Chapter 140


    Whitney felt a wave of warmth wash over her. “Aren’t you due for a meeting soon?”


    “Yeah, sorry I can’t join you to pick him up, but I can arrange for the finest lunch.”


    Then he grabbed a folder from his desk, striding past her. As he did, he gave her waist a gentle


    squeeze. He straightened his tie and headed towards the conference room. “See you at noon.”


    With a small smile, Whitney quickly returned to her office to change and grabbed her car keys,


    determined to drive to Banyan City International Airport herself.


    At the entrance of the conference room, Felix suddenly approached Ludwik. “Mr. Lippert, there’s some


    crucial information you need to know.”


    Ludwik stepped aside with him.


    Felix whispered, “Mr. Lippert, it seems Orion Lippert ising back today. Not a peep from anyone,


    and the Lipperts haven’t stirred.


    “Is this news reliable?” Ludwik’s expression turned icy.


    Felix hesitated, “Not certain yet.”


    “Find out. Keep a close eye on him!”


    +


    Felix understood the gravity when he saw the frost in Ludwik’s eyes. After severing ties with the Bartels


    and now openly defying his father, Ludwik was in a high–stakes game. Orion’s return was not good


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    news. Mrs. Lippert and her son, Orion, had been coveting the Imperial Gem Corporation.


    It was a quarter past twelve. Whitney waited at the airport, holding up a sign. It had been ten years, and


    her memories of her uncle’s face were hazy.


    From the back of the crowd, a thin man in a wheelchair caught her eye.


    In that moment, Whitney’s breath caught.


    She recognized her uncle’s face! But his left side was obscured by hair, and why was he in a


    wheelchair?


    Her eyes flickered with shock as she called out, “Uncle!”


    Behind her uncle, a tall, striking figure in a navy blue suit was speaking with him. As they split up, that


    man’s profile caught Whitney’s eye, a rogue charm to his young face. He threw a nce in her way as


    he got into a car from another exit..


    Who was this man?


    “Whitney!” her uncle was already being wheeled over by his assistant.


    Whitney snapped back to reality. Lowering her gaze to her uncle’s wheelchair, she saw the left side of


    his face marred by horrific scars and her heart lurched. Her throat felt leaden as tears welled up in her


    eyes, “Uncle, how did this happen to you?”


    “It’s been ten years.” Uncle Keegan shook his head, his hand resting over the nket that covered his


    missing legs.


    Tears fell from Whitney’s eye.


    “Silly girl, don’t cry. Your uncle’s right here, isn’t he?” Keegan grasped her hand tightly. “Let’s not make


    a scene here. Let’s get in the car.”


    Embarrassed by the onlookers, Whitney wiped her nose and quickly opened her car door.


    Keegan was helped into the car by his assistant, who then took the driver’s seat.


    Sitting in the back alongside her uncle, Whitney saw his gaze drop to the slight bulge beneath her


    sweater.


    His brow furrowed with a surprised smile. Whitney, we didn’t to talk much expecting? Have you got


    married?”


    Whitneyposed herself and nodded shyly. “Uncle, 1 haven’t had the chance to t


    the phone. Are you


    “You’ve grown up. It’s natural to start a family, and that’s wonderful” Keegan held her hand gently


    and grandfather would be happy knowing this. Who’s the lucky man?”


    Whitney blushed, still unsure of L’s full identity. “Uncle, I’m taking you to meet him. He’s the CEO of a


    real estate firm. I really like him, and I hope you will too.”


    Hearing he was a CEO, Keegan didn’t question further and nodded.


    With her uncle’s blessing, Whitney’s spirits lifted, and she quickly sent a Facebook message to L


    He replied with an address: Banyan City International Hotel


    Whitney escorted her uncle to the opulent yet discreet restaurant. Upon reaching the private room on


    the second floor by the window, a towering figure awaited. Dressed in a sleek ck suit and a fine te,


    Ludwik’s exposed features were handsome andposed.


    He exuded nobility, entirely at ease.


    Whitney, on the other hand, felt nervous as she wheeled her uncle over to Ludwik, standing beside


    him. With a smile, she introduced, “L, this is my uncle Keegan Tennyson.”


    “Uncle, this is my husband,” she added, her voiceced with bashfulness.


    Ludwik nced over, and in that moment, Whitney felt her uncle’s wheelchair jerk sharply


    Bewildered, she looked down to see her uncle’s grip tighten on the armrest, his scarred face paling


    under the cover of his hair.


    Ludwik, noticing the man in the wheelchair and the scars on his face, paused momentarily. His eyes


    fickered before resuming hisposure. He extended his hand graciously. “Mr. Tennyson, nice to meet


    you.”


    But Keegan didn’t reach out his hand in return.


    Sensing the awkwardness, Whitney bent down to her uncle, “Uncle, are you alright?”


    She was worried, recalling her uncle’s recent treatments before returning home.


    “Yes,” Keegan finally spoke, his voice strained as if biting back emotion, “Whitney, push me inside.”


    Ludwik withdrew his hand, a man ustomed to the ebb and flow of the business world, unbothered


    by the slight. He offered, “I’ll do it.”


    As he pushed Keegan inside, Whitney saw her uncle’s hand trembling.


    Ludwik took a seat across from Keegan, no longer examining him. With detached politeness, he began


    ordering.


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    Ludwik handed the menu to Whitney as he answered the call.


    However, his expression darkened in an instant. He rose abruptly. “What did you say? How could


    ine…”


    Whitney’s brow furrowed as she heard ine’s name, and she looked up with confusion.


    Suddenly, the door to the private booth burst open. Ashton, clutching his cell phone and fuming, stood


    in the doorway. His gaze swept the room, and upon spotting Whitney, his eyebrows knitted together in


    displeasure. He strode over to where Ludwik was sitting, seized him by the cor of his shirt in a fit of


    rage, and bellowed without any regard for the others present, “You bastard! Did you pressure ine


    into dating someone? She always listens to you, so she went out with some high–roller from Riverlyn


    City, and what happens? She gets assaulted, and now she’s in the hospital trying to kill herself!


    TADTE


    And here you are, wooing another woman, do you have no shame? How are you going to face the


    Bartels family if she doesn’t make it?”


    Ludwik’s expression turned icy. It was Ashton who had called him, leading him straight to this


    confrontation a situation Ludwik had not anticipated at all.


    His brow was tightly furrowed as he turned to Whitney, his eyes filled with an anxious apology. “I must


    leave now. Felix wille by to check on youter.”


    Hearing about ine’s attempt to suicide shook Whitney, but a cold smirk quickly appeared at the


    corner of her eye. ine had never given up on L. There was no way she would take her own life. This


    was likely a…


    “L, but my uncle is still here…” she said, a frown creasing her forehead.


    Ashton scoffed coldly, “ine is dying, and you’re worried about your uncle? Have you no heart? We’re


    going to Riverlyn Hospital now. She’s asking for you!”


    Without another nce at Whitney, the man left the room hurriedly with Ashton, a deep crease of


    concern


    between his brows.


    Whitney felt a surge of frustration watching his retreating figure. She took a deep breath and bent down


    to exin things to her uncle. It was only then that she noticed his face was ashen, his jaw clenched in


    agony. He was gasping for air, his eyes wide with panic. Suddenly, he copsed.


    “Uncle? What’s wrong?” Whitney was stunned. She shouted for help, “Manager, call an ambnce!”