Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 116
Castor looked like someone had just accused him of a crime he did not commit. He pulled out his phone with a scowl and said,
“The afternoon’s sting operation is all over the news, man. It was Bryce who saved Madam. She was leaning on him as they
walked into the hospital. They looked like the perfect couple–so many bystanders took pictures thinking they were hitched. Look,
Elaine, I’ve got the snapshots right here, why won’t you let me talk about it.”
“What snapshots?” As Elaine had expected, Ludwik questioned coldly.
Asly smile curled at the corners of her mouth.
Castor glanced at Elaine and immediately handed over the phone, “Boss, some coworkers stumbled upon the scene and sent
them to me, asking if she was Madam...”
Ludwik stared at the photos. Anxious and caring, Whitney was helping Bryce with the hospital admission and fees, her
attentiveness evident in every gesture.
A sneer curled his lips, and a chill emanated from his very being.
Elaine looked down, narrowing her eyes, waiting for Ludwik to explode upon seeing the photos.
She pretended to glance at the photograph and advised, “Bro, please, don’t get mad. At least hear Whitney out... And these
photos can’t hit the news. Your father can’t know about this. He already dislikes Whitney, so if he gets the wrong idea, it could
mean trouble for you...”
She seemed thoughtful and considerate, yet her mention of Ludwik’s father, Kaden Lippert, was sure to fuel Ludwik’s fire.
Whitney had really done it this time, getting tangled up with Bryce and falling into her trap. She would ‘make good use‘ of this
situation.
Whitney listened to every word in the kitchen. Her lips curled into a frosty smile.
So, this was Elaine’s usual trick–sweet talk with a poison pill, making others do the dirty work while keeping her hands clean. No
wonder there was never any dirt on her.
One played the good cop, the other the bad.

Elaine could feel the cold rage spreading from Ludwik already
Suddenly, Ludwik tossed aside the phone. His handsome face showed no sign of surprise or fury, just a cold voice stating. “I
already know about it.”
Elaine was utterly stunned.
Ludwik’s lips twisted into a cold smirk. “Whitney came clean herself. To cheer me up, she even canceled the Skye Gem and the
Lutz Group’s partnership”
Satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

Elaine’s pupils shrank. How could this be?
Just then, a delicate cry came from the kitchen.
Felix jumped. “Madam, did the oil splash you?”
“What? Whitney, come out here,” Ludwik’s heart was already in the kitchen, his brows furrowed in concern. Whitney had staged
the little accident with the oil. It was her cue to enter the scene. She emerged from the kitchen, her gaze sweeping over Elaine,
who looked like she had been turned to stone.
Elaine had not expected Whitney to be hiding in the kitchen, overhearing her sowing discord. Not that it mattered; Whitney had
nearly seen through her act anyway.
Looking at Elaine, Whitney remembered the thugs and Monica’s backer. A chill ran down her spine. Elaine’s
Chapter 116

scheme against her was so grand. Such a horrifying woman, Whitney thought.
But it was her turn to fight back.
With a pained hiss, Whitney approached the man, cooing. “Some water got into the oil.”
“Clumsy.” Ludwik frowned. “Let me see.”
Whitney held out her finger, expecting him to just look at it.
To her surprise, he took her finger into his mouth, unabashed by the onlookers, and chided her in a deep voice, “You’re such a
klutz. I wonder how our kids would turn out.”
Whitney blushed. Then, as if she had only just noticed Elaine’s presence, she quickly withdrew her finger. “There are people
here! Elaine, good evening.”
Even Elaine, master of her emotions, could not hide the stiffness on her face.
Castor glanced between the doting Ludwik and the stiff Elaine, uncertain how their performance would
continue.
Whitney let out an inward chuckle.
Elaine’s eyes fixed on Whitney. This woman had grown clever!
Playing the coquette, confessing proactively–Whitney seemed to have changed her tactics.
Today, Elaine realized she had been outplayed; the pit she had dug was filled in before she could push Whitney

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into it.
Quickly masking her frustration, Elaine managed a smile while Ludwik was still oblivious. “I always knew there was nothing
between Whitney and Bryce. You can rest easy, Bro. And Castor, tell your people to stop spreading rumors. We must preserve
Whitney’s reputation.”
She spoke sweetly, trying to win Ludwik’s favor.
Whitney smiled subtly. Thanks for believing in me, Elaine. Maybe you should delete those photos, too. Mr. L, I think Elaine has a

point. If they end up in the news and your family gets the wrong idea about me, I’d be unfairly accused and cause you trouble,
right?”
Elaine was silent.
Ludwik frowned and gave Castor a cold look. “Delete them! Keep an eye out, both of you. We don’t want this nonsense in the
news.”
y delete th
Elaine gritted her teeth secretly, watching Castor photos. She and Castor had no choice but to ensure Whitney’s incident was
kept under wraps.
Elaine shot Whitney a chilling glance before she and Castor quickly left.
Outside the hospital room, Castor vented, “Ms. Elaine, you were about to leak those pictures to Kaden. The Lippert family has
never been fond of Whitney, and Kaden would’ve dealt with her himself, but Whitney’s got some serious moves.”
Elaine’s face darkened, and she let out a cold laugh. “She’s gotten smart, outmaneuvering me.”
Just moments before, she had played the good guy in front of Ludwik by mentioning Kaden, adding pressure, hoping to fuel
Ludwik’s anger towards Whitney.
And now, Whitney had started to fight back!
A fire burned in Elaine’s heart./
Did Whitney think she would back down because of this? Not a chancel.

Back in the hospital room, Ludwik seemed oblivious to the silent battle between the two women.
Seeing Elaine leave in defeat, Whitney breathed a sigh of relief.
Scheming while acting innocent? She could play that part, too–Monica had been an exemplary mentor.
Whitney smirked coldly, ready to gather evidence of Elaine’s treachery from the last few days, lay out the facts to the man, and
expose her for good.
She turned her head, and there it was, the man’s eyes, cold and sharp as a knife, cutting through the air as they fixed on her.
“What’s wrong?” Whitney licked her lips, a touch uneasy.
A shadow of a frown flickered across Ludwik’s gaze before he scrutinized her. “You’re acting a bit off today” Whitney’s heart
skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”
That thing this morning, I thought you’d be mad at Elaine again. But you were not. You even openly admitted that Bryce saved
you. Plus, you were quite polite to Elaine just now. Aren’t you angry with me?”
Whitney rolled her eyes inwardly. How could she not be mad? She was merely giving Elaine a taste of her own medicine.
Yet, her lips curved into a knowing smile. “It’s nothing. I figured I should be more generous. It’s pointless for you to be caught
between two women. She’s an outsider, I’m your lover.”
Her sudden change took the man aback. Elaine’s thoughtfulness had always been charming, but Whitney’s naive airs were
something else they made his heart flutter. However, too much of it could also be at headache
–
Without realizing it, he grabbed Whitney’s wrist, gazing at her pouting face. After a moment of silence, he said with a calm
resolve, “If you really can’t stand her, I’ll find a way to make her leave, but it’s going to take some time.”
Whitney’s head shot up, her eyes wide with surprise. Was he really making such a concession, such an indulgent promise?