Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 1016

Florence had her sights set on being Parisa's 'golden girl' forever, basking in a life of luxury and privilege.

With a sneer of arrogance, she thought of Ludwik. So what if he had taken his daughter back to his homeland?

As long as Phineas remained unconscious, he wouldn't be able to ask any questions!

Then, she could easily deceive Parisa and impose economic sanctions on the Lippert family and the Sheldon Group through Inko Group. Those people were as good as gone.

-

Emperor City.

Fourteen hours later.

The early morning fog hung low, bringing a chill that seeped into the bones. A private jet sat on the tarmac of the international airport.

Looking out at the not-yet bright dawn, Ludwik's weary and profound eyes were tinged with a hint of red. His expression was somber and suppressed.

He had been away for fourteen days, and now, he was finally back, his daughter in tow!

But the situation was far from optimistic.

He rubbed the center of his brow, furrowed in a 'W'. His long legs had been stretched out for hours, his daughter's incubator always on his lap.

At one point, the little one had stopped breathing, nearly causing Ludwik to suffocate from fear.

Thankfully, he had brought a doctor on board, forcing him to save her.

The flight had been the most challenging ordeal of Ludwik's life, unable to land for medical assistance.

His daughter was still unconscious, her tiny body showing no sign of activity.

With his handsome features tense, Ludwik waited for the captain to open the cabin door before carefully cradling his daughter off the plane.

Stepping onto the tarmac, he finally felt the reality of returning to Emperor City.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at the doctor lingering at the cabin door, also weary but anxious.

Ludwik's voice was low and raspy as he instructed his secretary, "Buy this gentleman a ticket back to Germinia."

"You're letting me go?" The doctor was confused but could guess Ludwik's intentions from his gaze.

Ludwik glanced up thoughtfully, "Yes, you're free to return to Germinia."

The doctor's eyes widened, as if he'd just been spared from the gallows. He clapped his hands together in gratitude, "Thank you, thank you! I'll leave immediately!"

He practically leaped from the plane, rushing towards the airport exit as if fearing Ludwik might change his mind.

The secretary frowned, uncertainly voicing, "Mr. Lippert, letting him go just like that... Could he spread the word about you kidnapping Florence and her affairs, making a big fuss?"

"He'll be in Germinia, miles away from here. What's there to fear?" Ludwik's eyes narrowed, always strategic with his decisions.

He glanced at his secretary, "Once he's back, he might even run into Florence and her mysterious supporter at Sanctum Mary Medical. Keep his address and contact information; we might need him later." So, Mr. Lippert had a plan all along.

The secretary nodded, understanding a bit more, then added, "Felix, your assistant, has already arrived with the car, waiting for you."

"Let's go." Ludwik, not wasting a moment, walked briskly to the car, his daughter's urgent need for medical attention paramount in his mind.

Upon seeing Ludwik approach, Felix, filled with a sense of duty and excitement, began, "Mr. Lippert, welcome back! Is this..."

Before he could finish, Ludwik quickly got into the car, carefully holding his daughter, "Felix, drive."

The rest of the journey was silent.

As they drove through the highways and into the city center of Emperor City, Felix finally broke the silence, "Mr. Lippert, should we head to the Lippert family's major hospital?"

The condition of the tiny infant in the incubator seemed dire...

Ludwik, with furrowed brows, pondered for a moment before instructing, "Drive to the Shane Children's Hospital instead!"

"This... Yes, Mr. Lippert." Felix dared not question Ludwik's cold demeanor or his decision to avoid their own family hospital.

Ludwik tightened his grip on the incubator, eyes closed, "Call Shane, tell him I need to see him at the children's hospital immediately."

"Right away, Mr. Lippert."

Upon arriving at the Nelson Group's children's hospital, the break of dawn had just begun to clear the fog.

Ludwik carefully carried his daughter into the emergency department, where the attending physician hurried over upon seeing the infant in the incubator, his medical instincts kicking in at the sight of such a small child, "Is this a premature baby? What's wrong with her?" "Please, save her. I'm a friend of Shane, the owner of this hospital. He'll be here soon. Hurry!"

Ludwik's voice, though deep and restrained, broke into a low roar at the end, his handsome face etched with desperation.

The physician, realizing the urgency, immediately called for assistance.

As Ludwik waited outside the emergency room, Shane, alerted by Felix's call, arrived still rubbing sleep from his eyes. Surprised and pleased to see Ludwik, Shane greeted, "Ludwik, I heard you were on a business trip to Eurovoria. Glad to see you're back! But you've been out of touch for a while. What brings you here all of a sudden?"

Though taller than Shane by a couple of inches, Ludwik looked weary, his imposing figure slightly diminished.

Shane joked, "You look like you've been through a trial abroad. A bit under the weather, huh?"

"Mr. Nelson, the Nelson Group's children's hospital is the best in Emperor City. I need you to gather the top specialists in neonatology for a consultation, immediately!" "To see a doctor?" Shane had somewhat anticipated this during his drive over.

Shane had half-expected to see Ludwik accompanied by his two sons, looking for treatment for a scraped knee or a cold, the usual mishaps of adventurous young boys. But as he scanned the area, there were no boys in sight.

"Pediatrics..." Shane mused, his handsome brow arching in confusion, "What pediatric emergency could you possibly have? You don't have a newborn, do you?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ludwik pulled him towards the emergency room, pushing the door open with urgency.

Inside, a doctor was gently removing a glass cover to reveal a pink swaddled bundle. Nestled within was a tiny, frail but rosy baby.

Shane glanced over and nearly lost his composure, "What in the world? Ludwik!"

"My daughter," Ludwik said, his gaze tender yet shadowed with a deep, cold solemnity.

"I know it's a baby!" Shane's voice rose in disbelief, "But how on earth do you have a brand-new daughter? Whitney wasn't pregnant recently!"

It was utterly baffling.

Stunned, Shane's mind raced for an explanation.

Ludwik's gaze shifted away, his voice icy and hoarse, "Don't ask. She's my daughter, and that's all you need to know. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Is this... is this child with someone else?...Could it be Florence's?" Shane ventured, threading together the pieces of a puzzle he hadn't known existed.