Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 165

In the darkness, Elaine emerged from the bushes like a ghost in the night, with two men trailing behind her.

Instinctively, Whitney shielded Natalie behind her, her mind racing with possibilities. Confusedly, She frowned. “Elaine, what are you doing here?”

Whitney was certain she was up to no good no matter why she was there.

Elaine’s cold laugh sliced through the night air as she advanced on Whitney, suddenly shoving her to the ground.

“Ah!” Whitney, already exhausted from a long night and without food or drink, collapsed onto the grass, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

“Whitney! Elaine, what the hell are you doing?” Natalie cried out weakly, trying to get up.

Elaine signaled to one of the men, who immediately grabbed Natalie, forcibly separating her from Whitney.

“Elaine, stop this! Let her go; she needs to get to the hospital; she’s in danger.”

Whitney’s eyes widened in panic. She struggled to rise, but Elaine pressed down on her wrist.

Crouching down, Elaine’s eyes were cold, but her lips curled into a sinister smile. “She is indeed in danger, which is why I’m here to ‘save‘ her. Who would believe you’re the rescuer? You and your uncle plotted her kidnapping. What do you think Ludwik would do if he found out?”

Whitney’s heart ached, but she quickly regained her wits. “How could you possibly know about the kidnapping? It happened so suddenly, yet you arrived even before the cops!”

Elaine remained silent, her eyes glinting with malice. She lifted Whitney’s chin forcefully, revealing a scar on her wrist. “When you forced me to leave Banyan City, I paid a heavy price to return. This scar is a permanent ugliness, a reminder of my humiliation. I swore then to win back Ludwik and crush you beneath my feet.”

Whitney knew arguing was futile. “You left Banyan City because you endangered my innocent child and tried to kill me multiple times. Ludwik’s punishment was not my fault. His heart was never yours to claim; even without me, your engagement was long broken. He has no desire to marry you.”

“You’re full of it. Without you, he would have been mine! But soon, you’ll see how I take him from you. Bearing his child, loving him, standing by his side? You’ll never get to do any of those things in your life!”

Elaine’s mocking certainty sent shivers down Whitney’s spine. “What do you mean by that?”

Elaine stood, looking down at Whitney’s belly, and smirked with envy. “You’ll understand soon enough.”

kicked Whitney’s

vision darkening with pain. She reached for a silver needle

tried to rush over, coughing up blood in her

blood trickling down her legs. In her final moments

get Natalie to the hospital, or

up

still dark above her. Was she

pain, called out to

did you find

18.19

Chapter 165

to me. I barely escaped. Then I found

been taken.” Whitney’s heart raced with worry about what Elaine might do to her mother–in–law,

leg is injured too. That man’s still

ashen as she

limping badly, finally found a remote cabin

him to retrieve a medicine

her kicked frantically, likely hurt

unsure if the baby was alright. She took out some first–aid supplies and instructed Keegan to tear open his pants.

pain. Whitney

from the

the night, holding her stomach and drenched in sweat.

with a fever from the infected wound despite Whitney’s attempts.

the police, it means we can’t hide this anymore. I wanted to take Mom home last night for treatment to prevent you from making a

need medical treatment for your leg, and I don’t know if my baby is okay. Plus, Elaine

she spoke, she broke down in tears.

his face with his

a decade and