Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"Danny, it's totally cool for guys to play with dolls," Danny awkwardly tried to explain.

But Sammy just shot him a look, silently begging him to stop talking, to avoid making things worse.

Instead of responding to Whitney's anger, Sammy furrowed his brow in confusion. "Mom, how come you didn't knock before coming in?"

"You're blaming me for not knocking?" Whitney fumed.

This was too much for her, "Sammy, are you really talking back to me?"

"I'm not talking back. It's just, Mom, last time you were secretly listening from behind the garden gnome, and now you barge in without knocking. Don't you think Danny and I deserve a little privacy? Maybe you're being a bit too overbearing?"

Sammy articulated his thoughts clearly.

Danny was sweating bullets for Sammy. Sammy, always the gentle and empathetic one, was actually standing up to their mom!

He knew Sammy was trying to protect a secret, but this was bold.

Sure enough, Whitney's usually gentle face darkened, a hurt look in her eyes. She pointed a finger at Sammy, "You think I'm too controlling? Sammy, you're just four, and now you think I'm smothering you?"

"Mom, that's not what I meant," Sammy's brow softened.

But their mom's excessive surveillance was bound to uncover their secret sooner or later.

He had to stop her, to keep the secret safe.

His sister was undergoing critical treatment, her fate uncertain.

With their mom growing suspicious, they had refrained from visiting, anxious and distressed.

Dad was away handling more pressing matters, choosing to keep mom in the dark to protect her from breaking down or bearing the burden. The three of them were carefully shielding her.

But mom, sharp as she was, grew suspicious, breeding mistrust among them.

This situation was tough on him and Danny. They didn't want to keep suspecting each other, so... provoking mom seemed like the only way out, counting on her pride to stop her from snooping around.

As Sammy predicted, Whitney was livid.

She cooled down, nodding slightly, her lips tight, no longer smiling. "So, you're siding with Ludwik now?

You think I'm too controlling?

Fine, I'll back off. You boys stay here at the Lippert family's house. I'll just go back to Delight Mansion.

I don't want to argue. Think about your behavior."

With that, she turned and left the room, heading downstairs.

Danny was anxious, staring at Sammy.

Sammy looked troubled but didn't move.

"Sammy? Sammy!" Danny was panicking, about to rush after their mom to explain.

Just as he reached the door, Sammy pulled him back, his dark eyes serious yet deep, "Let her go, Danny. Let mom have some quiet time at Delight Mansion."

Downstairs, from the living room near the entrance, they saw their mom's slender figure grabbing her bag, putting on her coat, and stepping out into the night. Soon, they heard the car drive away.

"Mom!" Danny wanted to chase after her. "What do we do now, Sammy? You made mom mad!"

Sammy bit his lip, also upset. He didn't want to upset their mom.

But they did need their own space right now.

He sighed, a glint of determination in his eyes, "Only if mom goes back to Delight Mansion can we sneak out to visit our sister at the hospital. Dummy. It was a last resort."

"Oh, so that was your plan?!" Danny suddenly turned, eyes wide, realizing the cunning behind Sammy's act. He couldn't help but scoff, "So you deliberately drove mom away."

"It was necessary."

He missed their sister terribly, worried about her being all alone in the hospital.

Sammy's eyes reddened slightly as he looked at his brother, "Don't you miss her? In this desperate situation, without mom's care, we need to be there for her."

"Okay!" Danny agreed, his lips pursed in sadness. "With mom not here, let's sneak out tomorrow morning, okay?"

"I'll plan it out," Sammy said, still being extra cautious.

With their dad not around, they had to handle their sister's situation carefully, not wanting to distract him.

After Whitney left the Lippert family's cozy house that night, she made a stop at Brew Hill, the Sheldon family's estate.

It had been nearly a half month since she last saw her dad.

Ever since Ludwik had helped her reclaim the Sheldon Group, driving away Bryce and Florence, Hudson's health had significantly improved After detox treatments in the hospital, Whitney took him back to the Sheldon family's ancestral home.

The old man and old lady, upon learning about their second son's betrayal with Holly and their plot against Hudson to seize the Sheldon Group, could no longer favor Hugh, despite his disability, nor could Emma shield him any longer.

Discovering Florence was the illegitimate daughter of Hugh and Holly was the last straw for Emma, feeling she had lost face in Emperor City's high society.

Jared Sheldon was filled with guilt.

When Whitney returned the Sheldon Group to its rightful place, it opened Jared's eyes to who truly cared for Hudson. Whitney, the daughter once kept at arm's length, proved herself as the loyal and dutiful child.

As for Florence...

She had been the darling of the family, pampered by Emma and adored alongside Sienna Turner in the Sheldon household, but now...

Better left unmentioned.

The Sheldon family's ancestral home, once bustling, now seemed a bit forlorn.

The house felt particularly empty now, the usual hustle and bustle of the younger generation visiting had subsided, leaving Grandpa Jared and Grandma Emma in a quiet lull.

It was deep into the night when, to Jared's surprise, he saw Whitney making her way back home.

Jared was lounging in the living room, buried in the evening paper when he caught sight of her. He took off his reading glasses, a slight look of astonishment crossing his face as he looked up-

Hearing Whitney's gentle call, "Grandpa. I'm home."

Jared paused for a moment, his

gaze shifting from behind his glasses, a flicker of excitement

showing through. He tried to maintain his composure, "Ah, my granddaughter's back. Your dad's in the west wing, probably tangled up With some company matters."

"Okay. And Grandma?"

Whitney had never really been the apple of Emma's eye since the day she stepped into the family mansion.

But all that was water under the bridge. For her dad's sake, she still tried to maintain a harmonious atmosphere at home.

Especially now, with Florence havingnoveldrama

run off, Holly kicked out, and Hugh stripped of his powers, the family

was practically falling apart. The et

once prestigious reputation of the Sheldon Group, the third most influential family in Harmonia Country, was fading away.

Jared glanced at her, finally managing a smile, "It's kind of you to think of your grandma.

She's over at Brew Hill, visiting the Nelson Mansion. Don't worry about her."

Whitney cracked a small smile, nodding, "Alright, Grandpa. You get back to your paper, I'll head over to Dad's study."