Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1314

She clenched her jaw, frustration tightening her voice. "You don't have to pretend you don't care, you know. Elaine was really tangled up with you, back in the day."

"Is it just a thing with women?" Ludwik shot back, his tone edged with impatience. "You want us to say something we don't mean, just so you can prove your own suspicions, and then get mad anyway and threaten to break up? Is that how this goes?"

Whitney fell silent. He'd boxed her in-what else could she say?

"Are you seriously calling me dramatic right now, Mr. Lippert?"

"No. Sorry. Wouldn't dare," he answered curtly.

But Whitney could practically hear the smooth-talking, the fake humility in his

words.

Her jaw tightened, like she'd just tried to punch a pillow-no resistance at all.

Ludwik, the sly old fox.

"You slap me with one hand, and toss me a sugar cube with the other. Ludwik, do you really think I'm that easy to brush off?"

Ludwik: ...

why ex-wives

Elaine anymore. You know, I literally gave her

softer. "I get it-her name just feels like a splinter right now. That's why I have to be honest. Why waste our call talking about people who

sweet nothings anyway. Their calls were more like

out a breath, her lips curling in a half smile. "So, what do you want

starters, when are you coming back

been in Chicago for two days. I want to spend some more time with

crying for you. She hardly lets anyone from the Lippert family hold her seems like she only wants her mom." Ludwik dropped the guilt trip

Whitney right in the gut. Her mother's instincts kicked in,

she knew better than to fall for Ludwik's tricks. "Oh, really? I thought

not her mother, are they? Valerie's still a baby. At this age, a mom's

he know so much? He probably binge-read some

he wasn't wrong. Professionally speaking,

one. But she wasn't about to let

Ludwik continued, "Parker says

all else