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,

lot, Whitney

face paling, his arm hanging limply

Elodie mentioning his arm

anger bubbling up, "Ludwik, playing games with everyone, do 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

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

with blood, not to

Whitney gasped.

shirt, revealing

not expecting his injuries to

an explosion like that, one had to be skilled

you? Trading these

didn't realize the bitterness

caught on, "Jealous,

"Get lost."

frustration boiling over, "And you say Bryce is scheming. I think you're the mastermind, saving Ronan's daughter to win favor. Maybe now you'll marry into wealth, Ludwik, climbing back up, the ultimate strategist." Ludwik's

was he just a manipulative

dry, "Regardless of how you

Whitney...

I had escaped alone, leaving Elodie behind, Ronan

own flesh and blood are everything. Not saving their daughter would

her

tone left Whitney speechless, perhaps even admiring his

like Ronan, the higher