Love beyond the mask1-100

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Chapter_79

The tension in the cramped hospital bathroom thickened, suffocating the air. Simon, still reeling from Ludwik’s attack, groaned in pain as he struggled to rise from the floor. The brutal blow from Ludwik had taken him by surprise, and the sting of blood in his mouth was a sharp reminder of how quickly things had escalated.

Meanwhile, Whitney, still weak and exhausted from her ordeal, stood trembling in Ludwik’s gaze. Her body ached from the assault, but it was the emotional toll that weighed on her the heaviest. The sight of Ludwik—so consumed by anger, his eyes burning with fury—was unbearable. And the words he threw at her stung like poison.

“You think I care for him?” Whitney managed to choke out, her voice cracking as she tried to push through the pain. “You think I’m in some twisted game? What about you, Ludwik? What have you done for me, really? You show up now, after everything, acting like you care—but where were you when I needed you the most?”

Ludwik’s expression twisted as her words hit their mark. His anger flickered, but it was quickly replaced by a cold indifference. The pain in her voice, the betrayal that hung in the air—it made him question everything he had done for her. But instead of softening, his fury deepened.

“You think this is about you, Whitney?” he snapped, his voice low and dangerous. “I’m not the one who’s been letting everyone walk all over me. And I’m certainly not the one who’s been holding onto some false hope that a man like Simon is here to save me. He’s nothing but a coward and a liar.”

Simon, barely able to hold himself upright, spit out blood and glared at Ludwik. “Don’t talk about me like that. You have no idea what I’ve done for her.”

Ludwik’s gaze was filled with contempt. He grabbed Simon by the collar, his strength overwhelming. “I don’t need to hear you make excuses. You’ve done nothing but bring pain to her life. And now you think you’ve earned some kind of gratitude?” Ludwik’s grip tightened as he yanked Simon closer. “You haven’t earned anything, Simon. Not her trust, not her forgiveness.”

Whitney, feeling the tension between them like a heavy weight pressing on her chest, stepped forward, her voice trembling. “Stop it, both of you. This fighting—this violence—it’s not going to solve anything.”

But Ludwik didn’t seem to hear her. He was too far gone in his rage, too consumed by the injustice he felt. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Whitney. Not after what you’ve done.” He finally released Simon, who collapsed back onto the floor, breathing heavily.

Whitney’s hands were trembling as she clutched at her stomach, the fear and pain overwhelming her. “Ludwik… please…” she pleaded, but her words were barely audible over the storm of emotions swirling between them.

Ludwik turned sharply to face her, his icy blue eyes locking with hers. For a moment, there was a silence, heavy and pregnant with unspoken words. But when he spoke, his voice was cold, stripped of the warmth it once held for her.

“I’m not here to fix you, Whitney. I’m here to make sure you know the truth. You’re mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. Even if you don’t realize it yet.” He turned away, his back to her as he headed for the door. “But Simon—he’s not going to be a part of that. Not anymore.”

Whitney watched him leave, her heart sinking deeper into a pit of confusion and despair. She wanted to believe him, to hold onto the love she thought they shared, but the coldness in his words—his actions—left her feeling more alone than ever. She hadn’t asked for this—this complicated web of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal.

Simon, still on the floor, groaned, slowly lifting himself up. His eyes, bloodshot and filled with frustration, met Whitney’s. “He doesn’t care about you, Whitney. Not like I do.”

But Whitney wasn’t listening. She was too consumed by the chaos inside her own mind—the fear for her baby, the loss of trust in both men who claimed to care for her, and the ache in her chest that had only deepened with each passing second.

“Leave, Simon,” she said quietly, her voice hollow. “Just leave.”

Simon’s face twisted with hurt and anger, but he didn’t argue. He turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Whitney standing alone in the silence, her body aching with pain, her heart fractured in a thousand pieces.

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