Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

“I never claimed to be a saint, but dragging you and your uncle into this mess. wasn’t part of the plan.”

Whitney couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

“I’ve heard you were the golden boy, the apple of everyone’s eye. What did Ludwik have? Nothing. So why stoop to snatch away even the little he owns?”

“Do you even grasp the depth of a family feud? The pressure’s on me too, you know. Business is a cutthroat game. Sure, my brother had it rough growing up, but he’s outshone me in every way. That’s what really grinds.

my gears.”

Whitney nodded emphatically, “So, you’re just a bitter, petty man, jealous of him. But he’s not so easily defeated by the likes of you.”

“Is that so? Yet he’s the one in hiding now.” Orion stood up lazily, extending his hand, “Anyway, it was a pleasure doing business.”

Fuming, Whitney turned on her heel and left, her stomach churning with rage.

At the Ether Cafe downtown, Ludwik stared blankly at the ‘papers” before him, his strikingly handsome face lost in thought.

He glanced at his watch.

Sensing his impatience, Felix promptly made a call. Returning with a peculiar expression, Felix announced, “Whitney was just… just meeting with Orion, and she’s on her way here now.”

The pr

pen tip lightly dropped onto the papers, and Ludwik paused, then cracked a wry

smile.

He tossed the ‘papers‘ to the lawyer beside him, his features set in firm resolve.

Elaine sat nearby, observing every subtle shift in the man’s demeanor, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

Suddenly, there was the sound of hurried breaths.

Elaine turned her head. She was the first to see Whitney arrive.

Whitney’s gaze instinctively sought out Ludwik, who sat in a secluded booth, his figure svelte in a black suit. His face was still pale, his frame noticeably thinner and somewhat ill–looking, yet he appeared much improved from a week prior.

A flicker of emotion crossed her eyes. She hurried over, but Elaine sitting in a wheelchair near the entrance.

corner of her

here? Had they been inseparable

had been with Ludwik all this time. Elaine’s smile deepened as Whitney passed by, her voice laced with malice,

by that? Whitney stumbled, her brows knit

saw Ludwik’s attention shift

mixture of dread and hope, Whitney took a deep breath and asked with a tinge of desperation in her eyes, “L, what papers do you want

papers,” Ludwik réplied

as if turned to stone. Her slender fingers on the

18:24

Chapter 177

they retreated

she stumbled backward, knocking over a

keep your composure. This is a divorce settlement. You may review the contents, but Mr. Lippert’s time is precious. You have five minutes,” the lawyer interjected, pushing the papers toward her

it had been pierced by their sharp

her darkened, obscuring Ludwik’s handsome features from her view

her head with a

have to refuse?” Ludwik’s voice was a cold blade, cutting through

scrutinized him, realizing he had changed since his return, Gone was the hysterical man from the day his mother had met

vulnerable man from his sick days.

like an icily detached statue,

formidable Mr. Lippert once

his eyes, there was no trace of emotion

at her with undisguised disdain and sneered, “Our marriage was

“L, please don’t

unwilling to waste

concealed a deep, cold fury.

saw the depth

originally included a compensation for bearing a child after a year, but Mr. Lippert has rescinded it. You’ll leave with

Whitney replied weakly, the irony

received a fair share of loot from Orion already. Were

turned ghostly, “I didn’t… Orion called me out of the blue.

become the town’s harlot, it’s none of my

depth of hurt must a man endure to turn so suddenly heartless and cold?

tear out her heart and show him its purity,