Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 747

Before Whitney could utter a word, Ludwik, with a roguish smirk, whispered, "Whitney, can I trouble you with a little something? You tell him." Whitney was slightly taken aback, not quite catching up.

Ludwik's tone was teasing, his gaze soft but provocative as he looked at her. "I mean, it's not like I can do much, maybe just steal a kiss, right?" Whitney was at a loss for words, almost choked by his brazenness!

She had seen shameless, but never someone who wore it like a badge of honor. Was this man for real?

Even Shane was left speechless, a twitch at the corner of his mouth, "Considering you've laid it all out there, I gotta hand it to you, you've got guts. I'll give you a moment to catch up, then." With that, Shane headed straight for his car.

The parking lot fell silent, under the dim glow of streetlights, leaving Whitney and Ludwik alone.

She looked at him, seemingly back from the dead, her heart racing yet filled with regret. Why did she come back, only to be caught by him again?

Ludwik's gaze, however, was drowning in tenderness. Lowering his voice, he said, "Whitney, I saw your eyes, all red and swollen. Were you thinking I was gone, mourning me...?"

"Are you delusional? Seeing you 'gone' brought me tears of joy. After all the torment, the man plaguing me was finally out of the picture. How could I not be thrilled, I almost applauded." Her words were sharp, cutting through the air.

Ludwik paused for a moment, his heart skipping a beat, but then he couldn't help but laugh, disbelief in his eyes, "Your face can't lie to me."

His gaze sharpened, "Actually, when you rushed into the mansion, I had already made it out. I just didn't show myself. I hid and watched you talk to Shane. You looked so lost, almost in tears, you fool." Whitney was stunned.

What? This man had been hiding, watching her all along.

Thinking back on her bewildered state, believing him gone, made her blood boil.

She flushed with anger, regretting her moment of weakness for such a scoundrel.

me," Ludwik whispered, moving closer, his breath a gentle caress, his hand finding

lot, Whitney quickly

face paling, his arm

remembered, Elodie mentioning his arm was

you find it amusing? While everyone thought you were gone, with firefighters and paramedics worried sick, there you were, hiding, watching everyone fret over you? Aren't you a bit too heartless, too

softly, trying to explain, "By the time you came back, I had been struggling in the fire, helping a woman avoid

his soiled shirt sleeve, revealing his fingers smeared with blood,

Whitney gasped.

her reaction, Ludwik unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a large

narrowed, not expecting his injuries

explosion like that, one had to be skilled and

cold, "Ludwik, always the hero, aren't you? Trading these

realize the bitterness

on,

"Get lost."

Ronan's daughter to win favor. Maybe now you'll marry into wealth, Ludwik, climbing back

was he just a

bitterly, his lips dry, "Regardless of how you see me, I stand by

Whitney...

alone, leaving Elodie behind, Ronan wouldn't

and blood are everything. Not saving their daughter would

essence, saving her

serious tone left Whitney speechless,

someone like Ronan, the higher