Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 710

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Seriously, Jarvis, can't you just chill for once? We all run into each other in this town sooner or later. Let's just be civil, okay?" Jarvis, as bold as ever, had just barged in.

It was like a bad joke, all the people she least wanted to see kept showing up.

Whitney's expression darkened, "Friends?"

"Sandy, do you know this guy?" she asked.

"Not in a million years!" Sandy glared at Jarvis, the memory of his antics at the auction still fresh in her mind.

She found Jarvis's opportunism even more repulsive than Ludwik's straightforward villainy.

But Jarvis, oblivious to Sandy's hostility, eagerly approached the bedside, squinting as he set down a bouquet of carnations. "Ms. Turner, don't be scared. It's alright if you don't know me. I'm not a villain. Just mention the Patrick Group's young executive to your folks, I bet they know of me. You seem to get along with Ms. Valentine and Shane just fine. Shane's a buddy of mine, too. So, in a way, we're all friends here, right?"

Whitney quickly pieced things together; Jarvis was clearly here for Shane. After witnessing Shane's concern for Sandy at the auction, Jarvis must have seen an opportunity. It was both transparent and pathetic.

Jarvis, undeterred, continued with a grin that could fool an innocent. "Ms. Turner, I didn't notice before, but you're quite the beauty, a real gem. No wonder Shane..."

"Are you ever going to stop, Jarvis?" Whitney cut him off sharply.

scoff. His voice, cold and biting, somehow

"What are you even doing here? After your fall from grace, you've resorted to lurking around like a lost puppy? Ha, as if you have any right to be here. Why don't

haven't worked on Shane. Maybe you're here 'playing nice' because you saw me with Mr. Nelson at lunch? It must be hard, crawling out from the shadows, always resorting to dirty tricks," Ludwik retorted without even glancing up, his once noble bearing making Jarvis's tactics seem even more underhanded by comparison. Sandy was confused.

Whitney understood. Ludwik had met with Shane, and Jarvis, envious, was here trying to manipulate Sandy, treating her like a pawn

himself a new girlfriend, Florence, right? She's Sandy's cousin. You're here in the middle of the night, calling her a beauty, isn't that a bit low, even for

remembered then, Jarvis's involvement with Florence sent shivers down

off guard by Whitney's accusation, tried

ever early for something if there's a profit in it. If he's getting close to someone, it's because he wants to use them. Just look

Jarvis snapped

"At least I haven't resorted to calling Ms. Turner a 'beauty' or 'sweetheart'. My visit

several shades darker, his

watch your mouth. Do you need reminding of

'remind' me?" Ludwik

voice his true intentions in such a public setting. He thrived in the shadows,

tactic, "Ms. Valentine, do you want me to get rid of this guy for you? He's clearly not wanted here." Whitney hesitated, aware of all eyes on her, weighing her

a sigh, she had enough. "Can both of you just leave? The patient needs rest. We've had enough of

firm dismissal, Whitney didn't spare either man's feelings, making it clear she wouldn't tolerate Jarvis's manipulations or the unwanted drama any longer. Ludwik's lips curled into a slight smirk, undeterred

pride wounded. As the most eligible bachelor in