Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 814

"Knock it off, Whitney made it crystal clear, you're out of commission," Tiana scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at his trim, toned midsection...

"Like hell I can't fix this," Ludwik couldn't help but growl under his breath.

True, it wasn't fully healed, fluctuating between better and worse... But hadn't last night provided some relief? Besides, why on earth was he wasting time here arguing with her bestie about whether he was up to snuff? "Are you here to actually check on your bestie or what? If you're just gonna spout nonsense, you can leave."

"Wait!" Tiana suddenly remembered the real issue at hand and whipped out her laptop, "Damn, right after we left the Lutz family gathering last night, Bryce went straight to Twitter and posted this cryptic message. What's he trying to pull with this passive-aggressive move?"

Ludwik furrowed his brows as he took the laptop, sensing trouble.

Bryce was always scheming; this couldn't be good.

Bryce's tweet was a melodramatic saga accompanied by a selfie with his eyes bloodshot: "After battling through the business world, it's heartbreaking to keep losing in love. The night grows long, the tears have fallen, the whiskey's been drunk, yet I refuse to wake up. To not acknowledge how deeply I've been betrayed.

Tell me, how much do you have to give just to get a sliver of response, a hint of respect from her?

Laugh if you must, but since we've been married, I've only held the hand of the one I love.

I don't know if this can even be called a marriage. How do I chase away the person in her heart? How do I make her truly mine?

I'm sorry, I lost control tonight.

I was wrong, my wife. I'll accept whatever punishment... No matter how you treat me, my love for you is undying."

The tweet exploded online within minutes, with countless comments speculating in the dead of night.

Firstly, Bryce's tweet was on his main account, typically reserved for Lutz Group announcements.

Secondly, the tweet was deleted within three minutes, but the speculation it sparked only grew.

Screenshots were shared, with concerned comments flooding in: "Mr. Lutz, have you been drinking?"

"Why so heartbroken? Did something happen with your wife?"

"Between the lines, Mr. Lutz speaks of unrequited love.

He mentioned a deep betrayal. Isn't his wife Whitney? Wasn't there a previous marriage for her? Could Mr. Lutz be insinuating Whitney had an affair?"

"It seems like it. Otherwise, why would a grown man drown his sorrows and have such red eyes? Poor Mr. Lutz."

"Let's be rational, folks. There's no evidence yet, don't jump to conclusions about his wife! Besides, Mr. Lutz deleted the post."

"But the deletion is the smoking gun! Whitney is definitely not the innocent type."

Ludwik's eyes darkened with fury, "The lowlife is playing dirty, stirring up drama."

Reading the comments, Tiana finally caught on, "This is just like some guy playing the victim. Acting all humble, subtly insinuating Whitney doesn't love him... Posting and then deleting to spark a debate. What's his endgame?"

"He's probably trying to bait a reaction, fearing we might call the cops, so he's playing the sympathy card online," Ludwik conjectured, his eyes narrowing with cold resolve, "He's probably got more tricks up his sleeve."

"It's clear he almost killed Whitney, yet he's trying to flip the script on us?"

Ludwik glared out the window, "We were rushed last night; I had Whitney in my arms the whole time. She was in and out of it... If someone deliberately captured that, twisting the narrative..."

Tiana's eyes widened, "You mean Bryce might've had us under surveillance?"

"Security!" Ludwik immediately called for backup, "Lock down the villa, no journalists allowed to sneak in."

"Yes, Mr. Lippert."

"Ludwik, I've brought the doctor," Parker rushed in, concerned. "What's happened?"

"That scumbag Bryce is trying to strike first," Tiana fumed.

Ludwik's expression hardened as he let the doctor in but instructed, "The patient has multiple injuries, doctor. Please, document each one as evidence of domestic abuse."

"Yes! Collect all the evidence. Once Whitney wakes up, we're filing for divorce. This will all come in handy."

The doctor, visibly shaken, nodded and conducted a thorough examination of Whitney, expressing concern, "Why didn't you call me sooner? The patient has taken a dangerous overdose. Her liver and kidneys are damaged. It's miraculous she survived the night. We should really get her to a hospital for detox."

Tiana looked to Ludwik for guidance.

Ludwik's gaze was ice-cold, realizing Bryce had intended for Whitney's demise the night before.

He shook his head decisively, "She can't leave now, especially not from my villa. Bryce must have paparazzi waiting to snap 'evidence' of her 'infidelity'... If necessary, I'll bring the chief of the Lippert Hospital here for the detox." "Ludwik... I can detox on my own."

From the bed, Whitney's weak voice trembled as she opened her eyes, exhausted and shadowed, her lips cracked and pale, struggling to speak.

Ludwik rushed to her side, touching her cheek with a mixture of relief and affection, "Whitney, you're awake?"

"Yes..."

Recalling fragments of the previous night, Whitney felt awkward under his intense gaze.

Noticing her discomfort, Ludwik squeezed her hand and whispered with a teasing smirk, "Come on, we're husband and wife; there's no need to be shy. Though, you did exhaust me last night."

"Shut up," Whitney snapped back, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment and a hint of lingering effect from the medication, her voice shaky.

Ludwik's heart warmed at her flushed, vulnerable state. He teased her further, pretending to be exhausted himself, "Need more? I might need a couple of hours to recharge, Whitney."

Whitney's face flushed a deep shade of crimson, so irritated she could barely stand it. She bit her lip in frustration, "Who asked for your help? You couldn't even... don't think I've forgotten how you were all talk and no action last night..." Tiana, blushing furiously, had to interrupt, "Uh, hello? You do realize you're not alone here, right?"

Whitney looked up, her embarrassment morphing into annoyance upon seeing Tiana. However, her mood softened, her fingers weakly pushing Ludwik away, "Step aside, will you? I need to talk to Tiana. It's been ages since we last caught up." Ludwik, understanding the importance of their reunion, straightened his tall frame and after ensuring the IV drip was properly set, he stepped back to give them space.

Tiana approached the bedside, offering Whitney a glass of water.

Grasping Tiana's wrist tightly, Whitney's eyes immediately welled up, "Tiana, you need to tell me everything you've discovered about Bryce. He almost killed you, and I swear I'll get justice for you."

Whitney, Bryce is far more dangerous than you can imagine. He's not just out for revenge against you; he's after the Sheldon Group itself. He's been plotting this for a long time!" Tiana said gravely, pulling something from her pocket. Whitney's expression darkened instantly.