Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 338

Ludwik felt a jolt run through him at the touch of her soft, warm hands. It was as if electricity coursed through his veins.

His voice, rough and tinged with a hint of danger, accused, "You little troublemaker."

Whitney's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. Honestly, she wished she could chop off her own hands right now. The tingling sensation at her fingertips sent shivers down her spine.

She tried to explain, her voice laced with a headache, "It was an accident, I was just here to grab some clothes..."

"Save it. Putting everything else aside, I know you were quite satisfied with what happened," Ludwik teased with a confident smirk tugging at his lips.

Silence. Whitney had never met someone so shameless. Her heart raced, threatening to burst.

Her face, a shade redder, her almond-shaped eyes slightly misted, gave her an unintentionally seductive look.

Biting her lip, she felt at a disadvantage, unsure of how to counter such a topic.

Her annoyed yet charming demeanor, biting her lip as if cornered in bed by him...

Ludwik's gaze darkened, his breath grew heavier, and he couldn't help but reach out to tilt her chin up slightly, his voice husky, "Lost for words? Agreeing by silence? Last time you dared to criticize my skills..." "Agree my foot!"

With a huff, Whitney pushed him away with all her might. His body was hot, the muscles exuding the vigor of his prime.

Her cheeks flushed with both heat and annoyance. "For heaven's sake, Mr. Lippert, keep it together, will you? What do you think you're doing flirting with me?

'Davina's beloved fiancé' - shall I tattoo it on your forehead or what?"

Ludwik's face twitched. Flirting?

His handsome face turned a shade darker, not appreciating her dousing their spark with cold water.

The atmosphere turned awkward as he stepped back, releasing her waist and grabbing a towel, his voice dripping with dissatisfaction, "Flirting? Me? You're the one coming onto me. Get lost, haven't had enough?" Oh, come on, big guy, whose house is this anyway?

You come to my house to shower, and you're accusing me of trying to seduce you?

Whitney rolled her eyes at his imposing figure, her face expressing disdain, "There's nothing much to see, really. Seen one, seen them all."

Ludwik's veins bulged with anger. Nothing much to see?

Does she even realize how lucky she is, this infuriating woman, he thought bitterly, his voice laced with venom, "Have you no shame? ... 'Seen one, seen them all?' How many have you seen exactly?"

"In the past three years, I've worked as an andrology nurse, Mr. Lippert. Seems like you've forgotten.

If it matters that much to you, then let me comfort you. It's great, really great..."

Her soft voice, that 'really great', almost made Ludwik lose his composure again.

His eyes darkened.

Leaving with a stormy face, he then caught her switching instantly to a radiant warmth towards Danny, "Danny, have you had dinner yet?"

"No, daddy didn't cook for me. Mommy, I'm so hungry. Feel so pitiful."

Whitney immediately shot Ludwik a glare before hurrying to the kitchen.

Ludwik watched his son's act of misery, sneering, "Relying on her to cook? You might as well starve. She can't hold a candle to your daddy's cooking!"

Danny rolled his eyes. Dad's cooking was fine, but variety is the spice of life.

Mommy's dishes were divine. He had sneaked a taste several times and was hooked.

Soon, Ludwik sensed an incredible aroma wafting from the kitchen.

He couldn't resist walking over. The kitchen was cozy, bathed in a warm glow. Whitney, her hair pinned up casually with a chopstick, looked effortlessly soft and tender. A few strands of hair tickled her cheeks as she cooked, giving her an irresistibly gentle charm. Ludwik felt a dryness in his throat, an urge to brush those stray hairs away.

Before he knew it, his hand had reached out.

"What are you doing?" Whitney turned, her eyes wide with surprise at his intense gaze.

"Cough," Ludwik tried to mask his unexpected gesture, "Didn't want you to cut yourself. My son would have to eat takeout then."

Whitney quickly focused back on cooking.

Ludwik's eyes widened at the sight of meatloaf, steamed eggs, braised ribs, a fresh vegetable soup, and a colorful rice dish made with corn, carrots, and shrimp - a kid's delight, along with a low-sugar, low-fat soufflé for dessert.

Noticing his scrutinizing gaze on the dessert, Whitney snapped, "It's low-sugar and low-fat, perfect for kids."

Ludwik raised an eyebrow.

His glance returned to the living room, noticing a child's high chair near the dining area, which struck him as odd. Entering the room, he had spotted it earlier.

Curious, he asked softly, "How come you're making kid-friendly food?"

"There's a child's dining chair in the living room, but Danny has never been here before. Could there be another child?"

Whitney froze, realizing her oversight. That was Sammy's chair, she had forgotten to put it away.

Caught off guard, she explained, "...The chair was bought thinking Danny might come over sometime."

Ludwik narrowed his eyes, "Bought it quite aptly. You seem quite experienced with children?"

Three years ago, she was blamed for a child's death and fled. Logically, she shouldn't have any experience with caring for children.

Whitney looked at him with disdain, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Of course, I'm experienced. I did my homework when I was pregnant. While you and Davina were busy, you sent me to a psychiatric facility. I had already planned everything for the child's upbringing." Mentioning that period made Ludwik fall silent, his expression darkening.

Sending her for treatment might have been a rash decision, but at the time, he wanted to ensure the unborn child's safety.

This woman spoke as if she deeply cared for children, and yet... He took a deep breath, knowing further discussion would only reopen old wounds.

Whitney was relieved to see him hold back. He didn't deserve to know that both his children were alive and well.

As she turned around, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Sammy walking in.

At that moment, Ludwik also turned, spotting the little boy standing next to Danny. He frowned, "Who's this?"

Whitney's heart nearly skipped a beat, her eyes wide open, uncertain how to react.

Danny, with a mischievous grin, sauntered over, sneaking a glance at his mom before exchanging a conspiratorial smirk with his little accomplice. "Mom, I wanna crash here tonight, so I ordered some takeout to get a toothbrush and face towel delivered," he announced. Whitney, catching sight of Sammy bundled up with a mask and hat, felt her heart do flips, her breath coming in short bursts.

She quickly caught on to the little scheme the two rascals were playing, her pretty face clouding over with annoyance.

Was this really Ludwik's idea of fun? She was so ready to spank them, just about to take the stuff and hustle Sammy out the door.

But Ludwik was quicker, grabbing the bag first. He scrutinized the 'kid' delivering food, his brows knitting together in confusion. "You're out delivering at this age? Whose kid are you?" he asked, his voice deep and questioning.

Whitney was speechless. Your kid, obviously.

She desperately wanted to divert Ludwik's attention and get Sammy out of there.

Instead, Ludwik crouched down, eyeing the small face under the mask with a sharp gaze. "You look familiar, kiddo," he remarked.

At this point, Whitney felt like jumping out of a window. A kid who was the spitting image of Danny, of course, he looked familiar.