Love beyond the mask201-300

Novel Catalog

Chapter_213

Ludwik’s eyes gleamed with something darker than mere anger—something far more dangerous. He stood frozen, his posture rigid, consumed by his own fury and wounded pride. In the sterile hospital room, the silence felt oppressive, suffocating. Whitney, her body trembling with fear and desperation, clung to the only thing that mattered: the life growing inside her. But in Ludwik’s gaze, there was only coldness—an impenetrable wall of resentment.

“You want me to spare it?” His voice was a low, calculated growl, as though the very thought of her plea was beneath him. His eyes flicked briefly to the doctor, standing by to follow his orders, then returned to Whitney with renewed disdain. “You’ve made your choice, Whitney. You’ve made a mockery of everything we had. Do you think I’ll allow this child to live, knowing it’s the result of your betrayal?”

Whitney’s knees buckled beneath her as his words sliced through her. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her heart hammering in her chest. The weight of his words felt like an unbearable burden, crushing her under the weight of his venom. How could he be so cold? How could he stand there and dismiss the life of an innocent child—their child—with such cruel indifference?

Desperation flooded her. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling with urgency. “Please, Ludwik… This child has done nothing wrong. It’s innocent. Don’t punish an unborn life for the mistakes I made. What happened between us should never have affected them.”

Ludwik’s laugh rang hollow, like a death knell echoing through the cold room. “Innocent?” He spat the word, as though it tasted foul on his tongue. “You think I owe this child something just because it’s mine? You think I should care about something that’s nothing more than a constant reminder of your lies and deceit?” His eyes burned with a cold, suffocating hatred, and Whitney could feel the venom of his words settling deep within her bones.

Her voice broke with the weight of her plea. “Please, Ludwik. I’ll do anything. Anything you want. Just let him or her live.”

For a moment, Ludwik stood still, his fists clenched tightly by his sides, his face contorted with rage. The seconds stretched on, an eternity of silence between them. Whitney’s heart thudded painfully in her chest, her body shaking from fear and exhaustion.

It was Parker who broke the silence, his voice calm but firm. “Ludwik, you can’t do this. No matter what’s happened between you and Whitney, this child is your flesh and blood. It’s not its fault. Don’t let your pride blind you to the reality of what you’re about to do.”

Ludwik’s stance faltered for a brief moment, his cold eyes flickering with something that might have been doubt. But before he could respond, Nolan stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension with the force of authority. “Ludwik, this won’t solve anything. Killing the child won’t fix the past. It won’t undo the betrayal. It will only make things worse. Think about it.”

Ludwik turned away from them, his breath ragged, his chest heaving as though he were suffocating under the weight of his own anger. For a brief moment, it seemed as if he might turn and walk out of the room. But instead, he faced Whitney again, his expression unreadable, his fury far from quelled.

“Spare it?” he repeated, his voice dangerously low. “You want me to spare it? Then what?” His gaze narrowed as he stepped closer, his presence a looming shadow of cold, merciless intent. “What would you have me do, Whitney? Beg you to keep my child? To accept that you’re carrying it with someone else’s love?” His words were like daggers, each one striking at her heart.

Whitney’s chest tightened as the pain of his words hit her like a physical blow. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak through the tremor in her voice. “I’m not asking for anything, Ludwik. I’m asking you to see reason. Please. For the child.”

The room fell silent once more, the air thick with tension. In Ludwik’s eyes, a battle raged—torn between the bitterness and rage that consumed him and something darker, perhaps a flicker of what he had once felt for her. But whatever trace of tenderness remained was buried beneath a layer of pride and resentment.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke again, his voice almost a whisper. “Leave now, Whitney. Take your child and get out of my life. If you want to keep it, then go. But know this…” His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. “I’ll never forgive you for this betrayal.”

With that, he turned sharply, his footsteps echoing down the hallway as he walked away, leaving her alone in the sterile room. Whitney collapsed onto the operating table, her body wracked with sobs. The tears flowed freely now, each one a silent testament to the heartache, to the weight of Ludwik’s rejection. She had hoped—no, she had prayed—that he would change his mind, that some spark of compassion would break through the walls he’d built around himself. But there was nothing left of the man she had once known.

Tiana and Valerie rushed to her side, their faces pale with shock and fear. Valerie knelt beside her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “It’s over now, Whitney. You’re safe. You’re not alone.”

But Whitney’s heart felt hollow, torn in two. How could a father turn his back on his own child so easily? And how could she ever escape the darkness Ludwik had cast over her life?

“Is the child…” Tiana’s voice wavered as she looked down at Whitney, her face filled with uncertainty.

Whitney nodded, a broken, fragile smile appearing on her lips. “Yes… the child is safe.” She looked towards the door one last time, wondering if Ludwik would ever truly let her go, if he would ever accept their child. But deep down, she knew the answer.

Ludwik was lost to her now—lost to everything they might have been. And as she gathered herself, clutching the hope for her child in the face of everything else that had been ripped away from her, Whitney knew she would have to forge her own path. For herself. And for the child she carried.

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