Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 857

"Did I say something wrong? Did it remind you of something?"

His voice grew more enticingly husky, his gaze wickedly smoldering as it swept over her.

Images of that chaotic night a few days ago flashed uncontrollably through Whitney's mind, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, her fingers trembling and curling as she snorted, "Are you referring to those moments of displeasure and helplessness you had?" Ludwik's powerful legs nearly slammed down on the accelerator in response.

His handsome face darkened instantly.

With dangerously pursed lips, Ludwik warned, "Whitney, I'm still in recovery. Don't give up on me. That night was exceptional for you, and even the strongest of men might have been drained by you." "Shut up." Why did he have to so blatantly bring up that night?

Whitney could hardly hold back, covering half of her blushing face with her hand, gritting her teeth, "You have no right to talk about me like that, especially knowing how powerful Bryce's concoction was..."

"Sorry, I know." His frown softened into a low, teasing grin, "But you started it. You can't deny that despite a few discomforts, I did pretty well that night. Forgive a man who's healing. Baby, it'll get better soon, and then maybe we can try again..." "Ludwik! Watch the road!"

As the car filled with an awkward tension, Whitney, flustered, quickly changed the subject, pointing ahead.

She was embarrassed.

Ludwik secretly smirked, amused by how someone who was already a mother could still react like a shy girl.

However, he didn't want to smooth-talk his way into making her think his intentions were purely for intimacy. He wanted to win her back, purely.

"Baby, stop mocking my prowess, and we'll be fine, okay? Otherwise, you might not be able to handle it if I get rough."

Ludwik shamelessly quirked an eyebrow, his warning delivered with mock solemnity.

handsome, she'd have kicked him out of the car by

take a

"Excuse me?!"

the construction site. He won't let go of that $30 billion easily. I heard Fortu-Nova Bank is pressing him hard for repayments. Do you think

crept into

Think about it, when the rabbit dies, the dog is cooked. Wade would never help Bryce now, I'm certain of it." Whitney looked at his chiseled profile, "How can

a calm smile, "Ashton Fuller found out that Wade, through collaborations with the Inko Group, signed several deals with arms dealers in the Middle East. Now, with the products faulty and unable to hit the market, those dealers demand compensation from the Patrick Group for massive breach fees. Wade won't pay anyone but can't afford not to pay the arms dealers. He's too busy dealing with his own problems to bother with Bryce.

cunning arc of

had everything so thoroughly planned out,

scatter during major disasters. Wade, being as shrewd as he is, wouldn't be manipulated by Bryce now. As Ludwik rises, these

had considered the fracturing

left stranded. Failing to repay Fortu-Nova Bank, the Lutz Group will

month?" Ludwik toyed with her fingertips, his smile both pleased and merciless, "I'll have him drained dry within a week! Now he's become Emperor City's most notorious figure, isn't this the

-

Inside Bryce's mansion.

secured all doors and windows, ordering his bodyguards to tightly

his way home, Bryce had already spotted several vehicles of the paparazzi digging for his

ignoring the cuts on his lips and face as

stung his wounds, causing Bryce to

humiliation deeply, vowing repeatedly in his mind: "Ludwik... Ludwik! Whitney, I will tear you both to

of negligence nearly destroyed the business empire he had painstakingly built

was on the verge of

wasn't going down that easily. It wasn't over

Lutz, Florence is here," his secretary announced softly at