Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )

Sandy pulled Whitney aside and nodded toward the office door. "When I got here this morning, I saw Florence sneaking into your office. The door was ajar, and she hasn't come out yet. There aren't many people around yet..." There was a hint of suspicion in Sandy's voice.

"What's she doing in my office?" Whitney frowned, her concern evident. "All the plans from yesterday are in there."

"That's exactly what I was afraid of! Whitney, she came unprepared yesterday, looks like she's after our ideas?"

Sandy's tone was laced with sarcasm and caution. "I didn't want to barge in without you here."

Nodding, Whitney strode toward her office, pushing the door open. The office was modest in size. Florence stood with her back to the door, leaning over Whitney's desk, rifling through the papers.

Suddenly, she pulled out a document, skimmed through it, and muttered under her breath with a smirk, "This is it... Ludwik's got my back anyway..."

Sandy, witnessing her 'theft' and hearing her smug muttering, burst out from behind Whitney, confronting Florence with a cold laugh, "Florence, what are you up to? Is that the new project proposal Whitney drafted?"

Caught by surprise, Florence froze, then slowly turned around. Her eyes widened upon seeing Whitney, and she quickly tossed the document aside, blocking it with her body while attempting to hide something else, "Whitney, I wasn't..."

"What weren't you doing? Sneaking into the deputy manager's office first thing in the morning to take a peek at the competitor's proposal, and even trying to plagiarize it?"

Sandy stormed in, snatching the document Florence had tried to dispose of and hide. It was the white-covered proposal Whitney had drafted the day before.

"I didn't, Sandy, give it back!" Florence's face flashed with panic.

Her eyes filled with tears as she tried to snatch it back. Sandy's assistant and a few colleagues gathered at the door, with the assistant rushing to Sandy's aid.

Sandy held the document aloft, eyes narrowing, "Give it back so you can destroy the evidence and claim you didn't plagiarize? Florence, remember, the deputy manager's office is under surveillance. Do you think you can just waltz in and take someone else's work in broad daylight because Ludwik is backing you? Is that it?"

Sandy was convinced that Florence had indeed come to plagiarize, given her relaxed demeanor the day before, sipping on her iced tea and chatting away, with no care in the world despite the looming deadline. Now, with Ludwik's protection, who could argue if two identical proposals were submitted?

"I really didn't steal, it's not like that, Whitney..." Florence pleaded, tears streaming down her face, her gaze flitting anxiously toward Whitney.

"Do you think today's surveillance, just like yesterday's, doesn't count? Or do you think all these witnesses who saw you sneak into the deputy manager's office to steal her proposal are blind? If you have an explanation, do it in front of the company's executives. Whitney, let's call the executives down and show them what Florence has done!"

Sandy, remembering yesterday's incident and seeing Florence's attempt to repeat her scheme, was determined to expose her.

"No, please, Whitney, don't call the executives, this is just a misunderstanding, it's not worth making a big fuss over..." Florence attempted to approach, suddenly coughing violently, her face turning red as she leaned on the desk, gasping for air.

"Stop pretending," Sandy had always seen through her charades. Florence's desperation only confirmed her guilt.

Sandy immediately pulled out her phone.

"Really, it's not necessary..." Florence looked pale, her face tinged with purple, clutching at her chest, struggling to breathe.

Whitney, still trying to make sense of the situation, saw Florence's distressed state. If something happened in her office, it would be hard to explain. She stepped forward, intending to check on Florence, to see if she was genuinely ill. But as Whitney reached out, Florence dodged, casting a glance toward the office door.

A cold smirk briefly crossed her face as she suddenly collapsed in the direction Whitney was reaching, her ankle hitting the filing cabinet and bleeding instantly, "Ah! Whitney, I know you're upset, but please don't treat me this way..." Whitney was taken aback. Before she could steady herself, she was violently pushed aside, her back slamming into the sharp edge of a desk.

Ludwik burst into the office, his concern for Florence evident as he rushed to her side, ignoring Whitney completely.

His mother had been in a frail state at the hospital, needing blood transfusions, and here was Florence, bleeding.

His gaze darkened as he carefully helped Florence up, his worry for her overshadowing any concern for Whitney, who felt the sting of neglect and the physical pain of her injury.

"I'm okay, Ludwik, thank goodness you're back. Sandy and Whitney, they, they've wronged me..."

Florence clung to Ludwik's sleeve, her face pale and bloodless from crying, coughing violently.

She lay there on the ground, utterly alone, with no one to help her.

As he entered, he saw Whitney standing coldly in front of Florence, with the imposing Sandy by her side, along with an assistant.

At the door, a crowd had gathered.

The scene clearly displayed who was in power and who was powerless.

Ludwik turned his head, his expression stern and icy, his gaze inquisitive yet accusatory, fixed on Whitney, "What have you done to her? Why is she on the ground?" Whitney met his icy gaze.

The chill in her heart spread to her insides, she wanted to scoff, but the pain made even breathing difficult.

Sandy, noticing her pallor, suddenly saw her back hit the corner of the table, a trace of blood seeping through her white blouse.

"Whitney! Are you okay? You're bleeding!" Sandy exclaimed, worried.