Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )

"Alright." Ludwik Lippert pulled the car over.

Danny was pacing in place, "Look at this, the moment his son speaks, off he goes to buy it!"

"Shut it, I said I'd do it, didn't I?" Ludwik barely contained his irritation.

He stepped out of the car, towering figure turning back to caution them, "Can't park here, and it's too much hassle to take you both down. Stay put, don't wander off. I'll be back in two shakes." "Okay!" Danny's tears turned into a smile.

No sooner had Ludwik strode into the mall than his phone vibrated-a message from Ashton Fuller, who had been keeping an eye on the Patrick family for him. Ashton's message was urgent: Ludwik, the kids are in danger! A blend of shock and fear instantly enveloped Ludwik.

He spun around and dashed out of the mall, hurtling back to the car.

"Dad, where's my model..." Danny mumbled when suddenly a black SUV slammed into Ludwik's car with all its might!

"Boys, get down!"

Ludwik roared, pulling both children from the car in a flash. Danny and Sammy were stunned; Danny, in particular, was terrified, still in shock when the vehicle was struck by a massive force, flipping over.

Even Ludwik's robust Range Rover was crushed under the weight of the SUV, spinning several times before crashing into a concrete barrier in the middle of the road, smashing it completely, the car a total wreck.

Ludwik's pupils dilated with cold fury, imagining the certain death they would've faced had the kids still been inside.

Watching his dad's car wrecked, Danny burst into tears, bawling uncontrollably.

Even Sammy, usually so composed, turned ashen, his face a mask of terror.

If Ludwik hadn't dragged them out in time, they would've ended up just like the car-shattered beyond recognition...

"Come to dad!" Ludwik's face was grim as he hurriedly ushered his sons into the nearby mall for safety.

The culprit in the SUV saw the plan had failed and abandoned the vehicle to flee.

Ludwik glowered in the direction of the escape but didn't pursue; his priority was the children's safety.

Plus, with broad daylight and street surveillance, he figured the police would nab the perpetrator soon enough.

It wasn't long before someone called the cops.

The police arrived quickly, and Ludwik went to give his statement. Meanwhile, Danny, hiding at the mall's entrance, dialed Whitney Valentine on his smartwatch.

Between sobs, he said, "Mommy, Mommy... please come."

"Danny?" Whitney was alarmed by his crying, "Honey, wasn't Ludwik picking you up? What happened?"

"A truck just crashed into us. Sammy and I almost died!

Thankfully, dad pulled us out in time. We're in the mall now, it was so scary." Danny's voice was hitched with tears.

Whitney's heart raced with fear, her mind in turmoil, "Danny, stop crying, let me talk to your dad! Which mall are you at?"

"Dad's talking to the police; we're by Youth Plaza." Danny couldn't stop his tears.

Anxious about her sons, Whitney felt frantic, "Stay calm, I'm on my way."

As she spoke, Bryce Lutz, driving beside her, clenched the steering wheel tighter, a shadow crossing his usually warm eyes, "What's wrong, Whitney? Something happened to Danny and Sammy? Where are they? Let's head there now." "Yes, at Youth Plaza."

Whitney's mind was a whirlwind as she gave the location.

Bryce sped towards the location, but the road was already cordoned off by the police, making it impossible to drive through.

At the roadblock, Whitney unbuckled her seatbelt and dashed out, "I'll go by myself."

Without waiting for Bryce's response, she sprinted towards the crowd.

Bryce watched her go, then slammed his fist on the steering wheel, darkly dialing a number, "A bunch of idiots, why did it fail again? The kids are still alive?!"

"Mr. Lutz... Ludwik came out of the mall too quickly, he might have seen the SUV coming and grabbed the kids in time," the voice on the line explained.

"Idiots." Bryce was livid, "Is everything cleaned up?"

"Mr. Lutz, don't worry, it's handled."

Bryce remained furious. He had hired professional hitmen through Jarvis, and still, they failed, wasting another opportunity in both resources and effort. Ludwik, how tough could one man be! Whitney pushed through to the scene, seeing the devastated Range Rover, Ludwik's recent favorite ride, and felt a chill. The vehicle was almost completely destroyed.

"Mommy!" Danny saw her and, holding Sammy's hand, they both rushed into her arms.

"Mommy, we were so close to never seeing you again." Sammy's voice trembled as he clung to her, "This time, Ludwik saved us."

Hearing rare praise for Ludwik from Sammy, Whitney's expression tightened, her heart filled with gratitude. If not for his quick actions, she might have lost her children forever.

"Whitney." Ludwik approached after speaking with the police, his eyes filled with a frosty apology, "I'm sorry, I couldn't keep them safe from this danger."

"What happened? A sudden accident?" Whitney stared at the chaotic scene, reminded of Audrey Perlman's recent car accident.

Why another accident?

In less than a month, people she knew were either disappearing or involved in crashes. The frequency of these incidents alarmed her, instilling fear. Could today's event really be a coincidence? Was it an attack?

Who was the target her or Ludwik?

Ludwik frowned, not wanting to elaborate with the kids around, "Let's get the boys back to the Lippert family first. I need to go back to the station later to help with the investigation."

Whitney glanced at her son's ashen face and instantly understood, her heart sinking with the weight of the moment.

They were trapped, with no cars coming in or out. Ludwik squatted down, scooping up Danny with one hand and wrapping his other sturdy arm around Sammy. His tall frame cut through the crowd, which parted for him as if recognizing his commanding presence. Watching his retreating figure, Whitney couldn't help but be momentarily lost in thought, seeing how peacefully the children rested in his embrace.

She hurried to catch up, momentarily forgetting that Bryce was still waiting for her outside.

It wasn't until they were safely inside the Bentley Felix had brought around that Whitney remembered to send Bryce a message, telling him to head back home.

She held her two sons close the entire ride, soothing the frightened boys.

After dropping the kids off at the Lippert family home, Whitney joined Ludwik on a trip to the police station.

Once the car was parked, Ludwik turned his stern face to her, his gaze heavy. "Whitney, what happened today was an assassination attempt. It seems the target was our children."

"What?" Whitney's pupils dilated in shock, her complexion turning pale.