Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 525

"Who do you think it was?" Bryce's tone was casual, but a restrained chill masked his handsome face.

Whitney knew from his response. It was Ludwik again, meddling in their affairs to prevent her from moving her company closer to Bryce.

Her fists clenched, anger rising within her, followed by a wave of sadness. She had never escaped Ludwik's grasp...

How could she sever ties with him once and for all?

Tears began to form in Whitney's eyes as she looked at Bryce, shamefaced, "Bryce, I'm sorry."

"Why apologize?" Bryce's smile lingered, "As long as you're with me, that's all I need. Nothing can break me down. By the way, the executives from the Lutz Group are coming to Emperor City soon. How about your team at Skye Gem Ltd.? Let's schedule a meeting tomorrow for everyone." Whitney shook her head, "Bryce, I can't move the company to be with you."

Bryce froze.

Turning away to hide her tears, Whitney gazed out the window, "I've decided to purchase the golf course land for the full price of $600 million."

"Why?" Bryce asked softly, barely concealing the anger in his eyes.

"Moving in with you, I'd only bring endless trouble your way. Today it's the local business authority on your doorstep, tomorrow it could be worse. As long as Ludwik is displeased, your company could suffer."

Whitney's voice was low, "Bryce, I don't want to be your burden."

"I'm not afraid! If you don't stand up to Ludwik, you'll never break free. Whitney, don't let him control your life."

Perhaps it was the hint of sarcasm in his words that stunned her. Whitney's face drained of color, "Our companies can still collaborate, even if we're not together. You're just starting out in Emperor City, I don't want to make it harder for you."

"I've secured solid partnerships; my future isn't any dimmer than Ludwik's. I managed to acquire prime real estate in the city center, proving my worth. Whitney, be with me."

"Sorry, I've made up my mind about the company."

Whitney had said all there was to say. Knowing she had disappointed him, she turned to leave but then paused, "Bryce... who helped you secure that abandoned building project? It wasn't easy to acquire, was it?"

Bryce, standing in the shadows, gazed at her stunningly beautiful face, "Do you think there's a problem with my acquisition?"

"No!" Whitney hurried to clarify, recalling Ludwik's words and fearing Bryce had fallen into a trap.

"I've been in business for years; I have my resources. Don't be swayed by Ludwik's insinuations."

Whitney bit her lip, sensing his irritation, "I didn't mean to doubt your capabilities."

"Alright, if you've decided, I respect that. Once your company moves to Emperor City, I'll still support Skye Gem Ltd. as a consultant. Regardless of how you treat me, my feelings won't change." Whitney's heart ached, feeling even more guilt. At least their conversation hadn't escalated into an argument. After thanking Bryce for his understanding, she left.

Once the door closed behind her, Bryce's expression darkened, and he angrily smashed an ashtray.

The room attendant jumped, shocked by the sudden change in the usually composed man.

"Ludwik... You've won again, must be pleased, right?"

This time, Bryce had hoped Whitney's decision to move her company signaled her acceptance of him. But Ludwik had interfered, ruining his plans again.

In Bryce's heart, Whitney was no

longer just a woman he loved; she

had become a prize he must win back from Ludwik, who, despite his engagement to Florence, refused to let go of Whitney. Narugi

Enraged, Bryce made a call, his eyes red with fury, "It's me... When will you finally take action against Ludwik? I'm in Emperor City, following your plan!"

"Just be patient," came a mysterious voice from the other end. "Ludwik will soon face challenges from within and without. And Florence, she could be your key to getting Whitney." Florence? Bryce narrowed his eyes in thought.

-

Driving away from Terravista Hotel, Whitney couldn't hold back any longer and dialed Ludwik.

He answered quickly, sounding pleasantly surprised, "Whitney, how was lunch?"

"Ludwik, you're despicable!"

There was a pause on the line, then Ludwik's voice cooled, "Say that again."

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Whitney retorted, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and resolve.

"Why the hell did you bribe officials to throw Bryce into jail? And him getting beaten up there, was that your doing too? It must be!"

She clenched her teeth, her eyes

blazing with fury. "I've already compromised. I won't move the company to his turf. Just stop going after him. If there's a next time, it's war between us!"

After venting her anger, she started coughing.

Ludwik's lips were a thin line, his veins throbbing with tension.

So in her eyes, he was now the villain who would have Bryce attacked?

Ha!

Had her trust in him plummeted that much? Or did her intelligence just drop into the negatives whenever Bryce was involved?

He struggled to control his rage, his

voice cold and stern, "Hiring someone to beat him up? I'm above that. You might want to think twice. Maybe he's just playing the victim in front of you, considering it's not his first rodeo!"

"Even if you didn't hit him, the fact that you're troubling him is despicable enough!"

"Fine, I'm despicable. I don't want to argue. Just calm down."

His chest heaved, remembering she was pregnant, his precious pregnant wife, and his tone softened slightly.

"But I've got a meeting. I'll hang up now. At six, I'll check in with Danny to see if you've made it home. If not, I'll come looking for you myself."

Whitney glared at her phone, her face pale with anger, not wanting to say another word.

Click!

She downed an entire bottle of water to quell her rage.

That's when Tiana sent her a message on Facebook-