Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 549

Whitney glanced up, her eyes locking onto the breaking news headline that detonated in her mind like a bomb, plunging her into an abyss of silence...

It felt as though an unseen force had yanked her into a chasm of darkness.

She froze, her body trembling slightly, her face draining of color.

On the TV screen, Holly's face appeared.

Tears streaked down her cheeks, a far cry from her usual composed self, "My daughter, Florence, is pregnant with Ludwik's child! The Lipperts are the top family in Harmonia, while the Sheldons... we're just not in the same league. I'm at my wits' end. I'm so worried, I don't know where Ludwik has taken my Florence? Our family's security reported that Ludwik has abducted Florence! God have mercy, she's pregnant, and I don't know what Ludwik plans to do. Will he force Florence to terminate the pregnancy? I'm deeply concerned. Please, let the media spread the word and help me find my Florence..."

The scene shifted back to the reporters, but Whitney couldn't bear to watch any longer.

She remained still for a long time, barely breathing, a sharp pain fragmenting her resolve and crushing her slowly rising hopes.

Her heart shattered, throbbing with a numb yet unbearable agony.

Florence was pregnant?

She stumbled backward...

"Whitney!" Tiana rushed over, steadying Whitney as if she were a leaf in the wind. Tiana's grip tightened as she watched the news unfold, her anger palpable.

She saw Holly's tearful plea to the camera.

She couldn't see Whitney's face, but she could imagine the turmoil she was going through.

Not just Whitney, even she felt a shock that resonated through her entire being, struggling to accept the news.

"Whitney... stop watching," Tiana tried to control the quiver of rage in her voice, her eyes flashing, as she reached to cover Whitney's eyes.

A brief moment passed.

Whitney let out a light laugh, "I'm okay."

"How can you possibly be okay!" Tiana roared, her face contorted in anger, "Ludwik, that absolute scum! That liar! Did he ever tell you the truth? Why doesn't he just drop dead! He promised to deal with Florence, yet behind your back, he's been with her all along! I thought, after you went through all the trouble to reveal Natalie's illness to him, he would finally see Florence for the vile creature she is! I thought he would act! We could've saved Sammy... But when the hell did Florence get pregnant? When did they even...? I'm going insane, I just want to tear him apart!"

Each word from Tiana cut through Whitney, leaving deep, sharp wounds.

Whitney's fingers grew cold as she gently pried Tiana's hand away, facing the news with a self-mocking laugh, "Tiana, you've said everything I wanted to say. What's left for me to add?"

"Whitney, please don't do this! I know how hurt you are, nothing could be more devastating than Florence carrying his child!" Tiana pleaded.