Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 682

"Ludwik, did you actually record it? Record us... you jerk!"

Whitney's mind was stuck on the video, her eyes red with fury, her body trembling uncontrollably, overwhelmed with humiliation. "You're such a scoundrel, this is too much. I will never forgive you for this, ever." Ludwik knew he had hurt her again.

He sneered coldly, "I don't care anymore. I knew you'd never forgive me.

But I didn't want you to be fooled. Bryce, making his mark in Emperor City, do you have any idea what kind of forces he's leaning on?

Don't be deceived by his lovestruck facade. How do you know he's not playing a long game, pretending to be all sweet and caring, but harboring ulterior motives?"

"Enough already. Bryce isn't like that.

Besides, he's doing pretty well for himself, what would he possibly want from me?"

"The Sheldon Group! No matter how his company grows, it needs the backing of a powerful dynasty.

He could also be after your affection, waiting for you to fall for him, and then, when you're vulnerable, he could strike back at you, tarnish you!"

Ludwik's words sent an inexplicable chill down Whitney's spine.

Still, she retorted, "Ludwik, you won't divide us."

Annoyed, she hung up the phone!

Standing on the balcony, the chilly night air made her shiver even more. Wrapping her arms around herself, Whitney returned to her room, where Danny was already soundly asleep. She walked out to the study, where Sammy was still tapping away.

Looking at her phone, Whitney couldn't calm down.

Finally, she retreated to the secluded bathroom, opened the video Ludwik had sent, and put on her headphones.

In just a few seconds, Whitney's face turned red, a wave of incredulity and rage washing over her.

The video was dark, illuminated only by moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, reflecting off the ocean, giving the room a romantic ambiance...

There she was with Ludwik, wrapped in a quilt, their silhouettes entwined like vines, passionately inseparable. Ludwik's perfect torso was exposed, while she hid in his embrace, her hands trembling as she clung to his neck. Her voice... sounded so tender... almost as if she was enjoying it.

Impossible!

She thought she was heartbroken and desperate that night.

seemed to distort reality, or maybe not, but it made it seem like she and Ludwik were deeply in love, and she was relishing it. Bryce... had he

mortified. But then she

upon her return, Bryce hadn't mentioned it, hadn't

her was how much he loved her,

now, Bryce seemed

intimacy with another man on their wedding night, she wouldn't be able to stay calm; she'd be

also be due to a pitiful, blind love, a

the latter

it was the

quilt, Whitney felt

wasn't just an attempt

-

The next morning.

up, while Sammy was still curled up

hair, "Sammy? Were you out thieving last night? You're usually not

eyes, afraid that his mom would discover he hadn't

doing hiding in the study last night?" Whitney

he had been

seeing Florence cozying up to that scoundrel

Florence and Jarvis

villains together, definitely

kick Florence out of the company, and he didn't want the wicked woman to make

Sammy fibbed, having gone

"Internet junkie," Danny commented.

helplessly, "And whose idea was it to involve your

I don't have his knack for computers, all of dad's smarts went to

further ado, Whitney

room, Bryce and Uncle Tim were deep in discussion

Whitney found herself

the window, casting a warm

Whitney's mind briefly clouded with doubt, until Bryce turned

the stare?

just admiring how handsome Mr. Lutz is," Tiana joked, lightening the

up to serve Whitney and Danny breakfast. Dressed in a sweater and casual black pants,

was like the perfect

act as if nothing had happened,