Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 561

Whitney hardly ever saw him like this; the memory that stuck with her the most was three years ago, when Natalie ended up in a coma, and he had one of his episodes. During those times, his face would twist with rage, and he'd seem almost bloodthirsty. He was breathing heavily, hands pressed on his temples, clearly in agony. She couldn't even speak to him, too scared to make a sound.

Ding Ding-

Her phone vibrated. Whitney sneakily took it out to see a message from Bryce.

[Whitney, I don't know why he thinks you're carrying his child, or if he's having one of his episodes, imagining you're pregnant to keep you from leaving. He's taking you to the hospital now, probably to check if the 'baby' is still there. I might have impulsively made things worse... I provoked him, told him you got rid of the child. Sorry, he seems to have lost it! But if you want him to give up on you for good, I think it might just be the radical solution we need.]

Whitney's grip on her phone tightened. Everything felt so surreal-how could she be pregnant? She touched her stomach, feeling nothing. Why would Ludwik think she was pregnant? Was Bryce right in guessing he was delusional, on the verge of another episode? Or was this an excuse, a desperate attempt to keep her? Her mind was a mess, her gaze fixed on the last line of Bryce's message: it might just be the radical solution we need.

She didn't want this endless cycle of manipulation and oppression. Tears started to fill her eyes. She held her breath.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Ludwik seemed to come back to life, coldly getting out of the car. He came around to Whitney's side, opened the door, and without waiting for her to speak, he forcibly lifted her out. "Felix, clear out the ER, get the OB/GYN down here." His voice was clear, but his breath made one shiver involuntarily.

In his arms, Whitney could feel the strong beat of his heart, cold and unyielding. She chose to remain silent, enduring his bizarre actions. Soon, the ER was cleared out. In the OB/GYN examination room, the female doctor waited nervously, immediately preparing the bed when the tall man entered. Ludwik placed the silently protesting woman on the bed.

"...Ludwik, should we start with a blood test or an ultrasound?"

"Which one is quicker?"

patient is about a month pregnant, an ultrasound might not be very clear; it could be inaccurate. A detailed ultrasound might take a

chain-smoking, his icy gaze fixed on

came in with the papers, her eyes darting between the man by the window

hCG

Ms. Valentine's hCG levels are not consistent

ears rang, his voice sounding distant to him.

does it

The doctor went pale. "It means Ms. Valentine isn't pregnant, or the embryo is no

touching her stomach. She racked her brain, wondering if she had ever been pregnant. She was sure she

arm knocking over a water glass. Whitney's heart skipped a beat. In the next moment, he stormed over, pulling her off the bed, dragging her upstairs without care for her balance, muttering, "Quacks! Your tests are inaccurate, we're going to

wanted? To be rid of me? You'd better hope the child is still there, otherwise... I don't know what I might

a terrifying sight. He pushed her into another examination room, insisting on an ultrasound. After half an hour, several ultrasound results lay before Ludwik. The doctors stood in line, petrified by his gaze. Ludwik let out a hollow laugh. "Give me some good news,

Vel

the results of her examination today. This lady

the bed, facing the man whose face was twisted in despair. She could feel his anguish, trying to calm him, "Ludwik, I told you I couldn't possibly be

be carrying my child? Because you couldn't bear it? Bryce said you'd deny it; seems like it was indeed your shame,

that... ah." His grip tightened around

his