Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1177
"What are you talking about? Are we just supposed to stand around after hearing the news and let him bleed out right here? He's
in critical condition!" Whitney shot Parker a glare.
With a reluctant sigh, Parker started wheeling the hospital bed out of the room.
"Whitney." Parisa's voice trembled, not wanting her daughter to go. They'd only just found each other-so much left unsaid, and
Parisa was desperate to step into the role of mom, hoping Whitney would let her.
"Honey, if you're not in a hurry... would you stay with me a little longer?"
Whitney had no plans to leave either. She grinned, leaning in toward her mother. "Even if you tried to kick me out, I'd refuse to
go."
For a moment, she hesitated. Her nose stung, and her voice grew small and vulnerable. “Mom, all these years, I thought about
you a lot. I really did. But I always believed you were gone, so I only let myself remember you in secret- especially when things
got tough."
"Oh, sweetheart..." Parisa's eyes softened with a deep, aching sorrow. "It's my fault, baby, I've forgotten so many people, so
many things."

Erik, ever the gentleman, quietly closed the door behind them, cutting off Ludwik's line of sight.
But Ludwik lingered just outside, unable to let go. "Maybe I should just wait right here. What if she doesn't come back to my
place after this?"
Parker rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. "Seriously? The once all-powerful heir to the Harmonia Country fortune is this insecure? If
she doesn't come back, just order her. Oh wait, right-she's busy bonding with her mom. As for your so-called relationship, I don't
think Whitney has any plans to pick up where you left off."
"Parker, do you ever stop running your mouth?" Ludwik's voice was cold as ice, his glare razor-sharp. "Did I ever say anything
nasty about you and Tiana Melford, like you two would split up for sure?"
"Oh, screw you! Are you cursing us now?"
Now it was Parker's turn to bristle. His wife Tiana was pregnant, and the last thing he needed was Ludwik jinxing them.

"You started it."
"I was just being brutally honest. You're the one cursing me."
From inside, Erik overheard their bickering and sighed. Sometimes he wondered if all Harmonia Country men were this childish.
He watched their silent battle of glares and finally cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, Ms. Tennyson really does need some peace
and quiet."
Parker shrugged, but Ludwik's demeanor changed in an instant—after all, everything counted in front of his future mother-in-law.

He shot Parker a look. "Quit spacing out and get me out of here. Now."
Parker muttered under his breath, "Never seen anyone switch personalities faster than you flipping a page."
He actually missed the old Ludwik-the cold, arrogant, untouchable Ludwik. Now, chasing after Whitney, the guy had no shame.
"Jeez, you've got a thousand schemes going on in that old head of yours."
"At least I'm not an idiot. If Whitney hadn't helped you, you'd never have stood a chance with Tiana."
Parker almost let go of the hospital bed in irritation. No one could out-sass this guy.
The two of them kept sniping at
each other, leaving Erik half-amused, half-bewildered. He thought, Ms. of
Tennyson's ex is... actually kind
entertaining.
Ahem.
After finally getting Ludwik settled back in his room, Parker got serious. "Back there with Ms. Tennyson, I didn't want to butt in,
but I have to say your mother-in-law is
eine
something else. She's not just some ordinary woman."

Ludwik smirked, perfectly at ease. "Well, what did you expect? Look whose mother-in-law she is."
Parker groaned at his arrogance. "I mean, you got unbelievably lucky. Whitney grew up thinking she'd lost her mom, with nothing
left from her family And now, out of the blue, her mother turns out to be the CEO of a global conglomerate-someone with even
more power than you. If Parisa ever finds out how you treated Whitney three years ago, she'll eat you alive."
.