Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 353

She flopped down at the table, eager to get the ordering over with.

"What'll it be?" the waitress asked, eyeing the imposing Ludwik with a mix of sympathy.

"Same as my wife."

The waitress's pity deepened as she shot Orion a look, "Seems like there's no shortage of guys on the side these days, not even half as good-looking as the real deal." Orion?

Calling him the other man was one thing, but saying he wasn't as handsome as Ludwik? That was a low blow.

He scowled.

Ludwik stood up and made his way to the barbecue grill where the cook was preparing their food. His brows furrowed in disgust, his obsession with cleanliness kicking in, "Did you wash everything my wife ordered?"

"We wouldn't serve it if it wasn't clean, we've been in business for over a decade!" the cook retorted.

Ludwik tossed a wad of bills at the waitress, "Wash hers again, just to avoid any stomach issues."

The waitress looked conflicted, "And what about his?" She nodded towards Orion's order.

Ludwik didn't reply, instead, he walked over, picked up a handful of dirt, and sprinkled it over the skewers, "Just like that, the dirtier, the better."

The cook and waitress were both speechless.

So, it wasn't long before Orion was chewing on more grit than meat.

"This is ridiculous," he complained to Whitney, "Doesn't yours have any grit in it?"

"Not at all," Whitney replied innocently, her lips tinged pink from the spices, puffing her cheeks as she ate, her face a delicate shade of red. Ludwik's gaze deepened, reminiscing about the time, three years ago, when he introduced her to spicy street food. Back then, she had none of the airs of a high-society lady, just a girl who loved the thrill of spice.

But those days were long gone, replaced by a cold, cunning woman, shrouded in mystery, slipping from his grasp.

He swallowed hard, his heart racing. Damn it, he was about to get married... He averted his gaze as she coughed, passing her a glass of water.

"Thanks," she murmured, looking at his elegant hands.

He just watched her eat, lost in the moment, thinking about Elaine's wild ways. Whitney felt a brief pang of sympathy for him before snapping out of it, "Aren't you eating?"

"It's dirty."

Fine, play the aristocrat.

After she finished, he handed her a wet wipe, and she accepted it, her heart feeling oddly heavy. When it was Orion's turn, Ludwik tossed the whole pack into the trash. "Ludwik, you're unbelievable, favoring her like that?"

"Cut down on accompanying her to those jewelry expos, or I'll take down Imperial Gem Corporation myself," Ludwik warned Orion.

Orion was taken aback by the threat.

Ludwik turned to Whitney, stern, "I'm driving you home. Stay out of bars and maybe start reading some kindergarten material."

She rolled her eyes, thinking he should focus more on Elaine, with her wandering ways.

The moment was broken by Ludwik's phone ringing. "Felix?... Right, I'm on my way back to the company."

He looked at Whitney, "There's an urgent matter at Skyfaith Group..."

"I can get home myself, thanks," Whitney replied, waving him off.

Ludwik left in a Bentley that arrived for him, leaving Whitney to reflect on the night in the taxi with Orion.

Orion broke the silence, "Seems like Ludwik's still got it bad for you. Did you see the way he looked after you tonight? Still, love dies hard."

Whitney's heart skipped, but she quickly dismissed the thought. After being hurt by him, she couldn't afford to trust again.

"He spoils Elaine rotten," Orion remarked, showing her a news article about Ludwik gifting Elaine a four-million-dollar wedding dress.

The cold wind seemed even colder as Whitney read about their plans to start a family soon.

So, he gets his picture-perfect bride while keeping her as a backup? A bitter smile crossed her lips.

Her phone chimed. A message from Jarvis: "Ms. Valentine, are you up for a chat?"

Seems like he and Elaine were done for the night.

Whitney's eyes grew cold as she proposed a plan to Orion, "There's a way to get back at Ludwik, with someone's help. Are you in?"

Orion was shocked at her sudden change of heart.

"A guy named Jarvis. He's after Ludwik too."

She spoke plainly, her gaze sharp, "You mentioned your dad doesn't think highly of Ludwik, suspecting his background, right? Jarvis, from the Lippert family in Emperor City, that powerful Lippert family, isn't that your uncle?" "Yeah, but my dad and uncle don't get along. His base in Banyan City is far weaker than my uncle's."

Whitney speculated that Jarvis's move against Ludwik must be tied to the Emperor City and the influential Lippert family.

But it wasn't her concern.

She leaned back in her chair, her slender frame cold and rigid, a bitter laugh escaping her lips despite the shiver, "The beef between Ludwik and me from three years ago needs to be settled.

I can't forgive him for causing me to fall into the sea three years ago, for the countless nights of bone-chilling leg pains, and for the times Sammy almost lost his life to asthma attacks.

If Ludwik's downfall this time could be considered repayment for what he did to me and my son...

Once he no longer has a firm grip on Danny's custody, I'll be able to take Danny away.

Especially since he plans to have kids with Elaine, I'll seize this chance to take my child and disappear from his life forever."

Orion looked at Whitney's pain and resilience mingling on her delicate yet fierce profile.

Taking a deep breath, he found himself at a loss for words. Whitney's resolve was overwhelming.

Was she really going to go through with her plan to get back at Ludwik and take off with their son?

Orion suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for his so-called brother, his voice trembling as he asked, "I get why you want to get back at Elaine, but don't you have any love or soft spot left for Ludwik?" She had her moments of tenderness and hesitation, like just moments ago, but they were always crushed by his relentless blows.

With a self-mocking grip on her phone, Whitney stared at Jarvis's message box...

-

The next day, at the cemetery.

Whitney, accompanied by her uncle who had just been released from prison and had healed from his injuries, went to pay her respects to her mother, Parisa Tennyson.

Yael had never seen his aunt, and Torin hadn't seen the young mistress of the house for many years.

As the group approached the grave, they found that someone had already visited, leaving behind a bunch of chrysanthemums and the surrounding grass carefully trimmed. Keegan was puzzled; the Tennyson family had fallen from grace in Banyan City over a decade ago, and no one should remember his sister and father. "Preston? Even less likely," Keegan mused with a frown.

Whitney was equally baffled. Who could it be? Besides her, no one should know the location of her mother's grave.

"Probably an old acquaintance," Torin suggested, his gaze dropping to the unusual bouquet of dark chrysanthemums before signaling with his hands.