Chapter 110


    Whitney emerged from the restroom, rubbing her eyes as Hannah’s familiar shriek echoed through the


    hallways of the grand estate. It was a sound uniquely hers, piercing and high–pitched, like an off–key


    violin screeching through the night.


    She was about to


    sk what was going on when she caught Felix in mid–conversation with L. “Miss Hannah is causing a


    they’ve aiready been…”


    He made a shing gesture across his throat, unaware that Whitney was within earshot.


    Her heart skipped a beat. In the time they had been together, she had seen his ruthless side. That man


    harbored a devil inside, and she feared Dante and Mr. Wendt might have paid the ultimate price.


    “Hannah masterminded the whole affair and instructed Mr. Wendt to kidnap Madam,” Felix continued.


    “You’ve cklisted her from the entire entertainment scene, and with her father’s position at The Fuller


    Group now in jeopardy, she and her mother havee to plead their case. But Nn won’t give her


    the time of day.”


    “Show them out,” Ludwik interjected with an icy brevity that sent shivers down Whitney’s spine.


    She blinked, stunned. Had he discovered that it was Hannah who had set her up that night?


    A mix of emotions churned within her. She had thought him indifferent during her days of confinement,


    but he had been investigating the g, seeking vengeance on her behalf, punishing Hannah.


    But was Hannah truly the mastermind?


    Meanwhile, ine apanied Natalie to Ludwik’s hospital for a check–up, seizing the opportunity to


    ess areas where Parker would otherwise bar her.


    As the neurologist examined Natalie, ine overheard themotion caused by Hannah outside


    Ludwik’s


    room.


    A flicker of concern crossed her eyes, but she quickly masked it with indifference. Sh


    Hannah’s actions and, thus, felt no worry.


    had not orchestrated


    But Hannah’s presence reminded ine of the cold, piercing gaze Whitney had given her at the g.


    Whitney surely suspected her.


    Now that Ludwik had pinned the me on Hannah, Whitney would surely disagree. What would


    Whitney say to


    Ludwik?


    A smug smile crept onto ine’s lips. This was why she had spent the previous night ‘caring‘ for


    Natalie at the mansion. Her ‘all–night vigil‘ must have reached Ludwik’s ears by now.


    The neurologist expressed surprise at Natalie’s recovery. “Madam Natalie is doing remarkably well.


    Was acupuncture administered during her épisode?”


    ine looked down at the still–confused elderlydy and smiled. “That was my doing. I have medical


    knowledge and tended to my Natalie all night.”


    F


    The neurologist praised her. “You are quite attentive to Mr. Lippert’s mother. Madam Natalie, do you


    remember how you fell ill?”


    Natalie’s gaze was hazy as she struggled to recollect.


    ine’s smile deepened. She had tampered with Natalie’s memory with her needles the night before.


    How could she remember her phone call?


    As expected, Natalie shook her head, bewildered. “I don’t know. I just had a seizure out of nowhere.”


    15.525


    The family doctor said, “Thedy has had her share of ailments. It’s likely aplication. It’s my fault


    for taking a day off.”


    The neurologist nodded, gathering the medical records. “I’ll brief Mr. Lippert on Madam Natalie’s


    condition


    ine released the wheelchair and shed a smile. “I’ll apany you. I was about to visit him


    myself.


    Back in the hospital room, Whitney settled beside the bed.


    Hannah’s screams had faded into the distance, carried away by security.


    Whitney looked up at the man. “L, do you truly believe that Hannah was so jealous of me that she had


    Mr. Wendt kidnap me so that you’d see me humiliated?”


    “Are you suggesting there’s another mastermind?” Ludwik’s hawk–like gaze sharpened.


    She had saved his life, and everything else seemed trivial byparison. But she could not swallow


    the bitter pill of their argument during the g when he had defended ine and wounded her with his


    words. Whitney cared deeply about that thorn in her side. They had not settled it that day, but now,


    closer than ever, she wanted to clear the air about ine.


    “Yes, I suspect Hannah was just a pawn,” Whitney said firmly, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “L, haven’t


    you noticed? We’ve been arguing a lottely since ine entered our lives.”


    Ludwik frowned, frustration etched on his face. “Are you still going on about her? I know what you’re


    about to


    say,”


    Whitney ced her hand over his, her touch gentle but her eyes cold and resolute. “Just hear me out,


    You say she’s friendly, that she helps us. Logically, our rtionship should be sweet, but why all the


    arguments?


    Remember the gemstone suppliers? You had asked her to rmend them to me, but she kept that a


    secret, saying she rmended the suppliers. Was it really unintentional? Maybe she had already


    noticed my guard against her, so she used that to stir things between us. And the Lotus Clubhouse? I


    was discussing business with Mr. Lutz there while you were having a meeting rtively far away. Why


    did she bring you there to eat? I know she’ll definitely say that the Lotus Clubhouse just popped up in


    her mind out of nowhere, but…”


    Ludwik’s eyes darkened, his impatience giving way to contemtion. The distance between the


    meeting venue and the Lotus Clubhouse was indeed significant, a detail he had overlooked while


    browsing her Facebook that day.


    Whitney tried to read his expression, her voiceced with a wryugh. “And remember the bar


    incident? She posted a picture with you on Twitter. Would a sister who truly wished us well behave so


    provocatively, making it seem like you two were having a st without me?”


    Ludwik sighed and ruffled her hair affectionately but with a hint of reluctance. “I was not having a st


    that night.”


    “Don’t change the subject,” Whitney pressed on. “Do you know what she said to me before the g?


    She bragged about taking care of you, about working closely with you. She tried to provoke me, wanted


    me tosh out at her in front of you. And I bet she yed the victim afterward, telling you I was still


    angry and suggesting that you shoulde and appease me, right?”


    Ludwik’s eyes narrowed sharply, a cold gleam flickering as he regarded her. “How did you know?”


    Whitney scoffed lightly. “Every time we argue, isn’t that how she always tries to mediate? It’s a ssic


    case of ‘retreat to advance.‘ I might not use that tactic, but I’m certainly familiar with it.”


    Têxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Monica often employed such low–tier strategies, much to ine’s chagrin, though she managed to do


    so without leaving a trace.


    Whitney’s gaze turned frosty as she continued, “That night in the private room when Hannah appeared


    so unexpectedly, I had no idea she harbored feelings for you and targeted me. After all, even if she did


    have it out for me before, she never found me. Who could connect the dots? So, I have every reason to


    suspect that on the night of the banquet, Hannah was simrly coached by someone, leading her to


    concoct that malicious plot against me. Why don’t you check if Hannah and ine had any private


    conversations during the event? That would tell us everything, wouldn’t it?”


    Ludwik’s eyes darkened to a deep, cold hue.


    Indeed, his marriage to Whitney had been hasty and secretive, giving Hannah no chance to locate


    Whitney before.


    But recently, she seemed to be showing up more at events Whitney attended.


    Suddenly, a low sobbing sound came from outside the door.


    Both turned their heads to see a doctor, looking rather sheepish, standing at the doorway, holding a


    medical chart. “ine brought your mother to the hospital today for a neurological checkup…”


    Behind him stood ine, her eyes slightly reddened, brimming with a pitiful, damp sweetness.


    She stepped forward, eyes on Whitney, and managed a bitter, disappointed smile, “I never expected


    Whitney to think so poorly of me. Maybe I’ve been too enthusiastic, overzealous even, and that’s led to


    misunderstandings. Bro, it’s fine. You should take Whitney’s side and paint me as the viin. As long as


    you two make up, I can handle being misunderstood.”


    “Misunderstood?” Whitney rose to her feet, eyeing ine’s perfect damsel–in–distress act, and could


    not help but snort, “ine, your timing could not be better. Care to exin why you insisted on taking


    your dear Bro to the out–of–the–way Lotus Clubhouse for dinner? Why did not you make it clear that it


    was L who asked you to rmend a female supplier for me?”