Love beyond the mask201-300

Novel Catalog

Chapter_230

Ludwik slumped onto the sofa, the weight of his own thoughts pressing down on him. His posture was cold, detached, as if he could block out everything around him, but the burning pain from the wound on his arm reminded him of how much chaos his life had become. Felix rushed in, his eyes widening at the sight of the bleeding injury, his concern evident.

“Mr. Lippert, you really need to take care of that cut…” Felix urged, his voice tinged with genuine concern.

Ludwik’s lips curled into a bitter sneer, staring ahead with unfocused eyes, as though lost in a deep, turbulent thought. “For someone like Bryce, she actually tried to kill me,” he muttered, his voice dripping with venom.

Felix’s gaze faltered, a brief moment of disbelief crossing his face. He was silent, reflecting on Whitney’s actions. No woman pushed to such a breaking point could simply snap without a reason… something more had driven her to this. But for now, that thought had to wait.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Elaine entered, her eyes immediately locking onto the sight of Ludwik’s injury. She gasped, her face twisting into a mask of concern as she hurried to his side.

“Ludwik! You’re bleeding! What happened?” Elaine’s voice cracked with feigned concern, as she rushed to him, her hands hovering over his wound, her act flawless.

Ludwik’s gaze snapped to her, surprise flickering briefly across his features. For a second, he felt a flicker of something he couldn’t name—a hint of guilt. But the feeling was quickly smothered. He wouldn’t let it control him. Not now.

Elaine, sharp-eyed and calculating, noticed that brief moment of weakness, and it ignited a sharp pang of jealousy in her chest. The night before, Ludwik had left her alone at the villa, ensuring she was upset. Today, he had Bryce arrested and brought Whitney back to his home like a prize. She couldn’t ignore the fact that he was slipping further away from her, and that realization fueled the growing fire inside her.

But she masked it with a soft smile, appearing innocent and concerned. “You left me at the villa last night,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “I was worried my parents would ask questions. I kept an eye on your whereabouts. I didn’t come to cause trouble.” Her eyes misted over, and she gently placed a hand on his arm. “I was worried about you… about you and Whitney. She and Bryce must have feelings for each other, and now, with everything that’s happened, I was worried you’d clash. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

Ludwik felt a flicker of frustration at her words, but he couldn’t deny that her concern stirred something inside him. As much as he tried to fight it, her presence was soothing, calculated yet warm. She made him feel… something different. A part of him even considered it. Why couldn’t he just let go of Whitney? Why couldn’t he embrace peace with someone like Elaine? He needed stability, not chaos.

Elaine’s words seemed to work, melting some of the tension in his chest. She had a way with him. But it wasn’t enough. Not yet. As long as Whitney remained in his life, he couldn’t truly be with Elaine. She had to be removed from the equation.

Elaine’s voice softened, becoming serious, the subtle undercurrent of power evident as she spoke again. “I love you, Ludwik. I can tolerate this situation for now,” she began, her tone turning warmer, almost pleading. “But my parents can’t accept this. I don’t want to be humiliated by Whitney’s presence in our lives, especially now. If you can’t let go of her, then… I’ll step aside.”

Her words were a mix of feigned hurt and resignation, but Ludwik didn’t see the manipulation behind them. He was too caught in his own tangled emotions, and the guilt gnawing at him.

“Elaine, don’t say that…” he began, his voice faltering. “I just…” His words trailed off. “I just can’t let go of her yet. It’s the child. She’s carrying my child, and I can’t turn my back on it now.”

Elaine’s eyes flashed with a sharp gleam as she processed his words. The child. That was the final tether holding him to Whitney. But it didn’t matter. She could handle that. She could deal with whatever he needed her to.

Elaine wiped away any trace of emotion from her face and returned to her soft, almost benevolent smile. “If it’s just about the baby, then it’s fine,” she said, her voice warm, but underneath was a coldness Ludwik failed to notice. “I love children. After Whitney gives birth, I’ll care for the child as if it were my own. Ludwik, I won’t make this difficult for you.”

Before Ludwik could respond, a disturbing noise from upstairs interrupted them. Sounds of struggle, muffled yet unmistakable. He stiffened, his expression darkening immediately.

Elaine, seeing his reaction, quickly placed a hand on his arm. “Ludwik, you’ve just been bandaged. Whitney’s violent—she attacked you, stabbed and bit you. She’s not in her right mind. I’ll go check on her. You need to rest, and you don’t want to provoke her further.”

Without waiting for a response, she cast a quick glance at the maid, who nodded in understanding, before heading up the stairs with deliberate steps. Ludwik hesitated, but the maid gently reminded him of his injury, pushing him to stay and tend to it.

Elaine’s eyes glinted with cold calculation as she moved toward the stairs, ensuring Ludwik was too distracted to notice her true intentions.

Upstairs, two bodyguards struggled to restrain Whitney, who fought back fiercely, her eyes wild with panic. Without hesitation, Elaine stepped forward.

“Let her go. I’ll take care of her,” she commanded with surprising authority.

The bodyguards hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly stepped back, allowing Elaine to approach. Whitney looked up sharply, her eyes widening in shock as she registered Elaine’s presence.

“Surprised to see me here?” Elaine purred, her voice soft, almost sweet. She leaned in close, her words venomous. “Ludwik sent me. Do you think he took you back because he still cares about you? Naive. He’s only allowing you to keep the baby so I can raise it. He’s being considerate, doesn’t want me to suffer through pregnancy with just one kidney.”

Elaine’s words cut like a blade, expertly twisting Ludwik’s feelings and using them against Whitney.

“But once you give birth and leave…” Elaine continued, her smile cruel, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Let me tell you what I’ll do to your child. I’ll drown it, strangle it, poison it—do you think Ludwik would care?”

Whitney’s protective instincts surged, her fury igniting like a wildfire. She lunged at Elaine, grabbing her by the hair, her hands clawing at her. “If you touch my child, I swear I’ll make you pay!” Whitney screamed, her voice shaking with rage and fear.

The room exploded into chaos, Whitney’s fury echoing in every corner.

Ludwik, hearing the commotion, rushed up the stairs, shoving the maid aside. He froze at the scene before him. Whitney was on the floor, her face twisted with fury, still struggling, while Elaine lay crumpled in a corner, clutching her forehead, her face streaked with blood from Whitney’s claws.

Elaine looked up at him, her eyes wide with fake distress. “Ludwik… something’s wrong with Whitney… She’s not herself. Please, don’t blame her. She’s suffering.”

Ludwik’s anger flared, but something else—something deeper—flickered inside him. Guilt? Confusion? He didn’t know. All he knew was that the sight before him felt like a nightmare.

“Enough, Whitney!” he shouted, rushing forward to help Elaine. “Why did you do this to her?”

Whitney, half-sprawled on the floor, looked up at him with disgust, her voice thick with anguish and fury. “Ludwik… if you let her hurt our baby… I will never forgive you. If you don’t release me today, I swear we’ll all be doomed!”

Her words, wild and desperate, pierced through him. He felt his heart clench, the weight of her words almost suffocating him. His gaze flickered between Whitney and Elaine, the tension so thick he could barely breathe.

Outside the room, Elaine seized his arm, her expression softening with concern. “Ludwik, I need to talk to you. Please, step outside with me.”

Once outside, Elaine sighed deeply, her voice lowering into a worried, convincing tone. “You saw how aggressive Whitney is. I’m a nurse, Ludwik, and I believe she’s suffering from antenatal depression. It’s a dangerous condition—it could lead to fetal abnormalities, or worse, stillbirth. If she stays in this state, I’m afraid she could snap and hurt the child. You need to do something before it’s too late.”

Ludwik’s face drained of color as the full weight of her words sank in.

Next Chapter