Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 777

Ludwik, once the king of his world, found himself cornered by the heiress of a future vice president.

"Or, you could just marry her, Elodie. Imagine climbing up the social ladder by marrying into the vice president's family..."

"Shut up!" Ludwik snapped, visibly annoyed. His hand, large and imposing, descended on her behind as a form of punishment.

The crisp sounds echoed in the cramped bathroom, adding an unintended layer of intimacy.

Whitney's face turned beet red with anger. "Ludwik, you dare hit me?"

"It's a love tap! You should watch your words. Mocking me is one thing, but you know you're all I care about. Even if Elodie threatens to ruin the Lippert family, I couldn't care less."

With that, Ludwik buried his face in her neck, whispering hoarsely, "Whitney, you know, after everything we've been through, the ups and downs, the love and hate, I've realized something. Power, position, wealth... none of that matters. You're the only treasure I want to keep. Without you, my heart is empty. Even as I tried to rebuild the Lippert family, I felt like a walking corpse."

Whitney was speechless, overwhelmed by the damp warmth of his breath, making her entire body tingle. "Too bad it's too late, Ludwik. You've already lost me."

"It's not too late," he said, his voice sultry and persuasive as he nuzzled her shoulder. "If you truly didn't care about me, you wouldn't have come in. I've taken something, and by entering, you've walked straight into my trap."

Annoyed, Whitney poked his chest. "Shane pushed me in when I wasn't looking."

her hand, desperation in his voice. "You're my only cure

says I'm..." Whitney stopped mid-sentence as she noticed Ludwik's body breaking out in

flushed with torment, his

struggle, Whitney began to panic, instinctively

with a leg wrapped around hers, looked at her with eyes

flustered and angry, tried to break free. Yet, she realized his body was burning hot with no sign of

of his condition, Whitney's heart softened. Without any means to alleviate his suffering, his life might

"Whitney, I'm in so much pain. What do

medical science, she had never encountered such a

like this," Ludwik said, his pride wounded. "If I'm exposed in this state, how could I face

his dilemma.

getting worse. What do we do?" he pressed, his desperation growing by the

husky plea, knew she might have to intervene personally

calm, Ludwik," she said, trying

rock music playing, the

wished she could disappear into the

awkwardness, joked, "Ms. Turner, leaving me here with all this going on is even more awkward. There's a glass of

avoiding his gaze, insisted on escaping the uncomfortable situation. "I've never even had a boyfriend.