Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

“You’re off the hook now, Carter might not want to cross you,” he snorted with feigned indifference.

“I won’t admit to something I didn’t do. I know you’re a business tycoon who looks down on fernale entrepreneurs, but I do have my principles. Believe it or not, that’s up to you, Whitney said with a light smile, her lips brightened by the warmth of the heater, looking quite fetching. Ludwik’s gaze darkened with longing for that pretty mouth.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke with a chilling tone, laced with biting sarcasm, “Congratulations, getting nabbed was supposed to land you life behind bars. Who was blind enough to bail you out? Your husband?”

Whitney flinched, life imprisonment? She muttered, “My friend said it would be just over a decade, tops.”

“Ignorant,” he scoffed arrogantly, “Billions in counterfeit diamonds, and the Lutz family pressing charges–did you really think they’d settle for anything less than life? They wouldn’t bother otherwise.”

Whitney felt her blood run cold.

With a thin smile, he taunted, “Scared now? Do you actually think that ex of yours could save you? Hunters temper is explosive, and Wyatt is slick as they come. Would he really attract hatred for someone like you? If you’re blind, perhaps it’s time to wash your eyes out.”

She sat there stunned, shocked by his furious words.

But his reminder made her think. Wyatt was indeed cunning and would not curry favor with the Lutz family over a few words from Simon, a love child.

That day, Tiana also mentioned Simon being inconsequential, but she had not seen anyone else but Simon.

“Mr. Lippert, perhaps you’re privy to what happened that night? Then tell me, who saved me?”

Ludwik felt his blood boil with irritation, his handsome face framed with a frosty sneer, “Apart from a husband saving his wife, who else saves someone else’s wife? Because you’re pretty?”

Whitney’s face stiffened slightly, she had considered it, but L never mentioned saving her, bursting in only to fight and berate her.

Her face showed hurt, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Ludwik knew he had been somewhat…harsh that night.

He just would not admit it. And this stubborn little mule would not back down either.

So, the cold war lasted until today.

your husband is mad at you, did you ever stop to think why? Maybe he dropped everything to save you, went through all that trouble, and what does he see? An ungrateful woman not only

made

was so furious she was not thinking straight. When L charged in, she was

L

that not mean he completely misunderstood her? No wonder

with her.

twisted in self–reproach, her face

with a touch of satisfaction.

Chapter 95

softened a

misunderstood, he had no right to berate me without knowing the facts. Does he have any idea how

Ludwik frowned, “Suffered, how?”

just a scare, was

holding cell, and even my child was in danger. But you men are all the same, only caring about your pride and jealousy. He didn’t even see my injuries, just

What?

and he saw the deep bruises on her delicate wrists. She had been beaten

had no one

that night and he had been so cruel to

days,

she was and how she should not

he had been blind with rage,

“Does it… hurt?”

Whitney clenched her teeth, pulling her sleeve back down, her eyes stubbornly holding back tears, “Thinking about how I was throwing up for his child in that bathroom, all Simon did was hand me a tissue, and L blindly accused me of kissing my

bruises like that she had, her face barely a hand–span wide, now even thinner, her eyes shimmering as if in

was angry because he had been

her, but Whitney sensed it and withdrew like a startled crab, guarding herself. “Mr. Lippert, what are you

she was a married woman,

return to my hands.

chair, his long legs stretched out awkwardly, dress pants revealing a hint of a sensually bare

muttered, clenching his

his office

out what exactly happened to her in the holding cell that night. And why was there no mention of

monitoring the baby’s condition every day, he had seen her records,