Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 187

Whitney fought desperately as the circle of male bosses tightened around her, with Maddox at the forefront. A crowd had gathered, reveling in the spectacle.

The summit was a gathering of business moguls, and these folks, if you really got down to brass tacks, had a mean streak. They wouldn’t pass up a scandalous scene.

Maddox threw down the gauntlet, “I’ll give you a cool million, Whitney. Your company could really use that cash, right?”

“Not enough. Take another layer off, and I’ll make it two million!”

A hand reached out, pulling at Whitney’s sweater.

“No, stop!” Whitney stumbled to the floor, drenched in cold sweat, clutching her belly protectively with one hand while trying to push herself up with the other.

In the chaos, someone’s foot brushed against her pregnant belly, and she feared for her unborn child.

Amid despair and bone–deep agony, Whitney looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, and shouted towards the impassive man above, “Ludwik, please save me! I came here to bring you medicine, don’t let them humiliate me like this–it’s an insult to your child too….

The pill she clutched was crushed out of shape. She wanted to hold it up high, to prove her innocence, to show she wasn’t there with any ulterior motives.

She hadn’t intended to embarrass him on his big day, to make him the talk of the town.

Not at all!

But the pill soon tumbled to the floor, and through her tear–blurred vision, she saw the man upstairs still elegantly sipping his red wine.

The chilling tone of the wine mirrored the frost in his eyes as he watched her impassively.

That look of hatred and indifference–it was aimed to destroy her!

In that instant, Whitney felt a chill run through her, realizing just how deep his loathing ran.

Perhaps his revenge was just beginning.

This was his cruelty.

Shivering uncontrollably and clutching her belly and the collar of her sweater, she knew she couldn’t endure the humiliation from these men any longer. She had to leave; she had to escape.

“Where do you think you’re running off to?” Maddox grabbed her ankle again. “Such delicate legs.”

let me go!” Whitney tried to run to

I’ll offer four million, Mr. Lippert doesn’t

Whitney was held back, her mind flooded with piercing memories of the past when he had been tender to her, too gentle to touch her even four months into the pregnancy. And

meticulous about even the slip–resistant carpets in hotels, caring so much for this child. Now, he had

to me from now on.”

you can be with whoever you want; it has nothing

irony–Whitney laughed through her

1/3

been speaking out of spite;

point, she simply stopped struggling and curled up on the

away.

One of the young

tightened until it shattered in his palm, the shards cutting into his elegant fingers

stared at her pale profile, intent on making her pay for her

of his

the staircase, ‘Mr. Lippert,

a hundred

outside.

A refined yet

wearing a coat, strode in, his face clouded as he kicked aside

called out gently, his brow furrowed.

up, her eyes red

of here.” Bryce immediately took

two layers of sweaters, her rounded belly particularly prominent as she crouched on the floor.

reddened as he checked her for any damage, relieved to find none. He took a deep breath.

at his sleeve, her teeth chattering, “Mr.

said,

you high and mighty figures banding together to bully a defenseless woman. What

reckoned with, and Maddox had to give him some respect, though he said with a sneer, “Mr. Lutz sure knows how to play the hero.

unyielding presence, and he said angrily, “A man who can’t even accommodate his ex–wife is no concern of mine.

concern. And you, you don’t even have the right to pick up

chuckled at Bryce’s

hid in his embrace, feeling as though Ludwik’s words had slapped her repeatedly.

feeling like she was in a deep