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: ...

explain to him why ex-wives were so impossible

I really don't care about Elaine anymore. You know,

That's why I have to be honest. Why waste our call talking about

didn't really call him for sweet nothings anyway. Their calls were more like sparring matches

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

didn't miss a beat. "For starters, when are you

only been in Chicago for two days. I want to

hardly lets anyone from the Lippert family hold her seems like she

Whitney right in the gut. Her mother's instincts

than to fall for Ludwik's tricks. "Oh, really? I thought Danny and Sammy were doing a pretty good

are they? Valerie's still a baby. At this age, a mom's daily presence is key to

he know so much? He probably binge-read

wasn't wrong. Professionally speaking, he actually had

course she missed her little one. But she wasn't about to let him boss her around. "Once I finish up

Ludwik continued, "Parker says

all else