Love beyond the mask201-300

Novel Catalog

Chapter_233

Elaine’s grip on the situation tightened, but with every passing minute, the tension she stirred in her own heart grew. Her plans were teetering on the edge, and the slightest slip could shatter everything. With Ludwik already so distant, Whitney’s escape was her biggest threat yet.

“Jaxon, do not fail me,” she muttered to herself, her eyes narrowing as she paced in her villa. If Whitney managed to get away, if she told Ludwik everything, Elaine’s carefully constructed empire would collapse. She needed the girl found, and quickly—before it was too late. The clock was ticking.

Meanwhile, the tension inside Tiana’s apartment was unbearable. As the signal led her closer to Whitney’s location, a dark determination burned in her eyes. “We’re almost there,” Tiana whispered, her voice unwavering despite the danger that lurked ahead. Every inch closer to the truth made her heart race faster, but there was no turning back now.

Valerie was less enthusiastic but equally resolute. She crossed her arms and looked at Tiana, silently assessing the situation. “I don’t like the odds,” she said quietly, but there was a fire in her voice. “If we get caught, Elaine won’t hesitate. She’ll bury us.”

“I know what I’m risking,” Tiana shot back, her voice tight. “But if we don’t act now, Elaine will finish what she started.”

The two women exchanged a meaningful glance. Valerie knew that Tiana had come too far to turn back, and at this point, all they could do was keep moving forward.

Back at the sanatorium, Whitney lay trapped in her room, her pulse pounding in her ears. Every moment that passed felt like a countdown, her body aching from the lingering effects of the drug. The thought of her baby being at risk made her heart beat faster in a frenzy of desperation. She needed to escape—no matter what it took.

The low hum of the surveillance camera brought her attention back to her surroundings. The watch in her pocket was her only hope, but she had to be careful. The door to her room creaked open, and her breath caught in her throat. Ludwik stepped inside.

His eyes softened for a moment when he saw her, but the coldness quickly returned. “Whitney,” he began, his voice softer than she had expected. “I don’t want to fight with you anymore.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest, but the words tumbled out before she could stop them. “Then help me, Ludwik. Elaine… she’s behind this. You have to believe me. She’s trying to hurt our baby!”

Ludwik’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he turned away. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Whitney,” he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. “You’ve pushed me too far.”

Her stomach twisted painfully as the harsh words landed. “Please, Ludwik, listen to me!” Her voice cracked with desperation. “You’re making a mistake. You have to stop this before it’s too late.”

But Ludwik’s face remained unreadable, and he turned his back on her. “I can’t do this anymore. I’ve made my decision. I’m leaving.”

The door slammed behind him with an echo that felt like the final nail in her coffin. Alone, trapped in that sterile, suffocating room, Whitney allowed herself one last moment of silent anguish. Tears slid down her cheeks, but her resolve didn’t waver. She wasn’t going to give up. Not now. Not when everything she loved was at risk.

The game was far from over.

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