Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 311

Isn't that just a stroke of fate? Parker's whistle stretched long and thin, a sound that seemed to linger in the air. If Ludwik and Whitney happened to bump into each other at the pharmacy, it could only be chalked up to destiny!

It seemed Parker shouldn't interfere with Whitney...

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of an intriguing stare fixed on him-

Whitney emerged, and upon turning her head, she saw Parker leaning against the wall, standing at the doorway of a ground floor room. Tall and distinguished, his face framed by wire-rimmed glasses, his gaze upon her was vibrant and alive. Seeing him, Whitney felt a surge of irritation.

Thoughts of Tiana upstairs, still in tears, crossed her mind.

Ever since she had escorted her back, Tiana's mood hadn't stabilized.

And Endora was to blame for all of it!

And here was Parker, casually standing around, oblivious to the fact that Tiana and Cherry were just upstairs...

Thinking of them, she realized it didn't matter now.

Whitney held her tongue, but couldn't resist throwing a cold remark as she passed by him, "Mr. Doonan, what's with the staring?"

"Maybe spend some time keeping your fiancée from biting people's heads off."

Parker, caught off guard, was left speechless and a bit taken aback.

Shifting his stance, he was slow to react, watching her storm out of the hotel, the reflection off his glasses, "Ms. Valentine, what do you mean by that?"

What did he mean? These men were clueless.

Frustrated, Whitney stormed into the pharmacy, looking around only to replace there was no herbal medicine section. She couldn't replace the acupuncture kit she wanted for Tiana... Resigned, she headed over to the western medicine section, intending to buy some ointment for Tiana's bruised wrist.

Crash-

She collided with a solid, warm body, nearly seeing stars from the impact, her balance faltering, only to be steadied by the man's arms around her waist.

They turned to face each other, both startled.

Looking up, Whitney saw Ludwik, his face pale and handsome under the light, his jaw set, exuding masculinity.

His body was surprisingly warm!

"It's you..." Ludwik leaned down, his eyes narrowing at the sight of her.

His touch on her body sparked a reaction, his grip tightening involuntarily.

"Mr. Lippert? Let go," Whitney swiftly twisted out of his grasp.

Looking down at his empty hand, Ludwik's throat felt dry, his mood inexplicably somber.

Whitney couldn't fathom what was going on with him, his gaze so dark?

Thinking of how protective he had been of Elaine just moments before at the conference, she recoiled, taking several steps back, having no intention of engaging with him. She moved to another aisle, inspecting the products closely.

Ludwik, distracted, stared at the products in front of him, clueless about what to buy.

His senses seemed to be picking up on her scent, his steps unknowingly following her.

"Where's the bruise treatment?" Whitney asked a clerk, her long hair cascading around her neck, a stark contrast to her pale skin.

Ludwik's gaze darkened.

"Over here?" Whitney bent down, adjusting her hair.

Once again, she bumped into someone.

Turning, her expression immediately cooled, "Mr. Lippert, what's your problem? Do you own this aisle, always bumping into me?"

"Bumping into you?" Ludwik responded, his tone deep and contemplative. "What do you mean by that?"

Whitney didn't catch his drift, only noting the huskiness in his voice, his features carrying a slight hint of roguishness.

Realizing she didn't understand, Ludwik too grasped the implications of his words.

Cursed medication, turning his thoughts dirty, his mind filled with suggestive images.

"This aisle is narrow," he offered as a cold explanation.

Whitney glanced around the cramped store, eager to get away from sharing air with him, quickly picking out several medications.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his lingering presence, replaceing it odd.

Looking up, she saw him standing in front of a shelf filled with condoms...

Whitney paused, taking in his pristine white shirt, his belt and trousers all appearing new, not the outfit from the conference.

He smelled freshly showered.

Standing before that particular shelf left little to the imagination, likely a last-minute errand on Elaine's behalf.

Her heart felt unexpectedly pierced, too fast for Whitney to defend against.

Her vision blurred momentarily, thinking she had moved on, yet she wasn't as tough as she thought.

Blinking away the confusion, Whitney bit her lip, feigning indifference, she teased, "What's the matter, Mr. Lippert? Brave enough to come here but too chicken to buy?" "Or, can't decide which model suits you?"

"What?" Ludwik looked down at her, his brow furrowed.

Playing dumb.

Whitney sarcastically retorted, "Hurry up, don't keep Elaine waiting."

Seeing her cold smile towards the shelf.

Ludwik turned, realizing what was before him, his face darkening.

How did he end up in front of these items? No wonder she got the wrong idea.

Yet, as a mature man, he wasn't embarrassed by such things. Picking up a box, he glanced at it, then asked her, "What do you prefer?"

Whitney was flabbergasted. Was this an appropriate topic between them?

"After all... three years ago, we didn't use any," he murmured to himself, a hint of self-mockery in his voice.

Those few times three years ago...

Whitney wished she had a knife to end this conversation.

His reminder triggered unwanted memories, her face stiffened, she turned and walked away swiftly.

Watching her hasty retreat, Ludwik's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes filled with an ambiguous darkness.

Whitney approached the cashier to pay.

The store was nearly empty, placing Ludwik right behind her in line.

The cashier handed her a bag, and as she packed her items, she noticed Ludwik placing several boxes on the counter, his voice deep enough to stir any woman, "I'll take all of these."

Both the cashier and the salesgirl, young women, blushed at the sight of his handsome face and robust figure, five boxes!

Everyone turned red.

Whitney glanced over, questioning if he could even use them all.

Silently cursing, she tried to ignore the heavy emotions, focusing instead on leaving.

Whitney could feel eyes on her, a sensation that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. When she dared to peek, she caught Ludwik's gaze squarely on her. His voice broke the silence, tinged with amusement, "What's the deal? You worried I'll run out of steam?" Her face flushed a deep red, caught off guard.

Clutching her purse tightly, she managed a frosty smile, "Me, worried? About you turning lead into gold? Please."

Ludwik had meant it as a jest, but the words made him take a deep breath.

Did this infuriating woman even grasp the weight of her words?

Every offhand comment was like a spark to him, teetering on the brink of desire, in a conversation no adult should tread lightly.

And Whitney was blissfully unaware, her words just sharp barbs meant to tease.

She carried her purchase back to the hotel, Ludwik trailing behind to the same destination.

Whitney beat him to the elevator, hitting the close button just in time.

Finally, she had a barrier between them.

A sigh of relief escaped her as she planned to deliver the medicine to Tiana's room, only to replace Ludwik stepping out of the neighboring elevator.

Did he have X-ray vision or something?

Whitney was in a bind.

She wondered if Tiana had managed to bring Cherry and Sammy over.

She had been on guard against Ludwik taking the kids. If he saw Sammy... her guilt was palpable.

Whitney had no choice but to abruptly turn, pretending to head to her own room as if nothing was amiss.

She and Tiana were on the same floor for convenience.

Room 2804 was just steps away from her executive suite.

The hotel's carpet muffled her steps, yet she couldn't shake off the feeling of being pursued, Ludwik's imposing shadow looming over her, nearly engulfing her.

"Ludwik, why are you following me?" Whitney challenged, clutching her room key, standing at her door, unable to hold back her glare.