Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



"How's it looking?"

In Ryan's clinic, Florence frowned deeply as she stared at the ultrasound monitor.

Ryan moved the ultrasound wand away from her belly and printed out the results. "Everything seems normal for now. Have you had any spotting these past few days?"

Myra stepped forward to answer, "Ms. Sheldon had a bit of brownish discharge once."

Ryan explained, "That's generally normal. Some instability can occur after implantation."

But Florence doubted his skills. "Did you mess up during the procedure? Why else would it be unstable inside me? I've had several episodes of pain. How am I supposed to relax? I absolutely cannot lose this baby. You know how hard it was for us to get here!"

Ryan, flustered and timid by nature, looked down and tried to reassure her gently, "Really, it's okay. Even women who conceive naturally can experience brown spotting in the first trimester. It's called a threatened miscarriage. Ms. Sheldon, I'll prescribe you some progesterone, and you should rest in bed. That should do it."

"I'll carry to term just like any normal pregnancy, right? If there was an issue with your surgery, I won't let you off the hook."

Florence leaned on Myra to sit up slowly.

Looking into Ms. Sheldon's innocent yet eerie eyes, Ryan remained silent, promising repeatedly, "You don't need to worry too much. Stress isn't good for the baby. The embryo itself is very healthy."

Their conversation, fragmented, drifted through the glass to Sammy's ears outside.

He hadn't caught everything, but his eyes widened in shock. A surgery? Florence said 'it wasn't easy getting this baby'? And Ryan mentioned she wasn't a natural conception?

Sammy was confused, too young to understand the complexities of adult illnesses and pregnancy. What were they talking about? Didn't Florence get pregnant the regular way? Why would there need to be a surgery for her to have this baby?

Surgery...

Right! The day he was locked in the hospital, he had snuck in to see his mom, and she too was unconscious on a surgery table!

If his mom had surgery, and Florence too, on the same day, what was the connection? Did it have something to do with the baby in Florence's belly? Suddenly, Sammy felt there was a huge secret hidden amidst, something very strange. There was definitely something off about Florence's pregnancy!

As for what it was, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, they hadn't elaborated.

Sammy took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his palms, and slipped away from the glass unnoticed. His small figure retraced steps back downstairs, to Ryan's study on the ground floor.

The study took up half the space of the villa, a place Sammy wasn't allowed, secured by Ryan with a deadbolt!

But Ryan's daughter had mentioned her dad's obsession with medicine; it was filled with documents and many oddities, including expensive case files for wealthy patients.

Sammy squinted, fixating on the study's door, wondering if the details of Florence's surgery might be inside. If he wanted to unravel the mystery of Florence's peculiar pregnancy, he needed to get in there.

So from today onwards, he was in for a battle of wits with Ryan.

"Ms. Sheldon, I'll have my assistant deliver your medication to your house. Please, take it easy."

-Upstairs, Ryan saw Florence out.

Sammy immediately turned around, pretending to play with building blocks in the corner, his back to the study.

A pair of slender legs stopped next to him.

Sammy kept his composure, not looking up immediately.

Florence watched him quietly, noting his slow reactions and movements compared to Ryan's daughter.

Something crossed her mind, and she took a photo of Sammy's small face with her phone, casting him in a pallid, gaunt light.

Florence smirked, signaling Ryan with a glance.

Ryan followed her to the door, where

Florence coldly advised, "Keep this fool just as he is! You're not really going to fix him, following Ludwik's wishes, are you? Dr. Ryan,

Lel.

remember our shared secret. Just play both sides. If Ludwik finds out what you did to Whitney, both of us are done for."

Ryan shivered, hurriedly agreeing, "I won't cure Sammy. I can easily fend off Ludwik. Sammy will probably stay here indefinitely." He lamented internally; Sammy was a clever trickster, staying for a reason!

Ryan thought, no more visits from Florence, lest Sammy discovers something.

After seeing Florence off, he turned back to find Sammy's piercing gaze fixed in their direction, wondering if he'd heard anything.

Ryan immediately closed the door, pondering if Sammy's intense look had been on Florence's belly... He was momentarily startled. But looking again, Sammy was lazily playing with his daughter.

"You little rascal, playing the fool quite convincingly. Florence almost completely bought it. When do you plan on leaving?"

Sammy smirked, "And if I leave, how will you explain it to Florence?"

"

Sammy had outplayed him. "So, it's not me sticking around, but you needing me here, pampering me. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother learning medicine from you!"

Ryan, caught off guard, stared at his cunning eyes, "Stay out of my study! And don't you dare bargain with me,

or l'Itell your father you're

your illness."

Sammy clenched the building blocks tightly.

Ryan's cautious reaction confirmed it; the study was indeed hiding many secrets. The truth behind Florence's pregnancy might just lie within those walls.

It surely had something to do with the day Mom was out cold under anesthesia at the hospital!

Florence got back into her car, the

night sky wrapping around her. She sent the photos she'd taken with her phone to Whitney, using a burner number through her friend, Myra.novelbin

UMS

Just as expected, Whitney called back immediately!

Sammy's profile was hidden in shadow, his surroundings indistinct. His usually bright eyes were downcast, looking utterly submissive.

Whitney's heart clenched painfully.

She redialed the unknown number, knowing it was Florence.

"Why has Sammy lost so much weight in just a few days? What have you done to him now?"

Hearing Whitney's anxious accusation, Florence couldn't help but let out a satisfied smirk.