Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Florence suddenly felt a jolt of adrenaline, swiftly silencing her phone. A stealthy glimmer passed through the corner of her eye.

She hopped out of bed, supporting her waist as she walked into the bathroom, firmly shutting the European-style glass door behind her before answering the call.

With Germinia and Harmonia Country separated by a nine-hour time difference, it was deep into the night back home.

Only Bryce would contact her in such urgency.

Hiding in a corner, she picked up the call with a hint of impatience, "Hello, Mr. Lutz, why did it take you so long to get in touch? Is Phineas dead or not..."

"Ms. Sheldon, I'm Mr. Lutz's trusted secretary. Mr. Lutz is currently unable to speak with you...

He instructed me to deliver some good news to you. Phineas will never wake up again; he's become a vegetable!"

Florence's doe eyes widened for a few seconds. Her heart pounded fiercely, and a cruel smile formed on her lips, "That's fantastic! It's a pity he's still breathing, though. Feels like a loose end."

"Mr. Lutz wants you to worry not. You know, a vegetable is as good as a dead man. Pull the plug on the respirator, and there's no difference." "That's true. This truly puts my mind at ease. Ludwik won't be able to ask him anything now!"

Excited, Florence quickly changed the subject, "You mentioned Mr. Lutz is indisposed; nothing serious, I hope!"

"A minor issue... Following Phineas' incident, his nephew Parker threw a fit. Blaming Mr. Lutz for hiring a hitman without any evidence, he's determined to lock Mr. Lutz up.

But Mr. Lutz is too clever for them. They've found no proof of his presence at the scene.

Mr. Lutz will be out in three days.

He asked me to remind Ms. Sheldon to quickly handle the task he assigned! Now, with no one steering Inko Group, if you can swiftly win over Parisa, praising Mr. Lutz's capabilities, and get her to delegate the domestic branch affairs to Mr. Lutz, he'll gain actual control.

It's a takeover in the guise of stewardship.

Mr. Lutz said, this is also for your shared cause of revenge. Taking over Inko Group and amassing wealth is crucial!"

Florence clenched her lips, her eyes glinting with greed.

She glanced at the luxurious manor around her, reminiscent of a Eurovorian castle, where she had been living in utmost comfort these past few days. Parisa had finally softened, bringing her back to the manor after her tearful plea.

This lifestyle was a hundred times more luxurious than anything the Sheldon family could offer back home, an elegance and opulence unknown to her domestic life.

Yet, Parisa hadn't hinted at involving her in the main group's plans.

Perhaps, it was better to join forces with Bryce and seize the wealth of Inko Group domestically, for practicality.

With plans forming in her mind, Florence agreed, "As long as Phineas is out of the picture and Inko Group lacks a leader, I'm sure to bridge that gap. Parisa dotes on me; she wouldn't refuse my request for a mere domestic branch.

This will be easy to accomplish.

Tell Mr. Lutz to expect good news from me!

However, I mustn't be too obvious. If Parisa suspects anything and decides to investigate domestically, she could hire an international detective, which would complicate matters..."

"Ms. Sheldon, rest assured. Mr. Lutz, with his foresight, has already considered that Parisa might conduct her own investigation into domestic matters. We just need to manipulate the local media, erasing any problematic news."

"Bryce is indeed cunning," Florence muttered under her breath.

It was simple, like her trying to investigate someone in Germinia from Harmonia Country.

Hiring a detective across borders was challenging, and verifying the authenticity of the information even more so.

Bryce had covered all bases, easing Florence's worries about Parisa conducting her own investigation.

After ending the call, Florence felt a surge of triumph. Phineas was finally out of the picture, eliminating any lingering threats.

Eager, she couldn't wait to call Parisa and arrange for the takeover of Inko Group domestically.

After freshening up, Florence couldn't hold back and immediately dialed the Inko Group office.

Erik answered first, eventually transferring her to Parisa.

The woman's tone was cold, embodying Parisa's meticulous work ethic, "Florence, are you settling in well?"

"Thank you, Mom, it's wonderful here. Spacious and comfortable, perfect for my recovery.

And looking at the manor's every blade of grass and tree, I feel your presence. It feels so familiar!"

Florence showered her with sweet nothings.

Parisa put down her vintage pen, massaging her temples, her expression softening slightly, "Is that so. You always know what to say. The butler will arrange for the servants to deliver breakfast to your garden. Take good care of yourself and enjoy the manor. I have a lot of paperwork..."

"Mom, I'm sorry, did I interrupt your work?" Florence's voice immediately turned timid and apologetic.

Parisa remained silent, seemingly uncomfortable with the 'daughter' being too clingy.

Although she had no memory of the past, deep down, she sometimes glimpsed a little girl's shadow.

That was her daughter as a child... She was well-behaved, much like Parisa herself, not one for many words. Certainly not one to sweet-talk deliberately.

Parisa was naturally reserved, "I indeed have no time for calls right now. Florence, is there anything you need?"

"Mom, I just missed you! Also, there's something I'd like to discuss... Could I come to the office for lunch with you?"

Parisa picked up her pen, glancing at Erik.

The assistant opened the schedule.

She declined, "Sorry. I have a video conference at noon and will need to work late. Florence, if it's not urgent, we can talk when I'm less busy. Your recovery is what matters now, no need to make the trip here."

"But Mom..."

"Let's leave it at that for now. I have urgent documents to attend to." Parisa hung up without further ado.

Florence tossed her phone onto the bed with a glare, the busy signal still echoing in her ears.

Her face was a mask of anger, but then it dawned on her that Parisa might not yet have heard about Phineas's tragedy. Bursting in to tell her that Phineas was now in a vegetative state would only backfire.

Bryce had been the one to break the news to her.

It would probably take another couple of days before the news reached Parisa.

She didn't need to rush. After all, the Inko Group was headless now, a fact as clear as day. The mess was there, and how could Parisa not let Bryce step in to take charge?

A little smooth talking was all it would take for her to handle this.

Thinking this through, Florence realized the crux of her plan. She needed to make Parisa grow fonder of her, to draw closer to her, so she could control this woman more effectively.

Sitting down, Florence sipped her expensive breakfast coffee and picked up her phone again, sending a message filled with insincerity.

Inside the Inko building.

Parisa's phone on the desk buzzed with a new message notification.

She glanced over, seeing a message from Florence: "Mom, I'm just a bit worried about you. Erik mentioned that you suffer from severe migraines for a couple of months each year, a heartache caused by past events. Please make sure to take your medication on time. The wounds caused by my

father are deep, and I apologize on his behalf! But I'm different, I'll be by your side forever."noveldrama

Parisa read the message twice, her cool gaze softening slightly.