Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 660

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"If you don't fancy a stint behind bars, we can strike a deal, but lay off Tiana, will ya?

And as for Parker, I'm giving you a deadline to find him. He's a mate of mine, and I can't stand the thought of him suffering because of your mess." With those words, Whitney turned on her heel and left.

Ludwik's gaze turned icy. She was threatening him with jail time yet was willing to negotiate because of her concern for another man, Parker.

In a swift move, Ludwik caught her by the wrist and yanked her back, pinning her against the edge of the desk with his towering frame.

"You're this worried about Parker? You could fuss over any other bloke, fret over Tiana, even worry about our two boys, but you won't spare a thought for me. For the Lippert legacy," Ludwik's voice was laced with pain and self-mockery. "Am I really that heartless to you, Whitney? After all these years, our whirlwind marriage, the journey from strangers to love, our kids... I admit I've screwed up, trusted the wrong people, hurt you. But after all these tangled years, don't I mean something to you? Did you ever... even love me?" He recounted their history in brief, evoking a flood of memories for Whitney.

For a moment, her heart wavered, touched by the rare glimpse of despair in his eyes. But she quickly steeled herself against the sentiment. He was special, he was loved.

But he had destroyed it all himself.

Whitney shoved him away, her voice firm, "I did love you. But as you know, that's in the past. The moment you left Elaine for Florence, getting her pregnant - that was when my love for you ended. Remember my terms; I won't waste my breath." She walked away without looking back.

Ludwik, drained of strength, slumped against the wall. The realization that his spirit was crumbling hit him hard. He had thought her presence could give him the courage to start over, to face anything. But now, he felt utterly defeated, without purpose.

But now, with everything lost, he knew

Felix rushed over, intercepting her at the lobby

Valentine, can

a plea, his

of respect for Felix, who, aside from Parker, had been a

"What is it, Felix?"

"Ms. Valentine, I couldn't help but

weren't for him. He turned my wedding into a scandal, tarnishing both our reputations. How many people are laughing at us now? If I don't

Jason's in a coma, Riley's in despair over Justin Lippert, Heidi Lippert ran off with Thea. The old lady's bedridden from the shock. She's been

at the

Lippert's flesh and blood. The downfall of the Lippert empire

recognized as

so attached to Mr. Lippert. Despite everything, can't deny he's been a good father. Would you really

her need for justice and the welfare of

a father's love for his children, maybe

but now, faced with the potential impact on her children, she found herself in a dilemma. How could she explain her decision to Bryce if she chose not

her eyes and decided not

and made his way upstairs, worried about Mr. Lippert's state when he had

and headed back to her car,

Ludwik's word for it, Tiana should have