Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 701

She waved her off, turning to head back to the mansion.

"Whitney." Ludwik Lippert called out, his voice sultry and rugged as if stained with nicotine, dark and dangerously sexy. "About what Danny mentioned... the alternative remedies... thank you."

"No thanks needed, it's just what doctors do." Whitney Valentine's face was impassive.

Ludwik clenched his fist, unable to hold back, "You can say that, showcasing your indifference. But I've come to know you've decided not to press charges against me. Thank you for that. Given my current predicament, it's a relief. Also, sending Danny with those remedies... it was your way of giving me a wake-up call, wasn't it? Sorry for letting you see me at my lowest. Won't happen again..."

Whitney shot Danny a glare, then calmly turned around, cutting him off, "Ludwik, you don't need to say all this. Whatever Danny has exaggerated to you, please, don't add your own drama. My decisions have nothing to do with you. I've said it before, even if I saw a beggar on the street, I'd feel compelled to help, to offer some aid. Don't project your feelings onto me; not everyone is as heartless as you."

She spoke calmly, her clear eyes meeting his handsome face.

"...." Ludwik swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat. Was she really doing all this without a thought of him? Her words were like daggers to his heart. He lowered his gaze, "Fine, accuse me of being overly sentimental. Regardless, the fact you've let me off and helped me find a doctor, it means something to me. You can deny it, but it's these small mercies that keep me going..."

Whitney felt a surge of irritation. Why couldn't he understand? Yet, somewhere deep inside, she felt a twinge of sympathy. Was he really hanging by such a thin thread?

"Whitney..." Ludwik started again.

"Honey, is our son done with his errand? Time for breakfast." Suddenly, Bryce Lutz's doting voice filled the air, as he emerged from the mansion, clearly just woken up, in his pajamas.

Ludwik stiffened. Seeing Bryce in pajamas, obviously having spent the night, brought a storm of emotions. Danny hadn't said Whitney and this man were... They were wearing matching pajamas... Wasn't this cohabitation? Wife? Son? Once, she was his wife. What right did Bryce have to call Danny his son?

A rage built inside Ludwik, his gaze darkening.

Bryce, catching Ludwik's fury, smirked subtly and walked up to Whitney, standing intimately close, "Mr. Lippert, your time with my wife is in the past. We allowed you to pick up Danny today, but it doesn't mean I'll tolerate any harassment towards my wife. Also, a word of warning, you might have been someone of importance before, but now, the Lippert family can hardly compare to the Lutz Group. Keep your distance, or you won't like my response."

His tone was firm, a chill spreading from his gentle eyes.

Ludwik scoffed. A threat, then? Relying on his newfound status to play dirty. "Bryce, haven't you already played all your cards against me? How much more hostile can you get? No matter how well you act, your true colors will show eventually. And when they do, we'll settle our scores."

His eyes were icy, his frustration evident at his current impotence.

Bryce's eyes flickered. Did Ludwik suspect his involvement in his misfortune? Keeping his face calm, he replied, "Whitney, I'm only trying to protect you. I haven't even started being 'unpleasant' yet, and he's already accusing me. He's just too deep in misunderstanding." Ludwik's sharp gaze turned to Whitney, only to see her frowning, seemingly confused and unfazed by the conversation.

His heart ached. Bryce was playing the perfect charmer, just as he had been blinded in the past. Whitney couldn't see the machinations behind Bryce's facade...

"Are you guys done talking?" Danny popped his head out from the car, sensing the tension and worried his dad might explode from anger, he feigned impatience, "Bryce, give my dad a break, will you? After all, he's an ex. No need to flaunt your love in front of him. And just so you know, I'm Ludwik's son, not yours."

Bryce paused, a flicker of discomfort crossing his handsome face. The kid was always blunt with him. Eventually, he'd have to...

Yet Ludwik felt a moment of relief hearing his son. His boy was on his side. He coldly got into the car, "Let's go."

As they drove away, Ludwik caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of Bryce drawing Whitney close, kissing her forehead, then moving his lips lower...

He gripped the steering wheel, veins bulging, nearly slamming on the brakes to stop them.

"Dad, watch the road!" Danny yelled, startled.

"Sorry..." Ludwik quickly regained his composure, slowing down the car.

"Even if you turned back now, what right do you have to interrupt them? Bryce is doing this on purpose, just to get to you."

Danny's words echoed Ludwik's thoughts, "You lose your cool over anything related to Mom. Doesn't make you seem very mature. No wonder she left."

Despite his sympathy, Danny couldn't help but criticize.

Ludwik's face tightened, a self-mocking whisper escaping his lips, "You're right."

Every time Ludwik found himself in a showdown with Bryce, it was like a storm brewing within, leaving Whitney caught in the crossfire. It got to a point where she'd rather side with Bryce, painting Ludwik as the unreasonable one. Slumped in his seat, Ludwik let out a defeated sigh and smacked the steering wheel, his head bowing in frustration.

Danny, witnessing his dad's distress, felt a pang of sadness. But with his mom, Whitney, having married Bryce, it seemed like their options had run dry.

The words he'd overheard last night echoed in his mind, painting a bleak picture of him and his little brother, Sammy, soon becoming nomads, possibly shacking up with their granduncle. "Man..."

"Danny, why the long face?" Ludwik glanced in the rearview mirror, noticing his son's gloom.

"Last night... I overheard Mom agreeing to move in with Bryce. They're planning to start their 'perfect little life' together soon."

Danny looked down, his voice laced with frustration. "I mean, sure, I could kick up a fuss, make a scene... but I don't want to put Mom in a tough spot. She's been putting it off for ages, and it looks like she's finally made up her mind." The words hung heavy in the car, a testament to the family's strained dynamics, with Ludwik at the wheel, navigating through not just the roads but the complexities of a blended family trying to find its way.