Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Whitney rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Bryce, everyone knows we're married."

But Bryce's expression was grave. "I'm just worried that Ludwik might show up." Whitney paused, surprised. "But it's a high-profile event. He... he wouldn't, would he?" After all, the Lipperts had fallen from grace and had even moved out of Brew Hill.

"That's not a given." Bryce covered the back of her hand with his, looking into her eyes earnestly. "Whitney, you know how I feel about you running into him. I don't want any accidents to happen. All I want is to keep you safe."

In the end, Whitney had nothing to say but to nod in agreement.

Yet, she noticed a flicker in Bryce's eyes, as if he was actually quite interested in the banquet.

This left Whitney confused. Was Bryce really just concerned about Ludwik?

The next afternoon, the Wilson family's banquet at Brew Hill was a spectacle of luxury, with high-end cars and even some unassuming vehicles with local Brew Hill plates arriving at the estate.

Jason and Ludwik got out of their car.

After relentless efforts, Jason had finally convinced a mysterious buyer to meet, hoping to secure an invitation to this extraordinary banquet for Ludwik.

"Look who it is, the Lippert father and son?" came mocking voices from other arriving elites.

Thea stepped out of her car just in time to overhear and turned to see Jason.

The importance of Phineas's banquet to the Patrick Group was something Wade had emphasized to her.

Surprised, she found it unbelievable that the Lippert father and son would show up. Overreaching, she thought.

Approaching them, Thea queried, "Jason, what are you doing here?"

Jason glanced at her, a cold light flashing in his eyes, choosing to ignore her and walked towards his tall, imposing son.

"Jason, what brings you back to Brew Hill? Without residency or an invitation, entry is barred. You sold Everwood Villa Estate, you've lost all right to come back here!noveldrama

Don't tell me you're trying to sneak into Mr. Wilson's banquet?"

Thea's words, filled with disdain, were loud enough for the surrounding aristocrats to hear.

Jason's face darkened. Once, he had been the lord of Brew Hill, residing in an estate that spanned thousands of acres.

Now, even a return to Brew Hill brought ridicule.

And the source of that ridicule was his ex-wife.

Containing his anger, Jason retorted, "Thea, I haven't bothered you. Don't create problems out of nothing."

"Do you think I want to deal with you, my fallen ex-husband?" Thea sneered, revealing her intention. "It's clear neither of you have an invitation. Obviously, you're trespassing on private property.

Security, come here, please remove this father and son who are without invitations.

We wouldn't want them disturbing Mr. Wilson's important banquet tonight, would we?"

Her call summoned several security guards, "Jason, Mr. Lippert, do you have an invitation? If not..."

Ludwik was about to step forward to protect his father when a delicate, gentle voice intervened, "They have invitations!"

The voice startled Jason... his mother?

Turning in confusion, Jason saw Natalie approaching in an elegant dress, looking dignified and clean, holding the hand of a little boy who resembled Danny.

The boy scoffed at Thea, "Old witch, we're here to deliver their forgotten invitations. Stop causing trouble!"

Thea was shocked, barely recognizing Natalie, who she had only seen once in the hospital, looking frail from leukemia.

Months had passed, and Natalie appeared fully recovered, vibrant, with gray strands in her hair adding to her dignified presence.

This version of Natalie also caught Jason off guard.

"How did you get here?" His voice was a mix of surprise and unease, unfamiliar and awkward.

Ignoring Thea and avoiding her son's gaze, Natalie approached Jason, producing two invitations from her bag, "These are for you."

Ludwik watched his mother, puzzled how she had acquired invitations from the Wilson family. This seemed impossible.

Natalie glanced nervously at her son, feeling the pressure.

Jason, still in disbelief, asked, "How did you get these invitations?"

"I... I," Natalie stumbled.

"Grandpa, because grandma here is the wealthy lady who bought Everwood Villa Estate!" Sammy blurted out, eyeing Thea's astonished expression with a smirk. "Some people probably didn't see this coming. Grandma's move to buy and sell Everwood Villa Estate kept it in the family after all!" "This... this can't be," Thea couldn't believe it, her eyes burning with jealousy as she stared at Natalie. "You, with no power, no influence, and no insight, where did you get the money to buy Everwood Villa Estate?"

Thea and Wade had spent so much effort trying to identify this mysterious buyer.

To think, it was Natalie, whom she considered unremarkable, who had helped Jason!

Feeling as if she had been slapped in the face, Thea was left fuming.

Jason, equally shocked, couldn't believe Natalie was the buyer.

But he was puzzled, "Lady, where did you get the money?"

Natalie blushed at his address, recalling the years when she was technically his cousin-in-law. Back then, he had called her the same. Even though she knew it was just a casual call, the term "Miss" still hit a nerve. It reached deep into her heart, that firm and exceptionally serious

man.

Natalie lowered her eyes, now even more scared to look her son in the eye, and blurted out, "Anyway, I bought it.

The Wilsons sent me two invitations, you and Ludwik should take them and enter the party.

Me and Sammy will head out now, not wanting to disturb you further.”

"Wait a minute!" Thea couldn't let this go. If they walked in so boldly, wouldn't that be a direct slap to her face?

After all, she had just mocked Jason for not having an invitation.

"Natalie, didn't you steal those invitations?

How could you possibly afford to buy Everwood Villa Estate? I was there that night at the auction, and it was clearly a man's voice who made the bid.

Let me guess, Jason, is this some sort of scheme you all cooked up together, desperately trying to crash the Wilsons' party? Security..." "Thea, don't spit venom without proof."

Natalie, at her limit, shakily took out a deed from her bag and unfolded it for all to see, “Take a good look, the deed to Everwood Villa Estate is indeed in my name!

Mr. Wilson sent invitations to every household in Brew Hill, and now I'm passing Everwood Villa Estate back to Jason.

Naturally, he's still the lord of Brew Hill, and of course, he has every right to attend the party!"