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.”

Whitney tried to run to the

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

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

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

me from now on.”

be with whoever you want; it has nothing to

irony–Whitney laughed through

1/3

been speaking out of spite; he had meant every

curled up on the floor, indifferent

away.

mine!” One of the young

Ludwik’s grip on his glass tightened until it shattered in his palm, the shards cutting into his

her shameless appearance here, wanting her to

stride of his

towards the staircase,

a hundred

outside.

go!” A refined yet icy

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

called out

eyes red and

out of here.” Bryce immediately took off his coat and wrapped

shivering under the two layers of sweaters, her rounded belly particularly prominent as she crouched

checked her for any damage, relieved to find

and helpless, clutched at his sleeve, her teeth chattering, “Mr.

get out of here now!” Bryce said, lifting her up without another

of you high and mighty figures banding together to bully a defenseless woman. What a disgrace that will be for Banyan City’s business

force to be 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. This woman is Mr. Lippert’s unwanted ex–wife who betrayed him. Are you really willing to make an

an unyielding presence, and he said angrily, “A man who can’t even accommodate his ex–wife is

none of Mr. Lutz’s concern. And

chuckled at Bryce’s

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

feeling like she was