Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 440

Whitney's cheeks flushed a deep red, a mix of anger and a touch of hurt coloring her expression. The chill from Ludwik's gaze made her scalp tingle. Sure, Justin had seen her when her shirt was soaked, but that was just a glance. But this...

Biting her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, Whitney shot back defiantly, "What does it matter to you if he touched me or not? Ludwik, need I remind you that you're almost my brother-in-law? What right do you have to interrogate me like this? Don't you replace it ridiculous? You..."

Suddenly, the sound of knocking and hurried footsteps came from outside. Heidi's voice called out with concern, "Ludwik, are you there? Have you seen Whitney? Can you open the door, please?"

Whitney stiffened, her gaze locked on the door, panic evident in her eyes. Instinctively, she clutched at Ludwik's sleeve, forgetting their argument, and asked with reddened eyes, "What do we do now?"

Seeing her panicked face and how she willingly moved closer, Ludwik felt a softening in his gaze. She was holding his shirt, yet to put it on, foolishly arguing with him, her figure fully exposed to his view. Swallowing hard, his voice deep and low, he said, "What to do? First, get dressed. Have you lost your mind? Or are you waiting for me to dress you?"-He raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her.

Whitney's face turned even redder, and out of sheer panic, she suddenly started hiccupping, "Hic! Hic... Uh!"

"Ludwik, who's with you in there?" Joanne's voice could be heard, sounding suspiciously high-pitched as if she was pressing her ear against the door.

Suddenly, Ludwik's large hand covered Whitney's mouth, and with a swift motion, he took the shirt from her hand, pulling her close and pinning her against the wardrobe, "Ludwik, you... jerk, what are you doing, don't touch me..."

Whitney gazed at him in alarm... Her slender arms were lifted as his arms wrapped around her front, slipping the shirt on her. Frustrated beyond belief, she felt like a doll being fussed over in his broad embrace, unsure if his hands brushing against her chest were intentional...

Finally, with the men's shirt covering her, Ludwik quickly buttoned it up, and just when Whitney thought he would step back... suddenly, he grasped her wrists, pinning them against the wall, and leaned in, his lips almost touching hers in a forceful kiss. Whitney's face burned with humiliation, and she kicked at his shin, "You dare touch me—hic!"

"As for you, right now, you're not even worth it," she glared, focusing on his lips. Their breaths mingling, he suddenly stopped, pressing his lips together and staring at her. Whitney blinked, confused by his sudden halt.

He asked, "Hiccups gone?"

"... Ah." She took a breath, and realizing her hiccups had stopped, her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, "You..." "Your hiccups were too loud. I had to scare them away. What were you thinking?" His lips curved into a teasing smile. "Anyway, you have no right to touch me now!" Whitney warned, her anger mingling with embarrassment.

He looked at her with a deep, rueful expression, fully aware of his lack of entitlement. Facing such a tempting sight, he had been struggling to restrain himself, nearly succumbing to the urge to kiss her, but he knew he no longer had the right. Ludwik stood up, gently releasing her wrists, his thumb rubbing them soothingly, "Stay hidden." He then turned and left.

Whitney watched him go, his gentle assurance unexpectedly calming her racing heart. He didn't kiss her. Would he help her? Nervously, she hid at the bottom of the wardrobe.

Click-The bedroom door opened, Ludwik faced Joanne, Heidi, Holly, and Sienna crowding the hallway, his gaze icy, "What Whitney? I've been with Florence all this time; how could I have seen her?"

"She's missing!" Sienna stepped forward, peering into his room, "We're all so worried. We thought we heard something from Ludwik's room. Could she have hidden here?"

"Hidden? Why would she hide?" Ludwik's expression darkened, his question sharp. The group shifted uncomfortably, Holly discreetly tugging at Sienna's sleeve, realizing they had slipped up in their rush.

"It seems something unsavory happened with Whitney tonight. Who's to blame? I'm curious!" Ludwik's cold gaze settled on Joanne, also glancing at Heidi, clearly another pawn sent by Jarvis to stir trouble. Any drama involving him, Jarvis wouldn't just sit back and watch. Heidi and Joanne were visibly shaken by his stern demeanor. "Breaking into my villa, do you think I'm that easy-going? Leave." Ludwik's smile was anything but warm.

Joanne shivered, "Sorry for the disturbance." She quickly led the group away, Holly reluctantly glancing back at the bedroom. She had come to Ludwik's villa on Florence's behest, but now dared not speak up, sensing Ludwik's suspicion about the night's events. Ludwik closed the door firmly, pulling the slightly bemused Whitney from her hiding spot. Soon after, an elderly servant brought a set of women's clothes. Whitney quickly changed, dried her hair, while Ludwik sat on the sofa, smoking elegantly. He glanced at her, then stood, "Come with me."

Whitney followed him, her gaze downcast, almost like a docile wife. They left the bedroom, exiting the villa. Unbeknownst to them, someone paused a short distance away, capturing a photo of Ludwik leading a woman out of the bedroom with a sly smile. Ludwik led Whitney to the helipad. Whitney, puzzled, asked, "Why?"

He raised an eyebrow, "They're still looking for you. Your father and mine are both involved now. How would you explain where you've been if you went back the same way?"

Realization dawned on Whitney. So, taking a helicopter would avoid the searching servants. But wasn't this a bit much? Before she could protest, Whitney was ushered onto the aircraft. To her surprise, Ludwik followed.

As the helicopter took off, she clutched at her seat, catching Ludwik's amused look at her discomfort. "First time on one of these, huh?" His lips curved in a smirk, lounging there, with the resort shrinking in the background like a scene from a postcard. He bore the air of a proud sovereign, unbothered and tranquil.

Whitney couldn't be less interested in engaging with him. The silence around them cooled her temper, making her reluctant to continue their conversation. Ludwik let out a soft sigh. Yeah, just moments ago, back in the bedroom where she was vulnerable, she showed a hint of dependence on him. Now, she was back to being a prickly little thing, laying out the cold distance and resentment between them like a challenge.

He pulled out a first aid kit. Whitney's lips pressed together as she suddenly remembered the glass cut she got while scaling the wall in her escape attempt. She hadn't expected him to notice such a minor wound, let alone care about it...

He opened the kit and handed her some iodine. With a pout, Whitney snatched it from him, grabbed the tweezers, and clenched her teeth as she began to work on her palm.

"Why so stubborn?" His voice was soft and low, a frown creasing his brow as he took the tweezers from her, his large hand gently holding hers.