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.

a gamble; controlling everything meant controlling her. But now, with everything lost,

the elevator, Felix rushed over, intercepting her at the lobby

can we

carried a

respect for Felix, who, aside

"What is it, Felix?"

his discomfort, Felix said, "Ms. Valentine, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Mr. Lippert. I'm begging you,

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

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 kind to you, and you wouldn't want to see her suffer, right?

at the mention of

are Mr. Lippert's flesh and blood. The downfall of the Lippert empire would affect them too.

recognized

he's been a good father. Would you really condemn them to suffer the stigma of

torn between her need for justice and the welfare of her

a father's love for his children, maybe I

request for justice, 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

and decided not to press further, silently hoping

way upstairs, worried about

her car, pulling out her phone to

for it,