Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 452

Her sarcasm always had a way of igniting his fury—

Thinking about her evening antics with Bryce, Ludwik scoffed, "Indeed, I'm afraid Florence would be heartbroken if she found out you're Danny's mom, so better keep it to yourself."

Whitney's fists clenched tightly by her sides, her heart feeling as if it were pierced by needles.

She tried to suppress her emotions but couldn't hold back the frustration, her eyes reddening as she growled, "Ludwik, you would do anything for her! I won't help you hide the truth, nor will I let my child suffer because of Florence. Today, you were too busy with your girlfriend, neglecting Danny, which led to the incident at the Lipperts'. If anything had happened to him, I wouldn't have forgiven you! Sammy has already... Sammy..." Her voice broke, choked with anxiety.

A sharp pang of regret stabbed Ludwik's heart as he glanced her way. What was meant to be a jibe had triggered a massive reaction; blinded by anger, he had overlooked the sensitive topic of Sammy's disappearance, which now had her on edge.

"Whitney," he said, his voice laced with a mix of concern and regret as he moved closer, pulling her into a hug without another word, "Don't cry! I just—"

How could she not see he was only trying to provoke her?

His long fingers forcibly tilted her chin upward, his dark eyes fixated on her tears, as if they burned him, prompting him to hurriedly reach for a tissue.

"You know well that revealing you're Danny's mom here at the Lipperts' wouldn't do him any good. Jarvis, Riley, didn't you see for yourself that night? You know what you should do."

Ludwik wiped her tears, avoiding directly addressing his earlier attempt to provoke her. His only desire was to hold her close, "Danny's fine; he met my grandma for the first time, and she treasured him like a precious gem."

Whitney's tension eased a bit upon hearing this. She pushed away his hand as it reached to wipe her tears again. Tearfully, she jumped off his lap, turning her back to him with a cold demeanor. Rejecting his attempts to console her.

Ludwik, left holding the tissue, felt a wave of loneliness as his expression stiffened, "Do we have to be this distant?"

"What choice do I have? For Florence, our past and even Danny's origins must be buried."

She continued her biting sarcasm.

A cold, bitter feeling slid down Ludwik's throat as he disposed of the tissue. Then, noticing the coat she had dropped...

Whitney felt a gust of wind as Bryce's coat was tossed aside. In its place, Ludwik draped his own coat around her, cold yet distinctly masculine.

Whitney, engulfed by his scent, was momentarily transported back to a chaotic restroom encounter, her cheeks flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She gave up trying to toss the coat aside, instead turning to glare at him fiercely.

"Don't glare at me. You're wearing it," he stated, unreasonably, in his car.

"..."

Whitney, her thoughts drifting to Sammy, couldn't help but ask, "Have you been looking for Sammy?"

Ludwik felt uneasy at her tone, "Of course, I have. Do you believe me?"

Whether she believed him was irrelevant; what mattered was progress, "Any leads?"

"Parker is investigating a black car that entered Emperor City."

His voice was steady, but his concern was palpable. His people were tirelessly searching, a testament to his guilt and a major reason for her resentment.