Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Felix was practically breathless, "And then this morning, Weiman Technologies went global, launching their latest chip! Everything's happening so fast. The Lippert Group's stock plummeted by over forty billion in just half a day. The risk management department predicts it'll drop even more tomorrow. The situation looks grim. The whole group is in chaos, and Mr. Doonan has mysteriously vanished. Mr. Lippert, you must come back, please, we're begging you!"

The news of Parker's disappearance hit Ludwik like a thunderbolt. Parker was formidable, one of the few untouchables in the world. His disappearance suggested a gaping abyss behind the scenes... The Lippert Group's stock took a nosedive, losing forty billion in an instant... Ludwik felt a chill, "I'll be right back."

He ended the call, his eyes bloodshot, and strode up to the bedroom.

In the dark room, Whitney lay on the bed, her eyes closed, brows furrowed in distress.

"Whitney..." He called her name over and over again.

Whitney had been awake since he entered. His presence was both unique and terrifying, almost nightmare-inducing. She pretended to be asleep, wanting nothing to do with him.

Suddenly, he leaned over, his hand pulling away the covers-

Whitney's eyes snapped open, glaring at him coldly, "Can't you ever give it a rest? I'm on my period, do you really have to bother me now?!"

The distress and resistance in her eyes made his heart ache, his hand pausing in mid-air.

His gaze turned vacant, vulnerable, "Whitney..."

He had been so sure that with WisdoChip Co.'s launch, he'd secure a top position worldwide, ensuring no one could take her away from him. But now, The Lippert family faced an unprecedented crisis. The chip was gone, Parker was gone, beyond his worst fears. This conspiracy might be the toughest challenge in his career, Ludwik sensed his empire crumbling, uncertain if he could keep her by his side...

"I love you. I can't even begin to explain how much," he whispered, his body covering hers, his hands gripping hers tightly as he kissed her desperately.

Whitney was taken aback, then furious, shoving him, "Don't touch me! Weren't you just angry? What's wrong with you..."

His pressure on her abdomen hurt, his grip nearly crushing her hands. She was enraged, believing this to be his twisted way of tormenting her after their fight, "Get off! You..."

His eyes, bloodshot, silenced her struggles with a kiss until she couldn't breathe. Only then did he reluctantly let her go.

His eyes, heavy with unspoken words, "I have to leave for a bit, Whitney."

Whitney, confused and disheveled, retorted coldly, "Finally, something's taking you away! I can't stand the sight of you."

His heart felt pierced, his gaze lingering on her angry face, sorrowful and strained, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You better never come back."

He closed his eyes, resigned, "Wait for me, don't go anywhere."

He stood, watching her intently as if memorizing her every feature.

Whitney felt uneasy under his gaze, sensing something was off. Why did his farewell feel so final? She dismissed it, comparing him to a capricious madman.

Sitting in the quiet of the night, Whitney pondered how long he'd be gone, what he was up to, and whether she could escape.

Nine hours later.

It was the wee hours in Emperor City.

Ludwik's private jet landed, and he drove straight to the Lippert Group headquarters. Despite the late hour, everyone was present. The day's upheaval was perhaps the biggest crisis The Lippert Group had ever faced.

Jason, Riley, the younger members of the Lippert family, and all shareholders were anxiously waiting in the conference room.

Ludwik didn't head there directly. He appeared in his office, where Felix and a few confidants rushed in.

Ludwik shed his coat, getting straight to the point, "Felix, the surveillance footage from the lab on the day Parker went missing, bring it here!"

Felix, flustered, presented all the footage he could find, "Mr. Lippert, there's no complete footage. The tech team and I checked overnight The surveillance was tampered with; it's unrecoverable. What happened between Mr. Doonan and the chief in the lab, why they left simultaneously, remains a mystery. Now with Justin in the conference room, we only have his word to go by..."

Ludwik's brow darkened, just as the office door was kicked open. "Ludwik, you finally decided to show up!"

et

"Ludwik, WisdoChip Co. was stolen by your brother Parker, causing The Lippert family's stock to plummet by forty billion. You owe us shareholders an explanation! Do you have any idea how many contracts Parker signed for The Lippert family in just half a month? Over two hundred companies worldwide! Do you know how much we'll have to pay in damages? A fortune!"

The shareholders burst in, pointing fingers, their accusations fierce and desperate.

A shareholder lamented, "A fortune

doesn't even begin to cover it. Riley leaked news of this one-of-a-kind chip, drawing in over two hundred companies. We had just signed the

е

contracts when Weiman Technologies released an identical chip. We thought of suing for infringement, but all data from the lab was gone."

"If you don't step in and fix this mess, the sky-high breach of contract fees will bleed the Lippert family dry, no matter how deep our pockets are.

In these past few months, you've poured all of the company's resources into chip development.

You've neglected every other sector we have!noveldrama

The Lippert Group was once the top enterprise in Harmonia Country,

You were the one who vowed to shake up the tech industry, claiming that traditional real estate and finance would eventually lead to our downfall.

We, the shareholders, believed in you, agreeing to funnel the profits from those sectors into chip research.

But what do we have to show for it? Nothing but disappointment. Not only are we not seeing any returns, but the Lippert family is also on the brink of bankruptcy due to these losses."

Hearing the possibility of the Lippert family going bankrupt, the shareholders lost their composure and started hurling accusations, "Ludwik, it was you who insisted on sinking so much money into developing that damn chip, and look where it's gotten us.

Mr. Lippert, your son bears the brunt of the responsibility.

Just a month ago, his scandal with stealing Bryce's wife already dragged our company's reputation through the mud.

Not only did he not step up to mitigate the damage to our reputation, but he also disappeared when the company needed him the most.

He was supposed to be the face of the chip's launch, given his role as a public figure.

Now, with things going south, it's all because he was too caught up chasing after a pretty face, completely shirking his responsibilities!"