Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Dr. Harper cleared his throat, trying to sound more confident than he felt, "Your son's condition is stable. He has a small hematoma in his brain, but after some tests, we've noticed it's gradually shrinking. It leads me to believe he's been receiving effective treatment. If we continue on this path, I'm optimistic about a full recovery."

Whitney was skeptical. Could Dr. Ryan have actually managed to treat Sammy successfully?

Sammy let out a silent sigh of relief, raising an eyebrow, "See, Mom? I wasn't kidding. My head was messed up, but thanks to Dr. Ryan, I'm almost back to normal. You can relax now. Can we go?"

"But we're here already. Don't you want to see Grandpa?" Whitney grabbed his collar, steering him toward Grandpa Hudson's hospital room.

"Oh, Grandpa..."

The TV in the hallway interrupted their conversation. "Breaking news: Ludwik was arrested last night by the police. He's suspected of conspiring with his cousin Justin to murder his best friend, Parker, following accusations from the victim's brother. The case is under investigation..."

Whitney and Sammy stopped in their tracks, stunned.

Patients around changed the channel, but Whitney couldn't help pulling out her phone to search for news. Sure enough, Emperor City was buzzing with the story of Ludwik's arrest.

The comments online were a frenzy.

"Can't believe Ludwik, kidnapping brides and now suspected of murder? How low can you go?"

"Such lawlessness, thinking he's untouchable as Harmonia Country's prime bachelor. A true disgrace to his family."

"I've heard rumors about his ruthless ways. Right after he joined the Lippert family, he ousted his adopted brother, Jarvis, didn't he?"

"Did you hear? He got someone pregnant while kidnapping another man's wife. A real piece of work, that one."

"And there's talk of a mental illness, tied back to his days as an illegitimate child in Banyan City. His mother was the other woman in a high-profile affair."

"Have you seen Mrs. Lippert's divorce announcement? Such drama. Apparently, Jason had been unfaithful with Natalie for years, leaving Mrs. Lippert depressed and under his control."

Whitney's heart raced as she scanned through the venomous comments, disbelief and anger mingling in her chest.

"This is too much," Sammy muttered, anger flashing in his eyes as he read the cruel words aimed at his grandmother and the unjust accusations against his grandfather.

Refusing to let the slander spread, Sammy whipped out his tablet from his backpack, his fingers flying over the screen. Moments later, Whitney's phone buzzed with the notification that the trending search had crashed, and the defamatory terms about Natalie began to disappear.

Sammy snorted, satisfied with his intervention, then turned to Whitney, "Mom, I'm not doing this for that jerk of a dad, you know that, right?" Whitney knew Natalie didn't deserve this slander. If Natalie had really been out to destroy Jason's family, she wouldn't have suffered silently under the Lippert family's oppression, keeping Ludwik's true parentage a secret for so long.

"It's okay, Sammy. What you did was right," Whitney reassured him, thinking of how Natalie must feel reading those vile comments.

Sammy, sensing his mom's concern, quickly adjusted their homework settings to shield his brother Danny from the harsh news, "Mom, I've blocked the external news feed at home. As long as Danny stays off the web for a few days, he won't find out about... you know."

Whitney sighed, grateful for Sammy's thoughtfulness. Danny still held a soft spot for Ludwik, after all.

Whitney pondered for a moment before she couldn't resist opening up to her son, "Sammy, honey, I know he's your dad, no matter how much I wish to cut ties forever, it's not something I can ask of you boys.

I won't force you.

How does it make you feel, seeing him like this? Do you feel like you want to help him?"

"You probably don't want me to help him, do you, mom? I know it must hurt, after all the pain and the troubles he's caused," Sammy responded with a maturity beyond his years.

Whitney's eyes misted over, and she turned her face away, "I only expect that of myself, not of you, my child."

"Then I won't help him. If that deadbeat doesn't even have the courage or the strength to pick himself up, he doesn't deserve to be called my dad. He got himself into this mess; he can get himself out.

All I need to do is take care of you, mom. I'm sure he wouldn't disagree with that."noveldrama

With his dad being unable to fend for himself, Sammy felt the weight of protecting his mother all the more. In his eyes, he was already shouldering the responsibility his father had abandoned.

Though unsure if his father could ever win back his mother's heart, it seemed clear to Sammy that their relationship was truly over.

Sammy let out a sigh, his gaze falling, "Danny and I are different. I just want you to be happy, mom. Danny might be a bit selfish at times, but I think he'll grow out of it. He's just a little snob, after all."

Understanding her son's feelings brought warmth to Whitney's heart. She gently ruffled his hair, "Having you two boys is all I need in this life."

But deep down, Sammy felt a heavy sense of responsibility, thinking about the future and even keeping an eye on Florence's belly!