Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 768

"I mean, I wasn't exactly...clingy, was I?" Ludwik would never admit that his methods to win back his wife were, to put it mildly, embarrassing. He cleared his throat, "Your mom didn't seem to be annoyed or disgusted by me."

"..." You're definitely choosing to be blind now.

Sammy rolled his eyes, frustration evident in his voice, "Anyone with eyes can see she's totally fed up with you."

"No, what I see is her fear of falling for me again, so she's pushing me away on purpose." Ludwik stated with unwavering conviction.

Sammy felt like he was about to burst a blood vessel.

This was like trying to wake someone who was pretending to be asleep.

The man sighed, trying to impart some wisdom to the youngster, "Sammy, you don't understand the complexities of love and relationships yet. You're still young, and you don't know what love is all about. Honestly, daddy learned it way too late. But when I saw your mom struggling, I knew I couldn't just let go."

"Struggling?" Sammy frowned.

Ludwik looked at his son seriously. This kid was a lot sharper than Danny.

He hinted, "I know you might feel some loyalty towards Bryce.

But he's not a good man, Sammy. You have a keen eye; take a closer look. The adult world is complicated, and not all deceitful people are as easy to spot as you think."

"You think Bryce is a bad guy? That he's deceitful?" Sammy's eyebrows knitted together.

Ludwik didn't mind turning his wife and now his son against Bryce, "You're smart. Just observe, and I believe you'll see for yourself. Bad adults don't always show their true colors on their faces. Guys like your dad, who are open and straightforward, are rare." "..." Sammy was speechless.

Ludwik lowered his voice, "Your mom is the heiress to the Sheldon Group, one of the top three corporations in Emperor City. Naturally, she'll attract those wearing masks with ulterior motives.

Among these people, there might be those who have been lurking in the shadows for a long time... like Bryce."

Sammy's expression cooled.

Aunt Tiana had also spoken ill of Uncle Bryce.

Sammy was caught in a haze of confusion. It seemed like the more people talked about Bryce, the more suspicious he appeared. Sammy decided he needed to observe Bryce more closely in secret. "But you kids shouldn't get involved, to avoid danger. Daddy will try to convince your mom to divorce Bryce," Ludwik said with a somber tone.

"From what I've seen, you haven't been very successful," Sammy remarked, his tone dry.

"..." Ludwik was speechless.

Soon, Whitney came out with Danny after his bath, noticing the silent father and son, "Sammy, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

Ludwik said, "I was just teaching the kids some life lessons. About how to spot bad people and not be like me, realizing my mistakes too late, making it hard to win back the person I love." He looked at her with a mix of gentleness and helplessness.

"..." Whitney got his hint, and faced with his pitifully handsome face, she almost wanted to kick him. But since he was already showing some self-awareness, she didn't bother saying more. "Good, so neither of you ends up following in your father's footsteps, becoming another heartbreaker."

Ludwik cast her a reproachful glance. Was she really not going to give him any face at all?

"Let's go, I'll take you home," the man quickly changed the subject, "Oh, Whitney, are you free tomorrow night? We need to start looking for a good kindergarten for our son..." "I have plans," Whitney cut him off, knowing his ulterior motives.

Looking for kindergartens, she could do that herself.

"With whom? With Bryce?"

Ludwik's features turned cold and dark under the night sky.

Whitney, aware of his earlier warning, awkwardly explained, "He said Ronan invited him and me to Ms. Miller's welcome party. Huh, didn't Elodie invite you?"

Whitney asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"I'm not close with Elodie at all," Ludwik quickly distanced himself from any association with her, his survival instincts kicking in.

Whitney raised an eyebrow. So he wasn't going? She didn't press any further.

-

The next day, during his lunch break, Ludwik dropped his sons back at the Lippert family home.

Just as he was leaving the villa complex, a pink sports car blocked his path.

Elodie stepped out of the car, her high heels clicking confidently on the pavement. She wore a haute couture dress that was both alluring and chic, making her appear as a vibrant butterfly. Ludwik barely glanced at her, his thoughts on Whitney attending her party. He paused, considering.

"Mr. Lippert, I've been trying to catch you at your office, but you're never there. Now, I've finally caught you at home!" Elodie's lips curled into a smile as she approached, her dress fluttering around her like a teasing promise. Ludwik withdrew his arm from her reach, his voice cold, "Elodie, do you even understand the concept of dignity?"

"Why so serious?" Elodie pouted, unfazed by his rebuff. "I like you, Mr. Lippert. Why should I act dignified around someone I like?"

She then took out an invitation from her bag and tried to press it against his chest, attempting to feel his muscles. Ludwik stepped back, leaving her pouting.

"You have to come," she insisted. "You're my most important guest! If you don't, I wouldn't mind having my dad give the Lippert Group a hard time."

Ludwik's eyes darkened at the threat, his face becoming an impenetrable mask of coldness.

Elodie, undeterred by his silence, added, "And you wouldn't want me speaking ill of you to Uncle Phineas, would you? It might cause trouble for you, especially now when the Lippert Group is in such a crucial phase." Ludwik didn't need help, but he knew the nuisance Elodie, with her spoiled and forward nature, could cause.

His expression remained frosty as he regarded Elodie, weighing his options in the face of her blatant manipulation.

Elodie's heart skipped a beat, yet she showed no fear, "Anyway, I'll be waiting."

With that, she winked, turned on her heels, and walked back to her car, driving away with a flourish.

Ludwik's face was marked with a scowl, a flash of deep disdain crossing his features. However, a quick glance at the invitation lying on the ground... and the thought of Whitney being at the party tonight made it seem not so dull after all. He wondered if she would be jealous seeing him there.

-

As the evening lights began to glow.

Elodie's welcome party was held in a three-story villa turned boutique hotel.

Whitney arrived at the party hall in a modest yet chic apricot dress, arm in arm with Bryce.

Tonight, Elodie was undoubtedly the star, so she consciously stayed out of the limelight, hiding her beauty to avoid stirring up any resentment from the hostess.

The guests tonight, though not as numerous as at Phineas's party, still included over a dozen influential figures, mostly young people who seemed like friends of Elodie from families of high-ranking officials.