Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 190

Her pale skin was exposed, and she shivered, though it was unclear if it was from the cold or his

scolding.

Red–eyed, she tried to explain again, “I didn’t go seeking a deal with Skye Gem Ltd. My manager

rushed into that boozy mess by mistake. It was Elaine who told me you’d be at the Oceanus Hotel

today. ! thought you were in trouble, I just came to bring you medicine!”

She hurled the pill at his face in anger, feeling powerless and seething,

“Take out all your frustrations on me, but does Skye Gem Ltd. deserve to die? So many employees are

counting on their paychecks. Even if I did flirt to secure a deal tonight, it would be because you forced

me.”

Ludwik’s eyes reddened as he grasped her forcefully, backing her into a corner, “So you admit you

using your body to negotiate deals there? You come home wearing Bryce’s clothes, and you expect me

to trust you? We’re not divorced yet, don’t forget who you belong to!”

He roared, only noticing where his hand was when he looked down. Her skin was soft and even more

delicate with pregnancy, her beautiful body had thinned, accentuating her swollen belly.

Just the thought of the men tonight, looking at her, calling her a beautiful expectant mother…

Ludwik felt a jealous rage ignite within him, fueled by the alcohol.

Her tenderness, and the physiological longing, swept away his reason in the tide of intoxication.

Ludwik took a deep breath, his actions outpacing his thoughts as he spun her around and pinned her

against the edge of the bathtub, his lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he planted biting kisses on her

neck, taunting, “Let’s see who’s better, me or Bryce?”

Meine letting

Whitney tensed, recognizing the humiliation in his act, and slapped him across the face in response.

Trying to snap him out of it, tears shimmered in her eyes, “Ludwik, you’re despicable! After letting those

men verbally assault me, how could you…”

Bryce was right; there was indeed something more demeaning.

Did he have any idea what she had endured tonight?

A helpless pregnant woman, scared out of her wits, did he even know?

Whitney trembled, opening her mouth to accuse him but found herself too angry to speak.

“I’m despicable?” Ludwik looked at her watery, vulnerable expression, feeling only a desire to ravage

her further. And her slap only fueled his anger!

He gripped her waist without tenderness, his eyes icy and fervent, “I’ll show you what despicable is!

And you, you no longer deserve my respect or pity.”

“You want to talk about a deal?” He avoided her lips, no longer kissing, his hand covering her mouth

mercilessly, “Think about it, if I’m satisfied with your terms, I’ll consider them.”

Whitney froze, enduring his violent kiss.

She closed her eyes in pain, fearful that struggling too much might harm the baby. All she could do

14:45

Chapter 190

was desperately suppress her tears and endure the tempest he unleashed upon her.

In her despair, she let out a bitter laugh, stating her condition, “If you must do this… then let my cousin

Yael go.”

Her hair was abruptly seized by his long hand, Ludwik’s voice dark with mockery by her ear, “You’re so

eager to reveal your purpose this time, no longer playing the passionate lover?”

Whitney had nothing left to say. She loved deeply, yet he no longer believe her.

Time passed, and when Whitney regained consciousness, she found herself barely breathing, lying in

bed. Her body was in pain and feverish… Instinctively, she touched her belly.

The baby had been restless earlier, but now that daddy had stopped his rampage, it seemed to have

fallen asleep too.

She weakly lifted her head to find the room silent, Ludwik sprawled by her legs, his muscular torso

carelessly covered with a thin blanket.

His hair was damp; he was asleep. Thinking back to his earlier fury, Whitney’s face whitened.

Filled with resentment and disappointment, she stared at his devilishly handsome face for a long time

before her gaze fell to the cotton jacket on the floor.

She dragged her trembling body down, slowly crawling to retrieve a pill from the jacket, stealthily

placing it in his mouth, and helped him swallow it.

His madness tonight might have been because he hadn’t taken his medicine on time.

Yet without his medicine, he could sleep so soundly, his furrowed brow even slightly relaxed,

This was no coincidence; he always slept well by her side. Why?

Whitney pondered, lifting his eyelid to see the red veins in his eyes. She guessed that in the past week,

had he been unable to sleep at all? Hysteria and lack of sleep were indeed related…

Suddenly, the phone rang. Whitney looked up; it wasn’t her phone.

It was Ludwik’s, and the caller ID read: Elaine.

Her lips curled into a cold smile as she thought about the summit today. From Elaine sending her to the

hotel with medicine to those men humiliating her with Nyx, now that she had a moment to think, she

understood what had happened.

She watched as the phone rang and disconnected, then rang again.

Elaine, having heard from Jaxon that Whitney had been picked up by Felix and brought to one of

Ludwik’s apartments in the middle of the night, was beside herself. She had called Ludwik several

times.

He hadn’t answered.

Now at two in the morning, she tried again, desperately hoping for a response. Finally, the call

connected.

Elaine’s voice was filled with feigned distress, “Ludwik, I’m in so much pain. I can’t sleep. Why aren’t

you back yet? You promised you’d be at the villa tonight. I want you to come back and be with me; the

nurse says I need an injection…”

“It’s me.” The familiar female voice made Elaine’s face darken with fury!

Sparks flew from her eyes as she asked venomously, “Why is Ludwik’s phone with you? Why isn’t he

answering?”

“What do

you

ག་ད

think?” Whitney replied with a laugh before smoothly hanging up the call.

Enraged and uneasy, Elaine dialed back fiercely,

Beep–beep-

A picture popped up on the Facebook messenger,

In the photo, Ludwik lay beside Whitney, both covered with a blanket, the maris sculpted, bare chest

exposed beneath. Elaine’s expression turned to stone as she saw Ludwik’s flushed face, clearly

indicating what had just occurred.

She was engulfed in fury and jealousy.

Whitney sent a mocking message along with the photo: [You tried to hurt me at the summit, but in the

end, look who got hurt?]

Though there was no sound, Elaine could practically hear Whitney’s scornful laugh.

It was like a slap across her own face.

“That shameless bitch! Despicable!” Elaine fumed, her nails digging crescents into her palms as she

paced through the luxurious mansion, her voice thunderous with rage.

The nurse, standing to the side, noticed the stormy look on Elaine’s face–a far cry from the gentle

demeanor she usually put on in front of Mr. Lippert. She was petrified, too scared to utter a word. But

Whitney wasn’t showing off; she was in no mood for it.

Ludwik had just been tormenting her, heaping humiliation upon her.

Yet, she wouldn’t let Elaine have the last laugh, not by a long shot.