Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Two days later.

Ludwik stood by the hospital bed, holding Natalie's hand.

With each passing day, Natalie was showing signs of recovery. Her gaze had cleared, and she could now recognize faces.

She could smile at Ludwik, blink, and even show displeasure through subtle gestures.

The doctor even remarked, "The lady is gaining some mobility in her limbs. She could, with effort, manage to walk a few steps now."

Ludwik's smile broadened, radiating warmth.

"Mom, did you hear that? You'll be back on your feet in no time."

Natalie responded with a smile and a playful wink.

"Can you try to speak?" Ludwik leaned closer, gently stroking her hair.

His gaze deepened as he held Natalie's hand, attempting to delve into the past, “About that night three years ago, when Keegan and Whitney took you, can you tell me what happened?"

The unexpected question startled Natalie.

Her expression shifted to one of fear, and her frail hand trembled in Ludwik's grip.

She began to squirm in bed, her hand reaching towards her left kidney area.

With a desperate look, she opened her mouth as if she had a world to tell but could only produce simple sounds like "ah" and "is."

“Mr. Lippert, not now," the doctor intervened, alarmed by the soaring vitals on the monitor. “Her emotional state can severely impact her recovery, and her vocal cords aren't ready for speech yet."

Ludwik, filled with concern, could only guess that the terror of that night three years ago was far from ordinary.

"What do you mean by 'is'? Were you trying to say someone's name?"

He reassured his mother, "Mom, don't rush. If words fail you, rest now."

Under his calming presence, Natalie slowly drifted back to a peaceful state.

She was fragile, barely keeping her eyes open. As Ludwik stepped out to speak with the doctor, she clung to his hand, a silent plea in her gesture. "Do you want to see Danny?" Ludwik guessed.

Natalie shook her head slightly; she longed to see both her grandsons, signaling with her hands.

"Both? What do you mean by two?" Ludwik frowned, confused.

A sigh escaped him as a realization dawned, "You only have one grandson, Mom.”

Natalie froze. She remembered hearing two names, Danny and Sammy, in her semi-conscious state. She was sure she had two grandsons. Why didn't her son know?

"I'll bring the little guy over," Ludwik promised, misunderstanding her gesture.

Leaving the room, he arranged for the maid to bring Daniel to the hospital.

Turning his attention back to the medical discussion, Ludwik was briefed by the leading specialist from Harmonia Country's Rehabilitation Center.

"Mr. Lippert, your mother managed to utter a few sounds today, but we must proceed with caution. She's still in a precarious state, awaiting further tests and dealing with complications from her old ailments. Stability is our priority."

Understanding the gravity of his mother's condition, Ludwik was determined, “Use all available resources for her treatment...” His phone rang, cutting him short.

It was Felix, reminding him, "Mr. Lippert, it's time for your flight to Riverlyn City. The contract meeting can't proceed without you."

Meanwhile, at TriMed Hospital, Elaine awaited Lyra's return with crucial information.

“Lyra, we must act now. I've learned that Mr. Lippert had a specialist consult this morning and even brought up that night three years ago. Although his mother couldn't speak, she managed to make some sounds...”

“Elaine, there's no time to waste!" Delphine urged, a sinister plan forming.

Elaine's face went pale, knowing it was time to move. She quizzed Lyra, "Did you get all the details?"

Lyra nodded, whispering, "She's in a private room on the second floor of Skyfaith Hospital, guarded and secluded. Following your instructions, I bribed a maid with half a million. She disclosed the guards' shift change..."

“This time, we cannot afford any mistakes, Elaine. It's crucial that you..." Delphine's eyes narrowed, plotting the next move.

After visiting his grandmother, Danny shared the news with Sammy and Whitney, curious about Natalie's condition. "Grandma couldn't speak. And something Dad asked her this morning nearly made her pass out," Danny recounted. Whitney's worry deepened, fearing for Natalie's wellbeing and the secrets she held about that night three years ago. "Sammy, if you wish to visit Grandma, now might be a good chance. With Dad away in Riverlyn City, you could go in my place..."

"Exactly!" An idea struck Whitney. She could indirectly examine Natalie through a video call with Sammy.

Holding Sammy's hand, she explained, "Quickly visit Grandma. You've seen me treat patients for three years. We'll video call; I can assess her condition that way."

Sammy nodded in understanding.

Whitney knew treating Natalie's vocal cords was feasible with precise acupuncture, targeting specific areas for speech restoration.

But time was running out, and Elaine's threat loomed large. Unbeknownst to Ludwik, Natalie was in danger, a fact Whitney was painfully aware of.

By three in the afternoon, Natalie lay in her hospital bed, having just taken her medication.

The nurse left with a smile, her departure briefly revealing a glimpse of a maid serving food to four bodyguards.

"It's time for a shift change," someone mentioned.

The TV buzzed in the background. An afternoon shower had just passed, leaving the luxurious, tightly sealed hospital room eerily quiet.

Soon, another nurse entered, her face hidden behind a mask, pushing a cart filled with medicines.

She gestured towards the IV drip to Natalie.

Natalie nodded, understanding it was time for her medication.

The nurse adjusted the needle and moved closer to hang the IV bag beside Natalie's head.

But something felt off to Natalie; the atmosphere seemed colder somehow.

She turned her head, feeling uneasy. Was this nurse different from the one before?

The previous nurse would have spoken to her, not just gestured.

Why the gestures? Did she know Natalie couldn't speak at the moment?

A flood of guesses made Natalie anxious. She looked up at the masked nurse, unable to see her face, but those eyes...

Cold and sinister, they felt eerily familiar, as if carved into her darkest memories!

"You..." Natalie's face paled as she tried to utter a single syllable.

Elaine, the nurse, slightly altered her expression beneath her mask and quickly pulled out a syringe from her pocket, its needle gleaming with a sinister light.

It was coated with a potent paralytic agent. She had previously performed a delicate procedure on an old lady, altering her short-term memory through acupuncture.

Now, by injecting the paralytic into precise neural points and then the vocal cords, Natalie would be rendered mute for life!

Even a slight misplacement could lead to dementia or coma!

Elaine was a master of this dark art. To ensure absolute silence, she took the risk of attending personally, distrusting others to handle such a delicate

task.

Her gloved hand swiftly pressed down on Natalie's weakened head and mouth, leaning in to administer the injection...

Crack-!

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a small figure entered, “Grandma.”

"I've come to visit you!"novelbin

Elaine froze, her eyes darting in panic toward the door where Daniel stood, cursing her luck.