Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 342

Ludwik's phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he picked up, Ashton's irate voice came storming through. "Dude, where the heck have you been? Elaine's been drowning her sorrows at the pub, drinking herself into a stupor-you aware she's in the hospital now, stomach bleeding and all? She's been a mess, crying about you not picking up her calls. The bartender tried reaching you to no avail and had to call me instead. What kind of fiancé does that make you? I've just rushed her to the ER..." Ludwik paused, his brows knitting together, his voice dropping to a chilly tone, "I'm on my way."

After hanging up, he glanced back at the firmly shut door of Whitney's apartment and reluctantly texted her: "Could you watch Danny for me?"

He then strode towards the elevator.

---

At the hospital.

Elaine was fuming, her hands trembling as she clutched the freshly snapped photos Lyra had obtained from a detective. The images showed Ludwik and Whitney in a close embrace on the balcony of her apartment, lost in a passionate kiss.

Each call she had made to Ludwik, pleading on behalf of the Bartels family, went unanswered. She had rushed back to their family estate, only to find he'd already left with Daniel.

Ignoring her, avoiding her!

And yet, there he was, refusing to lend a hand to the Bartels, instead choosing to cozy up to Whitney, the opportunist.

tearing the photos to shreds just

bout of weakness, vomiting

shocked as he rushed

in her voice, "Ashton, I feel so hopeless.

at the hospital. Ashton greeted him with a grim face,

and a minor surgery. Still under anesthesia," Ashton

place to talk, they ended up in a nearby pub, where the bartender served them two shots of strong vodka. Ludwik downed his shot, and Ashton, fixing him with a steady gaze, sighed deeply. "What's going on with you, man?" Ludwik remained silent, lost in thought. Ashton continued, expressing his frustration over Ludwik's apparent neglect of Elaine, who had given so much of herself

of being swayed by Whitney, of forgetting his

Whitney. Ashton's words struck a chord, reminding him of his past

women, for forgetting the sacrifices Elaine had made for him, and

felt the weight of Ashton's words, the responsibility he bore towards Elaine, and the complicated feelings he had for Whitney. The conversation left him questioning where his heart truly lay, caught between duty and desire, past loyalties, and new temptations. But Ashton

it felt

slender fingers brushed over the divorce papers in

eyes tightly, maybe it was time to stop messing around with Whitney.

---

"Ludwik..."