Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 152
In the South City Police Station, the interrogation hall was silent except for the creak of leather shoes and the occasional
shuffling of papers. As heir to the Lippert family fortune and a titan of industry in Banyan City, Ludwik sat with his entourage, his
presence too formidable to be confined behind bars.
However, Braxton was also an influential figure in the government, so the police did not dare to take this matter lightly either.
The investigative proceedings had lasted only a couple of hours the previous night, and it had been a long wait
since then.
Ludwik could not leave for the hospital, and updates on the situation did not come swiftly.
As dawn’s tentative light seeped through the windows, marking the end of a sleepless night, Ludwik’s unreadable eyes lifted
coldly, his gaze cutting across to the precinct entrance like a frost–covered blade.
Felix watched with a mixture of awe and fear. Another visitor had arrived, a shareholder from United Realty Corporation. Felix
knew who Ludwik was hoping for and what disappointment he was trying to mask. He had called Whitney numerous times–why
had she not picked up? Had she not promised...
Whitney, fraught with nerves, pushed through the precinct doors. The chilly coastal wind had lashed at her the whole drive,
whipping through her open car windows and drying her damp clothes. She had to appear normal, for Bryce had delayed her and
now feared she was too late.
Pregnant and anxious, she stumbled into the hall and immediately spotted Ludwik’s imposing silhouette. He sat tall and lean, his
noble features tight with tension, an aura of icy detachment surrounding him. In his arm, he cradled a delicate hand, the wrist
bandaged, while Elaine, ever the attentive companion, whispered to him, her touch gentle upon his arm, her handkerchief
dabbing gracefully at his brow.
Elaine stood, conferring swiftly with the shareholders as if orchestrating their next move. Ludwik, stoic as ever, I was about to
light a cigarette when Felix’s voice sliced through the tension.
“Madam...” Felix’s gaze fixed on the entrance as he called out to Whitney.
All eyes, including those of the United Realty Corporation executives, turned to see.

Ludwik’s piercing gaze settled on Whitney, his expression colder than the steel of a knife. She stood disheveled, looking like she
had been dredged from the depths of a stormy sea, her face worn and lost.

Felix rushed to her. “Madam, why have you only just arrived? I told you last night to come quickly. Boss needed
you.”
Realizing his potential blunder, Felix clamped his mouth shut.
Ludwik’s stare turned glacial, his disappointment palpable. He had been informed of her whereabouts the night
before.
A whole night had passed, and she arrived only now?
He glanced at her once more, then turned away, his cold indifference like a blade to Whitney’s already chilled
heart.
She felt drained, watching Elaine’s tender ministrations, her heart sour with regret yet relieved for Ludwik. She hoped that her
desperate actions from the night before had been worth it.
At this time, a new group entered from another door. It was Braxton’s son approaching Ludwik.
Ludwik stood, his towering presence commanding the room. Braxton’s son, a man of about fifty and shorter in stature,
approached with a changed demeanor, caution in his eyes. “Mr. Lippert, please understand our family’s distress last night. My
father is our cherished patriarch, and his illness during your meeting was unforeseen. Our call to the authorities was justified.”

“Of course,” Ludwik replied, his voice a mixture of understanding and formality. “How is Braxton fating?
“Last night, we nearly lost him, but by some miracle, he clung to life and has successfully undergone surgery.”
With those words, the tension in Ludwik’s brow eased slightly.
Elaine squeezed his hand excitedly. “Bro, you’re cleared!”
Whitney watched their clasped hands, her heart bitter yet silently rejoicing for his sake.
But then, Braxton’s son added, “My father has awakened, and I’m here to convey the outcome of the land bid. He’s still troubled
by the error in your proposal. He had high hopes for your luxury hotel project, but I’m afraid the land will go to another company.”
The executives‘ faces turned ashen.
Unruffled, Ludwik apologized with a steely calm. “Mr. Tarrington, I accept responsibility for Braxton’s condition and the
consequences. I won’t contest the land bid any further. United Realty Corporation will not profit at the expense of Braxton’s
health. I wish him a speedy recovery and will ensure the best medical care for his future treatment.”
Braxton’s son, taken aback by Ludwik’s nobility, nodded with a newfound respect. “Mr. Lippert, you’re a man of great character,
both inside and out. It’s no wonder you’re Banyan City’s leading businessman, having built your company from the ground up.
This setback must be costing you hundreds of billions. I hope you’ll overcome this challenge.”

With a few courteous words, he had addressed a company’s very survival.
Ludwik remained unshaken, his gratitude cool. “Thank you.”Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

As Braxton’s son and his party left, the United Realty Corporation executives could hardly sit still. They respected Ludwik’s
authority, but his youth was belied by his formidable tactics. This project was vital to the corporation’s foundation.
Shareholders stood up in a huff, pointing fingers at Whitney. “Mr. President, the bid was prepared by Whitney. If she made a
mistake, she should be the one held accountable. Drag her over to Braxton and clear the air. We can’t afford to lose this piece of
land!”
“Yeah, it’s all her fault. Her irresponsibility has led to such a huge blunder on your part!”
“You trust her too much, Mr. President!”
Whitney felt as though their words were piercing her skin, the pain sharp in her heart. She never meant to harm
him.
The bid was flawless; every detail was accounted for.
But her uncle had used her, and she was left with no defense, unable to confess the truth.
Ludwik watched her with a chilling gaze, silent as frost.
Yet Elaine stepped forward, her voice laced with anger and concern, “Whitney, you’re the CEO of Skye Gem; preparing a bid is a
no–brainer for you, so Bro trusted you with it. I’m not questioning your integrity, but mistakes in data like this are highly
suspicious. Is it possible... do you harbor some resentment towards Bro?”
Her seemingly offhand remark planted seeds of doubt, causing the shareholders‘ expressions to shift, dramatically.
“Mr. President, could Whitney be harboring a malicious intent by messing up the data on purpose?”
“Whitney, what’s your endgame in sabotaging the President and causing us to lose a major deal?” The shareholders demanded
angrily.
Whitney’s gaze turned icy, her frown deepening as she eyed Elaine, sensing that she was deliberately stirring the pot.
Could she know something?
Chapter 152.

The secret of her uncle’s revenge...
Ludwik’s stare became sharp and piercing as he looked at Whitney, his dominating presence making it impossible for her to meet
his eyes.
The tall, imposing man walked over to her, and in the end, he asked her nothing in front of the shareholders, his silence serving
as her shield.
He gave her a frosty once–over and asked only one cold question, “Where have you been all night, from last evening until this
morning?”
Chapter 153