Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 170

In the hospital room, Parker struggled to restrain Ludwik’s shaking hands. Peering into the man’s bloodshot eyes, Parker felt a wave of helplessness. “Ludwik, hang in there, buddy. Just take it easy, the doc’s on his way. You need a sedative.”

“It won’t work. Regular docs won’t work,” Ludwik panted, his body trembling violently, beads of sweat dotting his forehead as his right hand twitched uncontrollably.

A brutal headache clawed at his temples, inciting a mad desire to smash everything in sight. Slowly, his vision. began to blur.

He collapsed to the floor, his large, heavy frame jostling his mother’s hospital bed.

Ludwik’s eyes reddened with distress as he reached out desperately to steady his mother’s bed.

The sight wrenched Parker’s heart. He rushed to Ludwik’s aid, only to be met with an uncontrolled punch that burst open his forehead, blood trickling down.

“Ludwik, what’s wrong with you?” Suddenly, a faint, trembling voice cut through the tension at the door, tinged with concern.

A slender figure dashed into the

e room.

Whitney hurried to Ludwik’s side. His symptoms mirrored those of a violent psychotic episode, where initially. the patient might exhibit aggressive, bloodthirsty behavior, escalating to self–harm, confusion, and insanity.

She reached out to check his pulse, but Ludwik caught sight of her.

His consciousness still intact, the image of her face, along with the sight of his mother lying quietly in bed, pierced his heart with agonizing pain.

“Why is she here?” he looked up at Parker.

Tell her to get out. I don’t want to see her.”

“Get out!” Ludwik’s uncontrollable rage sent objects flying toward her.

Parker saw a porcelain piece heading straight for Whitney’s stomach and kicked her out of harm’s way just in time.

Whitney stood frozen, her mind echoing with his hateful, disgusted curses.

half on the ground, his tall and noble frame so vulnerable, shaking

thought of someone who could save him–his breaths shallow,

was puzzled. Elaine was a

Elaine! I need her!” Ludwik gritted his

had stayed with him

he still had a lucid moment, Ludwik repeated his command.

Elaine battered against

been pierced by a thousand needles, bleeding profusely, the pain making her feel weak

trusted Elaine so completely. Had he lost all faith in

even bear to look at Whitney, as if

had switched places in an

Ludwik’s sick because of you. Whitney, you’re

pulling her toward

face drained of color. Seeing Ludwik in agony shook her to her core. She recalled what Natalie had said, that he had been troubled since childhood, prone to

couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly

severe emotional issues?

staggered back, tears brimming in her eyes. A thousand apologies choked in her throat, all dissipating into a sharp pain

hurt Natalie.” she

excuses!” Nolan glared coldly.

in her wheelchair, noting Nolan’s harsh demeanor toward Whitney. Everyone around Ludwik had turned icy

of triumph filling her as she feigned concern, “What happened to Ludwik? Nolan,

him. He’s having a hysterical fit and he asked for you. He probably thinks you can help

softened considerably when addressing Elaine. After all, even psychiatrists were often helpless against Ludwik’s

medicine; I’ll

she said, “Ms. Valentine, are you lingering here to continue agitating Ludwik? Don’t you understand that you are the cause of his outbreak?” Whitney had no rebuttal for this, but she glared coldly at Elaine, her fists clenched. “If his illness is because his mother was his last thread of sanity, then you are the real culprit. Elaine, you know what

face freezing for a moment before

she whispered with a chilling laugh, “Right now, everyone sees you as the culprit, while I’m the one who donated a kidney, and Ludwik is touched by my gesture. You’ve lost completely, and him kicking you out

his body or his heart. Oh, his heart might

spoken with a particularly

icy, not

know why he’s calling for me, why he relies on me so much, don’t you? You’ll never know.” The smugness, in Elaine’s laugh was evident as she thought of the half ring she had snatched, giving her the upper hand.

with a twisted smile, “From now on, his beloved will only be me. You just watch as I