Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 777

Ludwik, once the king of his world, found himself cornered by the heiress of a future vice president.

"Or, you could just marry her, Elodie. Imagine climbing up the social ladder by marrying into the vice president's family..."

"Shut up!" Ludwik snapped, visibly annoyed. His hand, large and imposing, descended on her behind as a form of punishment.

The crisp sounds echoed in the cramped bathroom, adding an unintended layer of intimacy.

Whitney's face turned beet red with anger. "Ludwik, you dare hit me?"

"It's a love tap! You should watch your words. Mocking me is one thing, but you know you're all I care about. Even if Elodie threatens to ruin the Lippert family, I couldn't care less."

With that, Ludwik buried his face in her neck, whispering hoarsely, "Whitney, you know, after everything we've been through, the ups and downs, the love and hate, I've realized something. Power, position, wealth... none of that matters. You're the only treasure I want to keep. Without you, my heart is empty. Even as I tried to rebuild the Lippert family, I felt like a walking corpse."

Whitney was speechless, overwhelmed by the damp warmth of his breath, making her entire body tingle. "Too bad it's too late, Ludwik. You've already lost me."

"It's not too late," he said, his voice sultry and persuasive as he nuzzled her shoulder. "If you truly didn't care about me, you wouldn't have come in. I've taken something, and by entering, you've walked straight into my trap."

Annoyed, Whitney poked his chest. "Shane pushed me in when I wasn't looking."

Ludwik caught her hand, desperation in his voice. "You're my only cure now."

"Who says I'm..." Whitney stopped mid-sentence as she noticed Ludwik's body breaking out in sweat.

His usually stoic face was flushed with torment, his muscles taut as if on the verge of explosion.

Seeing him struggle, Whitney began to panic, instinctively trying to pull away.

But Ludwik, with a leg wrapped around hers, looked at her with eyes burning with need. "Whitney, please. You can't leave me like this. I'll die."

As he pulled her hand toward him, Whitney, flustered and angry, tried to break free. Yet, she realized his body was burning hot with no sign of relief.

Realizing the severity of his condition, Whitney's heart softened. Without any means to alleviate his suffering, his life might genuinely be at risk.

Ludwik, in agony, pleaded, "Whitney, I'm in so much pain. What do we do?"

Whitney was at a loss. Despite her knowledge in medical science, she had never encountered such a situation. "I don't have the tools to bleed you. Maybe we should go to the hospital."

"No way. I can't be seen like this," Ludwik said, his pride wounded. "If I'm exposed in this state, how could I face anyone again?"

Whitney sighed, understanding his dilemma. His pride was at stake.

"Ludwik, it's getting worse. What do we do?" he pressed, his desperation growing by the second.

Whitney, dazed by his husky plea, knew she might have to intervene personally with a more direct approach.

"Stay calm, Ludwik," she said, trying to compose herself.

Outside the bathroom, even with the TV blasting and rock music playing, the undeniable sounds of intimacy reached Sandy and Shane.

Sandy, embarrassed to her core, wished she could disappear into the couch.

Shane, trying to ease the awkwardness, joked, "Ms. Turner, leaving me here with all this going on is even more awkward. There's a glass of water right here."

But Sandy, red-faced and avoiding his gaze, insisted on escaping the uncomfortable situation. "I've never even had a boyfriend. I need some fresh air!"

As she fled, Shane watched her, a smile playing on his lips at the thought that she hadn't dated anyone in all this time.

Meanwhile, Elodie was frantically searching for Ludwik downstairs, unaware of the drama unfolding elsewhere. The thought of Ludwik finding relief with another woman filled her with rage, unaware that Whitney was already entangled in a situation far beyond her control. Sienna paused, her gaze sweeping the entire ballroom, "Elodie, now that you mention it, I've realized I haven't seen her since we got here. You don't think Ludwik has... found her, do you?"

"Don't jinx it!" Elodie shot her a frosty look, her fists clenched tight, "If Whitney dares to stoop so low, I'll make her pay, that... that snake...

You guys need to find Whitney, now. Ludwik couldn't have left the mansion, he's got to be here somewhere."

Sienna frowned, "Elodie, when you went looking for Shane in his room earlier, I saw Sandy there too!

Sandy and Whitney are thick as thieves, it doesn't make sense for Sandy to be around and Whitney not. Could it be... Shane and Sandy are actually covering for Ludwik and Whitney? It seemed like Shane was trying to get rid of you earlier."

Elodie's mood darkened further at Sienna's analysis, Shane's behavior suddenly seeming suspicious.

"Let's go upstairs and check again!" Elodie turned and dashed towards the staircase.