Love beyond the mask201-300

Novel Catalog

Chapter_217

Ludwik leaned back in his chair, fingers threading through his hair in a brief but telling moment of frustration. The irritation passed quickly, but it left behind a residue of doubt—enough to make him question everything that had led to this point.

Elaine’s charm was undeniable, but it came laced with calculation. He had always known that. Her warmth was a performance, her affection measured, each move precise—crafted like a social strategy rather than a genuine bond. It hadn’t bothered him before. But now, with the weight of public scrutiny, family expectations, and unresolved truths pressing in, her theatrics felt more suffocating than seductive.

“Just… don’t overdo it,” he said, voice clipped. “I’m not ready for the spotlight. Not yet.”

Elaine’s eyes sparkled, that familiar glint of cunning flashing behind her polished exterior. But she quickly masked it with a playful smile, tilting her head in feigned innocence. “Of course, darling. I wouldn’t dream of putting pressure on you. I only want everything to go perfectly.”

Perfect. That word again. A word Elaine used like a scalpel—cutting, shaping, controlling. Ludwik remained silent, his gaze drifting to the documents scattered across his desk. Legal forms, financial reports, PR drafts—anything but what truly consumed his thoughts.

A knot of unease twisted in his gut. He couldn’t shake it. The way Elaine orchestrated every interaction, the convenience of the engagement’s timing, the delicate way she sidestepped questions about Natalie’s case—it all smelled like something deeper. Something dangerous.

Whitney. The name flared in his mind like a flare in fog. He forced the thought down.

Elaine must have sensed his shift in focus, because she leaned in closer, her voice honeyed and low. “Are you still thinking about her, Ludwik?”

He looked up sharply. Her smile remained soft, but her eyes were sharp. Too sharp.

“She’s gone,” he replied, his tone cold. “There’s no point in revisiting the past.”

A flicker of satisfaction danced across Elaine’s expression, but it vanished so quickly he almost missed it. “Good,” she said lightly. “We have a future to build. Let’s not allow any distractions.”

He gave a noncommittal nod, his thoughts already drifting—back to the confidential report, back to the unexplained toxins found in Natalie’s blood, and back to the haunting possibility that the accident had been no accident at all.

Elaine stood, smoothing her dress as she moved toward the door. “We should head to the bridal shop later. My parents are flying in soon, and I want everything flawless for their arrival.”

“I’ll be there,” he said, distracted. “Just… handle your end.”

She didn’t argue. She understood. And that, more than anything, disturbed him.

When she left, silence reclaimed the room. Ludwik sat still, eyes fixed on the window as the city sprawled below. The engagement had been a strategic move—a way to restore his image, repair Skyfaith’s standing. But with each passing day, it felt more like a cage than a plan. And the shadow of Whitney—her voice, her strength, her pain—never left him.

He had made his choice.

Hadn’t he?

Across the city, at a quiet corner table in a restaurant, Bryce stared at the door Whitney had just walked through. Her sudden exit had startled him—not because of what she said, but because of the way she said it. Controlled. Focused. Like a woman with a mission. And he knew her well enough by now to sense the storm beneath her calm.

He picked up his phone, scanning the file she had asked for. The report detailing the toxins found in Natalie’s system—it wasn’t just damning. It was explosive.

“Are you okay?” he had asked before she left, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I’ll be fine,” she had replied, not looking back. “I just need to take care of something.”

Bryce didn’t believe her. Not entirely. But he respected her need for space. Whitney wasn’t the type to crumble under pressure—she bore it like armor. Still, as he hit “send” on the file, he murmured under his breath, “Take care of yourself, Whitney. Whatever’s coming… I’ll be here.”

At TriMed Hospital, the air buzzed with quiet tension. Tiana sat hunched over her laptop, eyes narrowed in focus. On her screen, lines of data flickered—files she had no official clearance to access, reports buried deep in the hospital’s system, timelines that didn’t align.

The deeper she dug, the more certain she became: Elaine’s involvement in Natalie’s condition went beyond manipulation. It bordered on criminal.

“She knew,” Tiana muttered, tapping at the keyboard. “She knew what she was doing.”

Every thread she pulled unraveled something darker—altered prescriptions, inconsistent witness statements, and a disturbing trail that seemed to lead straight back to Elaine and her allies inside TriMed. It was a conspiracy carefully buried under red tape and polite silence.

But Tiana wasn’t known for playing it safe.

She slammed her laptop shut and stood, a fierce glint in her eyes. There would be no turning back. Not now. Not with lives on the line. She would expose the truth—whatever it took.

“Whitney’s right,” she said under her breath as she grabbed her bag. “We can’t let her get away with this.”

And she wouldn’t. Tiana was done gathering information. Now, it was time to act.

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