hide in the bathroom, heartbroken. And to think she drank so much liver broth just to make you happy, only to end up throwing it all up because she was upset. She must be feeling terrible…”

Ludwik’s brows furrowed, feeling a twinge of guilt; it wasn’t for his sake alone. It was for their mother, desperately gulping down an entire bowl…

“Florence.”

Outside the women’s restroom, Ludwik called out.

Florence, looking drained from vomiting, leaned against the wall and tearfully apologized, “Ludwik, I’m useless… couldn’t even keep down a bowl of broth.”

“Sienna explained to me, it was distress that made you vomit. Don’t blame yourself,” Ludwik said, his brows knitting together.

After a brief check, the doctor shook his head at Ludwik. “Ludwik, Florence has developed petechiae and an irregular heartbeat; her blood pressure won’t stabilize today either.”

Ludwik’s expression darkened. With her condition now, how would she be able to donate blood to their mother in a week?

“Ludwik, I’ll try another bowl later,” Florence coughed, managing a bitter smile. “I just fear my mood might make me vomit again.”

Ludwik looked at her pale face, trying to offer comfort. “Florence, you looked beautiful in the red dress.”

Florence, with tear-rimmed eyes, shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips. “Don’t lie to me, Ludwik. People said I was trying too hard, but I’ve always envied my sister’s figure. I wanted to change out of the dress to avoid making her uncomfortable. But today, meeting the Lippert family elders for the first time, I wanted to wear something festive and respectful. Being sick has left me pale, and I’ve never worn red before. I didn’t expect my first time to end up being overshadowed by my sister. I’ve always felt inferior…”

“It was her intention to wear the same dress as you!” Sienna exclaimed angrily. “What did you do wrong, Florence? You’re too kind. If anyone should change, it should be her. Such a vulgar dress doesn’t belong at a Lippert family gathering. Right, Ludwik?”

“I’ll handle it.”

Ludwik stood up, his gaze deep as an abyss, pressing his eyebrows. “I’ll give you the respect and dignity a ‘girlfriend’ deserves. I won’t let anyone belittle you. Calm your emotions, Florence. Your blood pressure can’t afford to drop further.”

With those words, Ludwik turned and left with a determined stride.