Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1122

Ludwik saw Whitney's face as pale as a ghost, and without a second thought, he hoisted her onto his back. His strong physique made trekking through the dense forest seem effortless.

Whitney's eyes were wet with tears. The only thing that steadied her swirling emotions was the rhythmic thump of Ludwik's heartbeat through his sturdy back.

Choking back her sobs, she said, "It's all my fault for being so clueless. If only I had realized sooner that she was my mom."

"Whitney, everything happened so suddenly. I bet Bryce was planning something shady, but your mom caught on way quicker than he expected. They turned desperate, leaving no choice but to risk it all."

"Florence, Bryce-these two need to be locked up for good."

A single tear slipped from her eye, landing among Ludwik's short, bristly hair like a heavy stone.

Her anguish pained him, "Whitney, I promise, I will."

"Mr. Lippert!" A bodyguard ahead called back, shining his flashlight into the thicket on the hillside. "I found a trail through the bushes. Someone's gone up this way."

"Follow the trail to the top!" Ludwik quickly changed direction.

the top of the hill. They tied up my mom inside the mountain. There's

move fast." Ludwik picked up the pace, still carrying

at the hilltop, making the forest less of a shadowy cover. From afar, a cave-like formation was visible on the rock face. Whitney slid off Ludwik's back, her eyes

heart pounding with urgency, she made a break for

her arm, his sharp

was off. "Bryce wouldn't kidnap

backup. But we have

on the way up. It doesn't add up. They

there, and you expect me to wait outside? Ludwik, no matter what, I'm going in

wrenched free from Ludwik's grip and dashed

off guard, Ludwik had no choice but to

entrance was narrow, leading to an incline. Ludwik, worried for her safety,

darker section of the cave. Ludwik's flashlight revealed stalactites hanging ominously from the

rushed ahead. "There's a stone platform! Clothes and ropes... it's

the bloodstains. Whitney's