Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 63
That smirk plastered on his smug inask face nearly left her breathless with anger.
Suddenly, it hit her she was behaving like a drama queen, lashing out without any filter, throwing shade at every turn. Wasn’t she
just proving how much she cared, how jealous she was?
No, she needed to remain cool and detached. After all, she had insisted on them keeping their distance. Why on earth was she
so riled up?
She fought to contain the fury bubbling inside her, her face set in a mock display of serenity as she laughed it off, “Why would I
be angry? It’s just a sham marriage, right? Mr. L, you could even take your lover to a motel right now, and I’d be the first to
applaud your departure!”
His warmth froze in an instant, his gaze piercing as he studied her defiant expression. “You mean that?”
“Absolutely,” Whitney replied with a light chuckle.
“Then no regrets!”
At that moment, Elaine gracefully approached, “Bro?”
“Elaine, join me for a soak in the hot springs!” he said coldly, taking Elaine’s hand and leading her away.
Elaine responded with a bashful and soft–spoken, “Alright, I will go with you. No rush.”
As Whitney looked down, feeling suffocated, she stuffed her mouth with food, trying to drown out their flirtatious banter.
Abruptly, a waiter cleared away the grill and skewers from her table.
Her face turned pale with frustration as she watched the two share a coy smile before disappearing.
She cursed silently, wishing them a watery grave!
Elaine glanced back at Whitney, feigning concern, “Is Whitney alright?”
Ludwik cast a brief, icy look at Whitney, his lips curling into a cold smirk, “She’s just playing hard to get. Needs more stirring up.”

Elaine teased, “Then we better keep at it.”
Tiana’s call came through, and Whitney picked up absentmindedly, “Hello?”
“Whitney, Ludwik just showed up in his signature CEO suit and walked into the office, but I haven’t seen his face yet,” Tiana
excitedly whispered, disguised as a janitor.
“Okay,” Whitney responded, devoid of spirit.
“He’s coming out! Great, he’s heading to the washroom. I’ll get a look at his face.”
“Okay,” Whitney muttered, her legs leading her unbidden into the lobby, her eyes fixed on the ‘Coed Soaking Pool‘ sign.
Tiana ended the call, clutched onto her broom, and stealthily entered the men’s room.
The men’s room was empty, and Tiana’s pretty eyes scanned the area. Suddenly, a tall figure caught her eye.
The man’s side profile was sharp and lean, dressed in Ludwik’s typical suit, tailored to perfection. His long legs were the epitome
of elegance. As Tiana’s gaze traveled upward, a blinding shock made her scream, and she quickly covered her eyes!
“You... you...”
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Chapter 63
The man turned, seeming surprised.

“Turn around, Mr. Lippert!” Tiana stammered, feeling like she was seeing stars. In that mornent, she questioned herself
repeatedly was this her first taste of meat‘ in 22 years? Why couldn’t it have been Gunner!
“Who are you?” the commanding CEO demanded, “What are you doing in the men’s room?”
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“What did you see?” he pressed, stepping closer.
Blushing furiously, the panic in Tiana’s wide eyes grew as she stumbled backward, “Stay back, Mr. Lippert! Mr. Lippert!”
She bolted like the wind, leaving behind a chill in the restroom.
Parker raised an eyebrow, watching the fleeing figure, then zipped up his pants. A sly smirk slowly emerged, concealed behind
his glasses. Swiftly, he returned to his businesslike demeanor, switching off the voice recorder in his pocket.
His suit clung to his frame, and standing at 6’2“, he could easily be mistaken for Ludwik, who was just an inch taller.
Tiana needed three bottles of ice water to cool her flushed face.
Chewing on her fingernail, she called Whitney back.
“Hey Whitney, that was definitely Ludwik himself.”
Whitney’s senses began to return, “You saw his face?”
Tiana’s cheeks flushed once more as she recalled, cursing inwardly – she remembered only what she shouldn’t have seen!
After a heavy cough, she said, “I didn’t see his whole face, but it was him. The voice was unmistakably Mr. Lippert’s rich Italian
baritone.”
Whitney frowned, “Can you be absolutely sure?”
“Of course!” Tiana thought angrily, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. How could she tell Whitney she’d seen the man fully
exposed?
Determined to keep this to herself, Tiana assured her friend, “Nothing, just, uh...I’ve verified it; Ludwik and Mr. L are two different
people.”.

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Really? Had she been wrong all along?
Whitney’s brows knitted together.
Tiana could be unreliable
Just thinking about that
spa with that woman,
It was nearly dark.
and Whitney knew she had to find out for herself who was behind Mr. L’s mask.
Scoundrel made Whitney check the time. It had been three hours since he entered the
Whitney sat in the lobby, mindlessly tearing petals from a rose.
“Drowned? Not drowned...” she mused, nearly
tearing them apart.
Tourists began to leave here and head into the resta, t.
Suddenly, from the swimwear shop to her left, a familiar laughter rang out, “Hi!”

Whitney turned to find Elaine calling her.
Elaine, draped with a towel, epitomized grace and awe. Her

cuit revealed just enough, showcasing her
long, pale legs and slender waist. Wet hair, shining like silk, framed her beautiful, aristocratic face – sweet yet
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mischievous
Men couldn’t help but steal glances
With a smile, Elaine said. “Would you book two rooms? One for yourself and a suite with a king–size bed for him
and me.”
The last three words hit Whitney hard.
What did that mean? Were they planning to spend the night?
The spa was outdoors, Whitney hoped that meant nothing untoward could happen.
She hadn’t expected Mr. L to actually invite this woman to stay the night.
A sharp pain pierced her heart, turning her face pale.
Still, she booked the rooms mechanically.
Handing the key card to Elaine, who was perusing the sultry, sheer lingerie on display, Whitney’s mind raced. The garments were
provocative enough to make anyone blush.
Elaine fidgeted with a set of crimson lingerie; her cheeks tinged with a bashful pink as she turned to Whitney “Which set do you
reckon he would like? Tonight’s a big deal for me.”
Whitney’s expression turned icy; her hands clenched into fists, “Well, he’d probably like it best if you wore nothing at all,” she
said with a frosty edge.
Elaine seemed oblivious to the sarcasm dripping from Whitney’s words, her smile unwavering. “You’re absolutely right.”

She then picked up a pair of men’s trousers that lay nearby and asked in a loud, showy tone, “You’ve been working at his place,
ever washed his pants? Do you know his size? Could you pop to the shop and grab me a box to deliver to our suite later?”
Whitney could barely stand to listen. The purchase she was referring to was beyond doubt.
The seductive look on the woman’s face could melt stone.
Whitney detected the challenge in her voice and replied with a faint smile, “It appears you’re not on such personal terms with him
if you’re consulting me about such matters.”
Elaine’s imperious gaze faltered for a moment.
Always with a smile playing on her lips, she quickly retorted, “After tonight, I’ll know all there is to know. Why don’t you just do
what house workers are supposed to do?”
Like a zombie, Whitney went out and bought several boxes of the cheapest stuff she could find.
Ludwik was seated in the dining room, having dinner with another boss and two assistants.
Whitney entered in a fit of rage, tossing the boxes onto the man’s table. Meeting his lifted gaze, she offered a sarcastic smirk,
saying, “Your sweetheart instructed me to make these purchases. Not sure what to buy, I opted for the lowest quality. It should
be just right for you, don’t you think?”
Her sneer was loud enough to turn heads, including the astonished boss and the stunned assistants.
Ludwik’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he met her challenge.
Whitney bolted out of the room, rushed up the stairs, and locked herself in her room, tears stinging her eyes.
She must have been driven mad by his infuriating behavior.
Whitney buried her head in her knees, crouching down on the floor in a bout of self–pity.