Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Grace coldly walked past Heidi without a glance.

Heidi's heart ached with reluctance, but thinking of her own future, she glanced at Jason and felt compelled to chase after Grace, leaving Jason behind. "Mom, mom, I'm totally lost here. Give me a moment to think..."

Jason's lips quivered with anger as he lay on the ground, his fists pounding the floor in frustration.

He watched in agony as Heidi abandoned him, just like his daughter had discarded her father.

The daughter he had raised turned out to be just like her mother, an ungrateful traitor!noveldrama

Such betrayal, so infuriating.

He had once been proud of his life, but now it seemed like a joke played on him by others.

Crawling towards the window, his heart felt as dead as ashes.

Just then, the door creaked slightly open-

As Jason struggled to his feet and gathered his strength to open the window, a frail figure rushed behind him, embracing him with a mix of fear and courage, pleading, "Please, don't!"

The force of her approach sent both tumbling to the ground.

Sophie hit the ground hard but held onto Jason tightly, preventing him from falling out of the window.

"Who are you?!" Jason turned around, alert.

In the dim light, he saw the silhouette of a middle-aged woman, her body thin and fingers delicate.

Her lips were pale, her hair neatly tied back, and her delicate features were visibly ill, yet her youthful beauty was still evident.

Jason's gaze lingered, recognizing the shadow of Ludwik in her appearance.

He had long forgotten what Sophie looked like, after all, theirs was a marriage marred by a single night's mistake.

"Is it you?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come," Sophie murmured, her voice as faint as a mosquito. Her timid nature made it hard for her to speak up against this

man.

"You're seriously ill; you can't afford another fall. If you don't mind, let me help you to your bed and call a doctor for you," she offered in a voice so gentle it seemed to calm Jason.

He paused, breathing heavily, lost for words.

Sophie glanced back, and the maid, catching her signal, rushed in to help Jason back to his bed.

Once the maid left, Sophie stood awkwardly by the bed, keeping a distance from Jason. She glanced at the door, noting the irony that the bedroom of Mr. Lippert, the patriarch of the Lippert family, was left unattended.

The Lippert family's relatives seemed to have abandoned him, reflecting the family's dire situation.

Sophie felt sorrowful, stealing glances at Jason's proud figure and quickly spoke up when she caught his probing look, "I didn't mean to intrude. If you want me to leave, I will. The doctor should be here soon."

She knew their meeting would be awkward.

Since Ludwik had taken her to Emperor City for surgery and Jason had refused to see her, she understood his attitude.

She had hidden outside the door, hearing how Thea and others belittled Jason, wanting to help but couldn't let Jason face humiliation because of her, so she held back until it seemed he might take drastic actions.

"Stay," Jason commanded, voice breaking.

Sophie froze.

"Ludwik is really in jail, isn't he?"

Her eyes welled up as she nodded.

Jason scoffed, "The Lippert family is falling apart, and no one even bothered to tell me about Ludwik's trouble."

"They didn't want to upset you right after your surgery," Sophie explained softly, then encouraged him, "You must stay strong. Thea's visit was probably aimed at aggravating you with that man from the Patrick family, hoping to drive you to your end. The stress could worsen your condition, but you must think of Ludwik, think of the Lippert family."

Jason fell silent for a moment, then coldly said, "You heard everything?"

Sophie tensed, her face hidden in the dim light, regretting speaking too much.

Jason let out a long, mocking laugh, a rare display of emotion for a man who had always been seen as dignified and untouchable, except in the presence of the president. Yet his seemingly perfect life had been tainted by Thea.

He had saved Sophie out of

compassion, teading to a mistake

that Thea never let go of. Despite his lack of love for Thea or any woman, his life was dedicated to his family's legacy. Yet, he had unknowingly nurtured a worm in Wade that was slowly destroying the Lippert family from within.

Now, with the Lippert family in ruins and Ludwik disgraced, Jason realized he was the one who had doomed their century-old legacy.

Sophie clenched her fists, hearing Jason's suppressed, crumbling breath. She had always seen him as a deity, too sacred to approach, her hidden adoration buried deep.

But now, he was truly defeated.

Jason, gasping for air, removed his oxygen mask and fainted, overwhelmed by rage and despair.

"Doctor, we need a doctor! Jason's

passed out," Natalie's heart was pounding as she noticed the trickle of blood at the corner of Jason's mouth. "Thea's trying to kill you, don't fall for it! Think about Ludwik... think about our son..."

After being released from the police station, Ludwik rushed to the hospital.

"How's my dad?" His towering figure loomed in the doorway, his voice raspy with worry.

Riley's face was etched with sorrow. "Dad's had a severe stroke, he's been vomiting blood.

I checked the security footage and saw that Thea was here last night...

It's my fault, Justin's injuries were so severe, we were understaffed and no one was watching over dad.

I thought Heidi would have taken care of him, but those two turned out to be utterly heartless.

Thea brought Wade with her yesterday... Ludwik, you can probably guess the situation.

I found a divorce paper by dad's bed. Thea wants a divorce!

She's aiming to deliver a fatal blow, I see it all now, all these years she's been a spy for the Patrick family, scheming..."

Ludwik clenched the divorce papers, stained with his father's blood.

Veins throbbed at his temple in fury.

"Doctor, whatever it takes, you must save my father's life, or I swear, you'll answer to me!"