Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 370

As Ludwik tried to add something to the conversation, Whitney quickly stood up, scooping up Sammy and placing him between them.

It was like there was a wall, not just any wall but an impenetrable barrier, sitting between two distant worlds.

Ludwik's face darkened. Was she really treating him like he was some kind of thief?

He couldn't make heads or tails of the children's movie they were watching. Seeing both his son and Whitney engrossed in it left him speechless. Did she actually enjoy this kind of stuff?

His gaze unintentionally drifted to her, the fluctuating light casting soft shadows on her face. Her skin was flawless, reminding him of a teenage girl's, soft and porcelain without a single pore in sight. Her features were tender yet refined, capable of captivating anyone's heart. Stray strands of hair framed her face as her eyes widened in amazement at the screen, occasionally puffing her cheeks in a childlike manner.

Adorably juvenile...

The corners of Ludwik's mouth curved up, a reaction he wasn't even aware of until the sudden, distinct sound of his own heartbeat thundered in his ears.

He snapped back to reality. Was he falling for this woman all over again?

Damn it.

It seemed like he was...

Feeling a bit stiff in the smile, he coolly shifted his gaze away and reached for a cola next to him, his thoughts in turmoil.

Just as he took a sip, Whitney shot him a look of disdain. "You're drinking my cola. Didn't you get your own?"

Ludwik glanced at the straw, noticing the vibrant lipstick mark on it.

Something stirred within him, and he took another sip, effectively consuming the remnants of her lipstick.

Whitney watched his oblivious action, her cheeks flushing with a mix of irritation and something else. "That's my cola!"

She repeated, annoyed. Was he doing this on purpose, consuming her lipstick like that?

Ludwik leaned back, creating some space from their son, his voice dropping to a teasing tone, "It's just a cola, why so stingy? Besides, it's not like I haven't tasted your saliva and lipstick before." Whitney's face turned even redder.

"For heaven's sake, Sammy's right here! What are you saying?" she hissed, covering one of Sammy's ears with her hand, her voice laced with warning.

Ludwik glanced at his son, confidently stating, "Sammy's clueless, he won't understand any of this."

Sammy rolled his eyes in disbelief. Was his dad really bad-mouthing him behind his back? How dare he!

"Dad, I understand perfectly," Sammy muttered under his breath.

Ludwik choked, a look of disbelief crossing his face.

"And you're both too loud, I can't hear the movie. Could you please follow the theater etiquette, adults?"

Both Whitney and Ludwik were silenced, the former looking sheepishly at her son before shooting Ludwik a glare.

Ludwik simply touched his nose and quietly settled back into his seat.

For the remainder of the movie, there was no further noise, with Sammy deeply engrossed in the film.

After the movie, Whitney took Sammy to the restroom, the boy expressing regret that "Danny" couldn't come to see the movie with them tonight.

"It's okay," Whitney reassured, patting his head. "Next time, we'll sneak out just the three of us."

Sammy pondered before sharing, "Mommy, Danny told me that the bad lady got out, but the wedding's off and it seems like it won't be happening again. And the bad lady got kicked out by dad." Whitney paused, her lips curling into a scornful smile.

As they exited, Ludwik was waiting in the corridor, standing tall and dignified like a loyal guard dog.

Offering her a wet wipe with a slight smile, he asked, "Hungry? Where do you wanna eat? I'll have Felix book a restaurant..."

His quick motion accidentally dislodged another item from his pocket.

Clatter. It fell to the ground.

Whitney recognized it instantly - the voice recorder she'd sent to his office.

She had gone through such lengths to expose Elaine at their wedding, anonymously reporting her to the police.

This recording was meant to show Ludwik how vile Elaine was.

Yet, he hadn't handed it over to the police.

And today, Elaine was free.

Ludwik saw the recorder fall and felt a sinking feeling.

Whitney picked it up before he could react, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Mr. Lippert couldn't bear to hand over the evidence of Elaine stealing the chip to the police?"

Caught off guard, Ludwik frowned, "Whitney..."

"I gave you the evidence in good faith, to show you the true colors of your darling wife. She and Jarvis stole that chip, but it seems you couldn't care less."

"It's not like that, and don't mention 'darling wife.' The wedding's off, and there won't be another one."

"Then why did you let her go?" Whitney asked, her tone icy.

Ludwik sighed, his expression softening, "Elaine had a medical emergency in jail. The case against Sammy was ultimately pinned on a high-ranking official from Jar Rail Corporation, with no direct evidence linking her."

"She despises Sammy, wished he'd disappear, and you don't have doubts?" Whitney fumed.

Ludwik's expression darkened briefly before he calmly explained, "She claimed Jarvis forced her into the kidnapping. Regardless, my mother owes her life - a kidney, to be precise. If something happened to her in jail, I'd be responsible. She's saved me before; I had to give her the benefit of the doubt for her health's sake."

With a flick of her wrist, Whitney tossed the recorder back to him.

Ludwik moved to catch her arm, but Whitney sneered, "I shouldn't expect Mr. Lippert to do anything cruel for his beloved. Since you're so concerned about Elaine, go take care of her. Why are you still here, annoying me?"

She picked up Sammy and walked away.

Ludwik's expression darkened, his voice low, "Can we not mention her again..."

"No, we cannot, you jerk," Whitney snapped, her chest tight with frustration.

Elaine hadn't donated any kidney to Natalie; the whole story was fabricated, and yet Ludwik had fallen for it. Whitney hoped the truth would come out soon, especially for Natalie's sake. Clutching her son, Whitney walked away, her heart heavy.

The ringing of his phone forced Ludwik to halt in his tracks, just as he was about to catch up. It was Jason calling, and he couldn't just ignore it.

After the call, he looked up to see the young woman quickly walking away with her son in her arms.

With a frustrated twist of his brow, Jason said, "Ludwik, I need you to come to my hotel. I have to head back to Emperor City soon, and there's something important we need to discuss." This sounded serious... Ludwik had a feeling he couldn't just brush it off.

Reluctantly, he made his way out of the cinema.

In the executive suite of a five-star hotel, one of Jason's men opened the door for him. Jason sat in a chair, exuding authority, dressed in a sharp suit.

Upon seeing Ludwik enter, tall and imposing, with a hidden fierceness, he reminded Jason of his own younger days.

The older man stood up, satisfied, "Ludwik, you've handled this situation brilliantly! Clearing your name with the police, turning Skyfaith's fortunes around, you've shown the tycoons what you're capable of." Ludwik remained silent, just taking a seat.

Jason looked up, his tone serious and direct, "You're my biological son, Ludwik. I'm not your uncle; I'm your father. You must've guessed it, right?"

Ludwik paused, having suspected as much. Yet, hearing it confirmed shook him to the core.

His gaze, icy and intense, turned towards Jason with a mix of emotions swirling within.