Love beyond the mask101-200

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Chapter_192

Ludwik stood frozen in the hallway, his back to the door as Whitney’s footsteps faded into the distance. The weight of her departure settled over him like a storm cloud, darkening the air with unspoken tension. He was supposed to feel relief, wasn’t he? She had defied him, challenged him, yet for some reason, he felt an unsettling void opening up inside of him.

Felix’s voice, quiet but insistent, broke through his inner turmoil. “Mr. Lippert… you should go after her.”

Ludwik’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t turn around. He knew Felix was right. Part of him, the part that still clung to the man he once was, wanted to rush after her, apologize for his actions, and beg her to stay. But the other part—the part that was driven by pride, fear, and unresolved anger—refused to move. He stood there, torn between the conflicting emotions that warred within him.

“She’ll be fine,” Ludwik muttered, though even he didn’t believe the words.

Felix didn’t push him, but his silence spoke volumes. The younger man knew better than anyone that Ludwik wasn’t a man who could be easily swayed. But he also knew that Ludwik had always been a man of action. He couldn’t just let her walk away—could he?

Ludwik’s mind raced as he tried to reconcile the cold distance he had built around himself with the raw vulnerability he had felt earlier, the moments when he had been so close to her. Her words—”I’m pregnant, Ludwik, and I need space”—echoed in his mind, twisting in a way that made his chest tighten. She had been right; everything had changed. The baby… their child. How could he have been so blinded by his own rage that he didn’t see it sooner?

He swallowed hard, the lump in his throat thick with a mixture of guilt and regret. He had pushed her to the brink, to a point where she no longer sought his approval, no longer needed his validation. She was stronger than he had given her credit for, and it terrified him.

A part of him wanted to call out, to stop her, to beg for forgiveness, but the other part—the one that was afraid of losing control—shut him down.

Felix’s voice broke through his thoughts again, softer this time. “You know she’s right. You can’t keep pushing her like this.”

Ludwik’s hand clenched into a fist at his side, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. He didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t want to be reminded of how far he had pushed her. But Felix was right. He had gone too far.

Finally, Ludwik exhaled sharply, the sound of his breath heavy with the weight of his emotions. He turned toward the door, but before he could take a step, Felix spoke one last time.

“Don’t let this be the end, sir. There’s still a chance for you to fix this, but only if you stop pushing her away.”

Ludwik didn’t respond. He just stood there for a moment, staring at the door as if he could will it to open and let him chase after her. He wanted to believe there was still time to make things right, but the uncertainty gnawed at him. Could he really change? Could he fix what had been broken between them?

The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as Ludwik turned away and walked back into the dark silence of the house.

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