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Chapter_109
Whitney’s phone buzzed again on the side table, but she ignored it, her attention locked on the growing commotion just outside the hospital ward. Voices rose in the hallway—sharp, clipped, tense. Her stomach sank. She didn’t have to guess. Elaine was back.
Parker’s stern voice cut through the muffled noise: “Ma’am, you need to wait—this isn’t the time.”
Then came the sharp, unmistakable click of high heels against tile. Whitney’s gaze shifted toward the door, heart ticking faster. A moment later, Elaine Lippert appeared in the doorway like a storm contained in silk. Her expression was calm—too calm—but her eyes shimmered with barely masked suspicion.
“Whitney,” Elaine greeted coolly, her smile tight. Her gaze flicked briefly to Ludwik’s pale figure on the bed. “I hear you’re running the show now. How… quaint.”
Ludwik tensed, the veins in his hand standing out as he gripped the edge of the blanket. His pain wasn’t only physical. “What do you want, Elaine?” he said, voice strained but sharp.
Elaine’s expression didn’t waver. “I came to see you. To make sure you’re… well. Family takes care of its own, after all.”
Whitney caught the subtext immediately. This wasn’t a courtesy call—it was reconnaissance. Elaine wanted to assess Ludwik’s condition herself, likely to decide how best to use it.
“He’s recovering,” Whitney said evenly, stepping closer to the bed, her voice calm but firm. “If you have business, it can wait.”
Elaine’s eyes darted to her, and her smirk returned. “How touching,” she said, voice dripping sugar and venom. “It seems you’re more than just the help now. I do hope you’re not getting too comfortable in your role.”
Whitney’s jaw clenched. The insinuation was clear, and it took every ounce of restraint not to lash out. But she didn’t give Elaine the satisfaction.
Before she could respond, Ludwik spoke again—stronger this time, his tone cold and unmistakable. “Enough, Elaine. You’ve said what you came to say. Now go.”
For a moment, silence. Elaine’s gaze lingered on both of them, her expression unreadable, but the edge in her eyes had sharpened. Then, with a calculated smile, she turned on her heel and strode out, the sharp staccato of her heels echoing down the hall.
When the door clicked shut behind her, the room exhaled.
Whitney let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “She’s a piece of work.”
Ludwik gave a faint, wry smile. “I’ve had years of practice with her. But… thank you. For not backing down.”
“She doesn’t scare me,” Whitney said, but her voice was low. She moved to sit again, her brow creased. “It’s not just her. I can feel it, Ludwik. There’s more going on—more people involved. Someone’s pulling strings, and we’re only seeing the surface.”
Ludwik’s gaze darkened. “I know.” He paused, then added gently, “But you don’t have to shoulder all of it alone. Right now, the priority is recovery. Mine… and yours. Let me deal with Elaine.”
Whitney nodded, though the pit in her stomach remained. Something didn’t sit right. Elaine’s appearance hadn’t been random—it never was. The timing, the demeanor, the way she kept scanning Ludwik as if she were measuring how close he was to death or usefulness.
Her eyes drifted back to her phone. Another message had come in—Tiana. She’d confirmed she was reviewing the surveillance footage, hunting for anything unusual. Anything they could use.
Whitney could only hope they found something before someone else moved first.
For now, though, she stayed close to Ludwik, her fingers resting lightly against his arm. The storm hadn’t passed. In fact, she had a terrible feeling it was only just beginning.
But whatever came next—Elaine, secrets, threats in the shadows—she wouldn’t face it alone.
