Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Ludwik's fingers slid down, gripping Whitney's wrist so tightly it seemed he might lift her off the ground. "Think you can play games with me? Do you believe I wouldn't hesitate to see you bleed tonight? I've treasured you, and yet you don't care at all," he almost growled, his voice thick with a mix of anger and disbelief.

Whitney, despite the shiver that ran through her body at his menacing stance, managed a cold laugh, her eyes icy as she retorted, "Spare me the drama, Ludwik. You think sparing me for a few days when I'm indisposed is your way of showing you care? You're seriously messed up. No matter how beastly you behave, it won't surprise me anymore. Push me, and I'll only push myself harder!"

Ludwik, taken aback, sneered. "So, you think I'm banking on your 'affection' and 'pleasantry'? I don't understand what there is to cherish. You treat me like a pet, devoid of freedom, confined here, at your beck and call, expected to bear your children without a word of dissent. My resistance means nothing to you!"

Her accusation broke into a tirade of pent-up frustration, her body trembling with rage. The emotional dam burst, tears reddening her eyes as she screamed at him, "Why don't you bestow this twisted version of love on Florence, on Elaine? Every word of love you utter now terrifies me. I've asked myself over and over, why did I ever meet you? Why did I have to be loved by a maniac like you? This past month has been a living hell. Each time you took me to the beach, I thought of just ending it all. It would've been a release."

If it weren't for Sammy and Danny, she wouldn't have the will to continue, overwhelmed with shame. But the thought of her long-missed Sammy, whom she hadn't yet seen, tore at her heart. She couldn't bear the thought of her sons left alone with their father, a hopeless devil. For their sake, she couldn't give up.

"You dare!" Ludwik's face turned a ghastly pale, a mix of confusion and menace swirling in his eyes at her talk of death. "Try me!" His threat was laced with a chilling promise.

Her words, accusing his love of being perverse, regretting their meeting, claiming a month of unbearable existence, struck him hard. He had fooled himself into believing there were moments she was genuinely happy with him. When she ceased her fierce resistance, he naively thought she had resigned to her fate. But she was merely enduring a living death. The realization hit him with a bitter laugh. Was being with him truly that unbearable? Remembering her plotting to leave, to escape him, filled Ludwik with a panic he'd never known. His outburst, raw and unchecked, "Whitney, I once told you, and I'll say it again. If you dare think of ending your life, I'll drag everyone you care about down with you. Your uncle, your cousins, your best friends - everyone will pay. I keep my word."

That was his threat three years ago, before he had her committed to control her. Whitney's mind reeled, old wounds torn afresh, hatred reaching its zenith.

"You monster, demon," she cursed him, "you leave me no choice but to live or die. I pray that one day, you'll be abandoned by all, your empire crumbled, your son disowning you. You're heartless, tormenting me endlessly."

"I just wanted you pregnant, back in my arms, the Whitney who loved me!" he pleaded in agony.

She scoffed coldly, "All my efforts this past month, pretending, watching you struggle, did you enjoy your revenge? Honey, you can spew all the venom you want at me, but I won't let go."

His eyes, reddened at the edges, betrayed a fleeting look of despair, swallowing the bitterness in his heart. He turned away, resolved, "If you're not pregnant this month, then next month. If not one month, then three. I'm with you till the end."

"You're inhuman..."

Whitney's cries filled the room as she collapsed, clutching her stomach in pain. Ludwik paused in his departure, dialing his butler in a rage, "Send the maid for Matilda! Get her some ginger tea and painkillers."

He left, the aftermath of their argument hanging coldly in the air, alongside Whitney's curled, helpless form.

Ludwik, heart heavy with grief,

clenched his teeth, her curses echoing in his mind. To be loathed. by the woman he loved, what was he to do? He had considered letting her go, but the thought of her happily married to Bryce was unbearable. He'd rather drag her down to hell with him... noveldrama

In the deep silence of the night, Ludwik sat on the patio, surrounded by empty bottles of red wine. The maid had informed him Whitney had cried herself to sleep.

fragile state, he realized he had been too harsh. At heart, she was just a smart woman, deeply wounded.

Acknowledging her resilience,el. ng

His thoughts were numbed by alcohol, his heart cold and empty. As he staggered up to sneak a peek at her, his phone rang. It was Felix, not the usual Parker who contacted him.

Frowning, Ludwik answered, Felix's

anxious voice cutting through, "Mr. Lippert... It's bad news. This

morning a major Germinia

corporation, Weiman Technologies, released a new chip that's identical to our WisdoChip Co.'s design. Worse, all our data is gone!"

"What did you say?" Ludwik's voice was deadly calm, disbelief coursing through him as he stood, his wine glass shattering against the floor. "Parker personally oversees the lab. How could everything be lost?"

"Mr. Lippert," Felix's voice trembled, "Mr. Doonan... Mr. Doonan is missing."

"What?" The string of bad news left Ludwik feeling completely dazed, his frosty gaze sharpening, "What's going on? What on earth happened in Emperor City?"

"It started about three days ago. Ms. Melford and her daughter were suddenly involved in an accident. Mr. Doonan seemed to have left the lab for half a day unexpectedly.

Later, when he returned, it just so happened that Riley's son, Justin, was in the lab.

Nobody knows what went down between them, but Mr. Doonan and Justin both left the lab at the same time, and it's been a mystery where they went.

Today, when Justin came back, he was adamant that Mr. Doonan had stolen all the data from WisdoChip Co., claiming Mr. Doonan was acting guilty and had gone into hiding!"