Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 406

Her drunken state was dangerously inviting, and he found himself losing control.

The moment he tasted her, he quickly lost all reason, desire burning fiercely within him.

He had long forgotten whether this was right or wrong.

He pinned her slender legs with his own, biting at her neck as intense emotions poured from his eyes. In a pained and soft voice, he asked her, "If this is all just a dream, Whitney... can I do this?" Whitney mumbled incoherently, confused by the question. Her mind was foggy with alcohol, and her body's instinctual responses left her feeling dizzy with desire.

"Not even in a dream! Ludwik, I despise you so much, it makes my teeth clench. I will never..."

Forgive him?

He didn't want to hear any more of her hurtful words, even her drunken truths were filled with hatred for him. It seemed he really had no chance!

His hand hesitated over her heart, unsure whether to proceed.

Yet, the fire within him pulsed and soared, her allure burning him up inside. Despite knowing he shouldn't...

He gave in, tearing at her clothes. Whitney cried out as he could no longer maintain his gentlemanly facade before her.

"This will be the last time, even in a dream. Don't scream."

He gently covered her mouth, his kisses trailing down as he looked into her troubled, hazy eyes. "I'll be gentle. You won't remember when you wake up. You'll only remember your hatred for me." Tears moistened the corners of his eyes as he lifted the delicate form of Whitney into his arms...

After two hours of turmoil, Ludwik carried the woman out of the bathtub and gently placed her in the bedroom, next to Danny.

He lingered over her flushed appearance before stepping out the door.

"I'm sorry." Ludwik's deep voice fragmented in the air, his handsome face expressionless. "I have to leave." The night returned to silence.

---

Whitney woke from a fragmented dream feeling disoriented. Her head ached, and her body felt unusually sore.

The man in her dream had pinned her against the wall with such intensity that breathing and resisting seemed all too real.

His eyes were filled with pain as he held her hand, not allowing her to refuse, his kisses silencing her...

Blushing, Whitney impulsively threw back the covers!

Her clothes were neatly arranged...

"Mummy..." Danny popped his head out from the blankets.

Whitney was baffled and asked, "Honey, what are you doing here?"

"Last night, Daddy brought me over. He's leaving Banyan City. He left me here with you to help you get through these tough times." Danny tried to put a positive spin on his dad's message, hoping to make his mom feel better.

Whitney was stunned. Leaving Banyan City?

Wait, the main point was, had Ludwik really come to her house?

Was that inappropriate dream real or just a fantasy?

Her face burning, Whitney got up, feeling genuinely uncomfortable. She was no longer a little girl...

She rushed into the bathroom, frowned as she stripped, and checked her body in the mirror, but found no signs of intimacy.

He was always so forceful, and every time they were together, she'd be left with bruises.

Whitney was frustrated, her memories of the night were fragmented, and she couldn't be sure if Ludwik had taken advantage of her or not.

If she were sober, there was no way she'd let anything happen between them, especially since they hated each other so much.

But if she was drunk and he took advantage, even for a moment...

Damn, she couldn't just ask him outright.

What if it was all just a dream of his, and letting him know would only show she couldn't forget him?

Tossing her head in frustration, Whitney decided to push those thoughts aside and quickly got ready to make breakfast for her son.

Danny still struggled with brushing his teeth, foam all over his mouth as he asked, "Mommy, I told you Daddy is leaving Banyan City. Why don't you ask where he's going?"

"It's none of my business." Her response was cold.

Danny silently mourned for his absent dad.

After breakfast, Whitney sent Danny next door, planning to have Yael take him to the hospital to visit Natalie.

Keegan gestured to Whitney, suggesting, "Whitney, your dad knows about your child now. He really wants to meet his grandchild. He's nearby in this apartment complex. Maybe you should talk to him again, okay?" Danny looked up curiously.

But Whitney had Yael take him first.

Whitney sighed softly, "There's no need, Keegan. Since I've decided not to go back to the Sheldon family..."

"Whitney, think it over. Your mom's death in Banyan City was mysterious. There's a lot that doesn't add up.'

"

Torin joined them, using sign language to express his thoughts, "It seemed like the Valentines were behind the poisoning, but we suspected the Bartels had a hand in it. However, I recall several calls from Emperor City to your mom. After those calls, she was so angry she had a heart attack. It wasn't the Bartels on the phone. The Tennysons and Bartels are enemies, mostly because of your grandfather. The person who could make your mom that angry, well, it has to be Hudson."

Whitney was taken aback. Torin suggested that besides the Bartels, someone else might have been involved in her mother's death, possibly within the Sheldon family. Her first thought was Hudson's current wife...

"My point is, if you want to uncover the truth about what happened back then, you might have to reconsider returning to the Sheldon family."

Torin brought up these concerns mainly because of Hudson's recent words. If Whitney was in danger from anyone in the Sheldon family, it might be safer for her to be with them.

Whitney was lost in thought, not quite grasping Torin's intentions.

The death of her mother had haunted her, leading her to believe that the Bartels family was to blame. She had, in her own ways, made them pay a price.

But what if she was wrong?

---

Carrying a whirlwind of thoughts, Whitney arrived at Skye Gem Ltd. only to replace many of the female employees off their desks, buzzing with the latest gossip.

Seeing her, they shouted "Ms. Valentine," while giving her curious glances.

"What's going on?" Whitney asked Nyx as they walked together.

Nyx followed her into the office, closed the door, and then pulled out a tablet. "Haven't you heard?

Your ex-husband, Mr. Lippert, made the headlines today!

Turns out, he's the heir to the Lippert family fortune, a real-life prince in hiding, oh my God, now he's officially the richest man in the world.

Jason's son, huh, ruling over Harmonia Country. This morning, his private jet landed in Emperor City, and the whole Lippert family was there to greet the heir. Look at this grand entrance." Whitney froze, her gaze shifting subtly to the news on the tablet.

The man stood at the jet's entrance, his figure tall and imposing in a hand-tailored suit, his legs sharply outlined, demanding attention.

With one hand, he casually unbuttoned his suit, his expression cold as he prepared to disembark. Those dark, narrow eyes squinted slightly, exuding danger and unpredictability even through the screen. It was a casual attire for him, a usual expression.

Yet, standing before Emperor City's airport, his background and identity had dramatically changed.

Skyfaith Group had already given him an unfathomable depth, but the title of heir to the Lippert family was of the highest prestige in Harmonia Country.

He had become an insurmountable presence, looking down upon the world.

Whitney suddenly felt a vast distance between them, her eyelashes fluttering in shock. So, when Danny said he was leaving Banyan City, he was returning to Emperor City?

To inherit his family's billions?

She silently put the tablet down, deciding to calm herself,

Just then, Tiana's call came through...