Love beyond the mask (Whitney)

 noveldrama

"Don't lose hope! You've still got assets, you've got this huge lab, you..."

"What assets?!" Florence broke down, her eyes blazing with anger as she confronted Holly, "It's all because of your scandal with Hugh back in the day!

Just turn on the news now, and you'll see the story about me being a bastard child has already spread.

How am I supposed to live after this? My dignity as a Sheldon family lady is gone!

And I'm stuck with this... burden inside me...

Mom, why? I climbed the social ladder with all I had, playing sick to manipulate others, I had Whitney under my control, I even secured Ludwik, but tell me, why has it come to this?

Ha, what's the use of a lab?

Without a reputation, I'm nowhere. Everyone knows I'm carrying Ludwik's child, and Ludwik himself is in trouble.

Tell me, which nobleman would have me now?

Do I even stand a chance?"

"You do! Florence, snap out of it," Holly grasped her arm, a spark of determination in her eyes, "Jarvis.

Jarvis is your next target.

He's bound to be Harmonia Country's most eligible bachelor. If we're aiming high, we go for the top."

"I don't like him! You're the one who's not being rational, I'm carrying a bastard, and you think Jarvis would want someone as frail as me?

I heard he's the most cunning and ruthless. You think he's easy to deal with?"

"One step at a time. If you want Jarvis, you need to offer him something he's interested in."

Holly said cryptically, her gaze suddenly dropping to Florence's belly.

Lost in her despair, Florence didn't notice the scheming look in her mother's eyes...

At 9 p.m., Whitney stepped out of the meeting room, and Cody piled a stack of recent documents and financial reports from the Sheldon Group into her new office.

Rubbing her temples, Whitney knew she wouldn't make it home tonight.

She planned to call her uncle to check on the kids at home, wondering if Tiana had made it back, or if Sammy had contacted Danny.

After dialing the number, she headed towards the elevator, hoping to grab something to eat nearby. Exiting the lobby, she bumped into Sandy.

Only, Sandy wasn't alone; a little girl was clinging to her.

Employees at the Sheldon Group's front desk gathered around to watch the scene unfold.

The little girl, wailing, cried out, "Mommy, mommy, why don't you want Piper?

Piper's the cutest child, why did you sleep with daddy and then forget us?

Piper's four years old, your daughter, boo hoo..."

"Little one?" Sandy was completely stunned, caught between laughter and embarrassment, "Sweetheart, you've got the wrong person. I'm not your mommy; I'm not married or even in a relationship..."

"But my daddy said you're the only woman he's been with!

He sent me to find you, saying you must've just forgotten.

You can't abandon Piper, I'm still so young, I need my mother's love. Can't you come with me, please?"

Sandy's face turned pale, though she couldn't deny the little girl was endearing and, at a glance, somewhat resembled her!

Shaking off the thought, she knew parents couldn't be so easily claimed. As a single woman, how could she suddenly become a mother?

Especially after Whitney had finally

beaten Florence, freeing herself from the shadow of the Sheldon family and Sienna Turner's

net

repression, dreaming of a decent marriage. And now, absurdly, she was being labeled a mother on her first day at the Sheldon Group.

"Sweetie, first off, I'm really not your mom.

I'm only 26, and I'm quite sure I wasn't involved with anyone when I was 22. I don't know any men... Maybe you could tell me your daddy's name? I'd like to sort this mess out with him directly, it's not right to have kids mistakenly claiming mothers." Content belongs

The little girl, trying to hold back tears, looked lost and glanced helplessly around. Whitney noticed her glance towards a direction.

Following her gaze, they saw a tall figure standing outside the company's floor-to-ceiling windows.

Shane Nelson!!

Whitney's heart skipped a beat, both surprised and not.

Looking back at the little girl and then at Shane, she was taken aback.

Turns out, Shane was telling the truth. He really did have a child with Sandy!

But why doesn't Sandy remember having her own child?

Whitney locked eyes with Shane across the glass.

Shane, feeling her gaze, met her eyes. A dark shadow passed through his deep eyes as he cheekily smiled at Whitney and gestured for silence. Whitney was speechless, setting a child on Sandy to test her?

But judging by Sandy's confused and tearful expression, she clearly didn't recognize the little girl.

"My daddy's name, he told me not to tell you right now, afraid it might scare you away.

Mommy, what do we do? If you don't take care of me today, I can't go home and I'll have no food, boo hoo..."

Sandy was on the verge of a breakdown, frozen in place, caught between leaving and staying. "Sweetie, don't cry. How about I take you to the police station so we can clear up this misunderstanding?" "No! Piper's scared of the police station."

"But..."

Unable to watch any longer and annoyed at Shane's inaction, Whitney stepped forward, "Sandy."

Seeing Whitney, Sandy felt even more embarrassed but had no choice but to approach, "Whitney, I didn't mean to cause trouble, I didn't want this, but this child ran in and clung to me, insisting I'm her mommy."

Whitney thought to herself, there's no way she got it wrong.

et

She gave Sandy a weird look and sighed, "To stop the office gossip, why don't you take the little one upstairs first, get her some dinner. Kids stop fussing once they've had their fill. I'll figure out a way to get you out of this mess."

Sandy just nodded, clearly out of her depth.

her mom?

As the two of them led the child into the elevator, Sandy glanced at the little girl's face and muttered, "Whitney, how on earth did this kid decide I'm

I mean, no joke, I haven't even held a boy's hand growing up, how could I possibly have a child at 22? At 22, I was dumped by Sienna's mom in some no-name college abroad, with nothing but survival and clawing my way back on my mind.

But... do you think she looks like me?"

Whitney didn't really know how to respond and hesitated before saying, "A little."

Sandy's face went pale as she clasped her head, "But I've never stepped out of line, I swear."

Whitney looked at her, equally puzzled. How could Sandy have a child and not remember anything about it?