Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 513

The moment the door to the room clicked shut, Whitney was enveloped in a space that felt too small, too filled with a masculine presence that almost choked her.

Her strength waned as she gasped, "Get out."

"I know you don't want to see me, but you can't avoid me forever," Ludwik said, his voice a mixture of calm and reason.

Whitney felt her defenses crumble as she turned around, her eyes filled with loathing met his striking features, and she metaphorically tore into him. Yet, unlike her, Ludwik's eyes remained deep and untroubled as they swept over her face, down her neck, to her abdomen, filled with an unspoken longing. Ludwik set down his thermos, swiftly scooped her up, and deposited her into the bed with a decisive movement.

Whitney struggled against him, repulsed by his touch, "Let me go! Why do you even dare to come here? Don't you feel disgusted? Florence's official fiancé!"

Her attempts to fight him off were futile, like a delicate deer caught in the grasp of a lion. Her slender wrists were no match for his broad palms.

Her porcelain skin shimmered under his gaze, and Ludwik let her vent her anger through bitter words and physical resistance, which oddly comforted him. He even allowed a slight smile to grace his lips.

"As long as you're letting out your emotions, not bottling them up, I can take whatever you throw at me," he murmured when Whitney reached for a pillow to strike him.

"Enough." Ludwik's voice was gentle yet firm as he placed his hand carefully on her stomach, then quickly moved it to her abdomen, "Stop struggling."

Whitney deflated, her forehead dotted with cold sweat, yet the man before her seemed unaffected, showing not a hint of guilt.

This realization froze her heart, pushing her anger and hatred to their limits.

As tears started to roll down her cheeks, Ludwik panicked.

He leaned in to wipe her hair away from her face, his fingers rough yet tender, a stark reminder of his masculinity.

"Don't touch me!" she bit her lip in anguish.

Ludwik's voice softened, "I know how much you hate me, but don't take it out on yourself. You know the condition you're in, Whitney, you need to keep strong. Getting up, having soup, ensuring you're healthy is what's most important."

"What do I matter to you? Wouldn't you be happy if I were dead? My dad's lying in the ICU, unresponsive, and Florence suddenly becomes the heir to the Sheldon Group. Do you understand the intrigue behind all this? You know, don't you! You're on Florence's side, an accomplice in their schemes, Ludwik, I've never hated anyone as much as I hate you now. Your heart is rotten."

Her words cut deep, reopening emotional wounds that had yet to heal.

Ludwik remained stoic, his gaze intense and compelling as he elegantly poured the soup into a bowl, then gently encouraged her to sit up, his voice firm yet soothing, "If you're aware of the mysterious circumstances surrounding your father's shooting, you know lying in bed won't help you fight back. Drink this, regain your strength, stop blaming the world."

"If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened!" Whitney's eyes blazed with fury.

He was an accomplice, an invisible one aiding Florence!

Ludwik's lips thinned, "If you believe Florence and I are in this together, then stand up and fight us both!"

Whitney didn't respond, but her eyes spoke volumes.

Ludwik stilled her restless hands, unbothered by her silence, and brought the spoon to her pale lips, quickly adding, "Parker investigated the scene thoroughly. The suspect behind Ms. Sheldon's shooting has been caught, with bullets matching those found in Ms. Sheldon. The suspect confessed, claiming he was hired by a shareholder of the Sheldon Group with a grudge against your father. That shareholder has been arrested, just a director of one of the Sheldon Group's branches."

Whitney's expression was unreadable as she digested the information, her gaze turning icy, "A director from a Sheldon Group branch harbored a vendetta against my dad? That makes no sense. Is that how the case is closed?"

"Yes, Hugh took charge of the case last night, reported to Jared afterward."

Ludwik seized the moment to feed her the soup, his eyes locking with hers, "If you can't accept the surface level of the case, then it's on you to uncover the truth. Are you really willing to let go of the Sheldon Group?" Whitney clenched the sheets, her grip betraying her inner turmoil.

She scoffed coldly at him, "I know exactly who the real culprit is! But what position are you in to say these things? Encouraging me to seek the truth, to cling to the Sheldon Group, aren't you afraid your precious Florence will end up being overthrown by me?"

His gaze softened, masking his affection as he looked at her, "She means nothing to me! Whitney, I want you to recover from this state. You need to... maintain a calm heart, stay happy."

The baby hadn't even settled yet, and any stress could risk losing it.

Ludwik's concern was palpable, but he couldn't share it with anyone, just watching her fragile beauty made him yearn to hold her close.

But he couldn't, not when she despised him so.

Ludwik's words lodged in Whitney's heart, causing her an inexplicable pain.

He always played both sides, too despicable for words.

He knew Sammy was in Florence's grasp, yet still engaged her.

After their engagement, he had the audacity to encourage Whitney, claiming Florence meant nothing to him?

Who would believe that?

It only made him appear even more callous and heartless.

"Thanks for your insincere encouragement, but I don't need it," Whitney said sarcastically, "Please stay out of my father's affairs. I reject any help from you, and have those guards outside his room removed immediately." Ludwik grasped her chin, forcing her to open her mouth, and fed her another spoonful of soup.

He furrowed his thick eyebrows, a serious tone in his voice, "Don't be stubborn with me. Ms. Sheldon needs the best international medical team. You know your connections are limited, and the medical expertise you're familiar with can only treat internal conditions. And about the bodyguard, you're fighting tooth and nail for Ms. Sheldon's guardianship. Isn't it because you're afraid that the real culprit behind the shooting might strike again in the hospital? They won't rest until he's gone for good." His calm voice stirred a storm inside Whitney.

Indeed, she was terrified that Hugh Holly wouldn't rest until he had finished off her father. That's why she absolutely had to secure her father's guardianship.

It seemed he saw right through her.

She wished her father would wake up soon. Her own medical knowledge and resources were limited, after all.

Whitney decided not to argue with him on this. Striving to regain her composure, she ate the bowl of soup he fed her like a puppet, stiff and unyielding.

Ludwik cracked a slight smile, "Fancy something else? You look starved."

Whitney pulled away from him, her small hand accidentally touching his heart, where his wound ached.

His face turned pale instantly, making her hesitate. But she coldly ignored it and headed straight for Hudson's hospital room.

Ludwik followed, watching her stagger. Without a word, he scooped her up despite her protests, his gaze intensely sweeping from her proud nose, pale cheeks, to her long, dark hair intertwined.

His voice softened, "You need to take care of yourself. If you can't work at the Sheldon Group, you should at least focus on making Skye Gem Ltd. thrive, right? Don't give up on that piece of land at the golf course." Whitney frowned, puzzled. Was he implying that the Lippert family had agreed to give her the land?