Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 122
“Who the hell adnapped her from the hospital
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uspect it is Elame Tiana naid with a certainty that could not be shaken
paused, clearly skeptical. “What are you on about? Did Whitney put you up to this?”
It’s truk. Whitney was abducted on her way to Banyan City Prison. Mr. L, if you don’t believe me, check if Elaine’s even at the
office”
Doubt gnawing at him. Ludwik sent Felix to look for Elaine.
Felix returned with news. “Elaine left the office about 20 minutes ago and said she was grabbing some coffee”
Ludwik’s brooding brow furrowed even deeper, a chill settling in his gaze.
“Mr. L we need to hurry and save Whitney! I’m right downstairs from your office.”
The towering man stepped out of the corporate building. “Felix, gather a team.”
Whitney’s safety was paramount.
Ludwik climbed into Tiana’s car, and with the tracker leading the way, she floored it.
Meanwhile, in a farmhouse on the outskirts, Whitney was tossed into a corner by two men.
They hastily rummaged through her laptop and some documents before making their exit.
Elaine appeared behind the house, her eyes cold as ice. She powered up the laptop, and there it was – recordings of Monica,
Yvonne, and Valerie, as well as surveillance footage of Monica conversing with her at the hospital!
The documents were evidences of the shady dealings over Monica’s preliminary contest submissions.
Another item caught her eye- a photo she had given to the laborer’s family of Whitney. And now it had fallen into Whitney’s
hands.

She had to destroy the evidence herself to be at ease.
After setting everything ablaze, Elaine prepared to make a swift exit.
But as she stepped out, a car screeched to a stop by the roadside. Ludwik and Tiana emerged and marched toward her.
Cornered by them, Elaine knew she had no time to hide.
Ludwik fixed Elaine with an icy stare, disbelief flashing in his eyes. “Did you kidnap Whitney?”
Tiana had already sent someone to retrieve Whitney from the farmhouse.
Freeing herself from her binds, Whitney stepped out, composed and cool.
In a matter of seconds, Elaine’s expression shifted dramatically. She was smart, and piecing it together, she realized something
this had been a trap within a trap, Whitney was not after the evidence, she was after her!
In her desperation, Elaine had played right into their hands.
“Why did you kidnap Whitney, Elaine?” Ludwik’s fury was palpable as the truth lay bare before him.

Elaine, however composed, struggled to defend herself, “I did not, Bro, I was just trying to get something from Whitney...”
“What could you possibly want? Is it this?” Whitney returned with a laptop from Tiana’s car, a cold smirk on her lips. “I have the
evidence of your schemes against me, Elaine. So you panicked, fearing I’d show it to L, and you
19:06
rushed to kidnap me and destroy the evidence?”

She fipped open the laptop and laid bare the truth before L, Elaine’s facade crumbling.
Whitney had made backups. It was a trap all along
After reviewing the damning evidence and witnessing Elaine’s attempt to abduct Whitney, Ludwik’s expression turned frosty
Whitney looked up and said, “I just wanted to prove that Elaine has been plotting against me and our child from the start. She
orchestrated the attack in jail, not Monica. L, so many incidents lately have been her attempt to harm me, including the laborer
seeking revenge – she distributed my photo to his family If you need proof, just check her or her assistant’s computer for
downloads of my picture.”
“No need
Ludwik had seen enough. His trust in Elaine had turned to utter disappointment.
He had always believed Elaine would not dare cross him. Despite his repeated rejections, he thought she had given up and was
not so thick–skinned or cunning. She had helped his company several times, and he had conflated professional trust with
personal.
Moreover, Elaine had admitted to seeing him as nothing more than a brother, even agreeing to let him find her a suitable
husband
Thus, he never thought much about it.
Plus, Elaine had been helping to smooth things between him and Whitney, even caring for the child in Whitney’s belly.
Witnessing all that, he started to trust Elaine even more.

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His eyes flashed with a glacial light as he faced Elaine. “You’ve truly disappointed me.”
“Bro, I’m wronged–all this evidence is fabricated!” Elaine pleaded with pitiful eyes.
“is your abduction of Whitney and attempt to destroy evidence also fabricated?” Ludwik’s voice was a chilling calm as he turned
to Felix, “Spread the word: Elaine is suspended from her vice–presidential duties pending investigation, Elaine, think hard about
how you’ll explain your actions to the Bartels family when you return to Emperor City.”
“Bro! This whole setup is Whitney’s doing, can’t you see? You know my character. How could I want to harm your child? Are you
really going to believe her slander over me? Don’t suspend me, Bro. I’ve done so much for you...” Elaine’s desperation was
palpable as she reached out to him.
h
Ludwik’s response was unyielding, “Felix, have the bodyguards escort her home and keep watch.”
Whitney clenched her fists tight.
As Elaine was ushered into the car, her gaze pierced Whitney as if to say she was not defeated yet.
Whitney met that icy stare with calm resolve. She knew giving this cunning woman another chance could cost her and her child

their lives. This counter strike had to be merciless–and it was.
She took a deep breath.
Once Elaine was in the car, her phone lit up with an alert from the Imperial Gem Corporation system: [Elaine is suspended from
her position, pending investigation.]
The news spread like wildfire, igniting a storm of whispers among employees.
One moment, she was Ludwik’s trusted vice president; the next, his cold indifference had shattered her world.
Damned Whitney, that wretch. She had struck Elaine when she least expected it, threatening even her standing in the company.
Whitney tore away her facade, causing her sudden betrayal to shatter Ludwik’s trust.
19:06.

Chapter 122
Elaine clenched her fists, vowing that Whitney would not get off easy!
Since she was being pushed into a comer, Elaine did not mind dropping a bombshell on Whitney. She steadied her breathing, a
cold smile creeping across her face as she scrolled through the contacts on her phone, her gaze landing on Ashton’s name. Her
eyes narrowed, and a sly grin played on her lips.
In the car, Ludwik was silent, the tension palpable.
Whitney remained quiet as well.
it was not until they pulled into the mansion’s driveway that Ludwik lifted his heavy gaze and fixed it on her for what seemed an
eternity.
Finally, he wrapped his arms around Whitney’s delicate form. The flickering light and shadow in the car made his gaze seem
even more mysterious. He held her hand tightly twice before speaking in a low, cold voice, Im sorry for my misjudgment. But I
can’t condone you putting yourself in danger!”
“If I had not, you would never have seen Elaine’s hostility toward me,” Whitney said helplessly.
She knew how to play the game – getting angry with him now would be foolish. She was aiming for reconciliation and to fend off
Elaine’s advances.
In a soft, aggrieved tone, she said, “You’ve known her for many years, and you think you know her completely. always treating
her like a sister. She plays the part well, has strong work skills, and sabotages me behind your back – it’s normal that you did not
see it. You said you’d find a way to make her leave, which touched me. But i can’t tolerate her threatening my safety.”
Ludwik rubbed his temples, his expression stern. His relationship with Elaine was not as simple as Whitney thought.
His voice was cold as ice. “Anyone who harbors ill will against our baby cannot be forgiven.”
Whitney looked up, her eyes bright and questioning. She could not help but ask, “Why is she so fixated on you, to the point of not
even tolerating your child? You said she was like a sister to you. Is that really true?”
Ludwik stiffened, then turned his head to gaze deeply into her piercing eyes.
This was the third time she had asked him, but once a lie starts, it takes countless more to sustain it.

He frowned, “What exactly do you suspect? No matter what she feels for me, I have no feelings for her, and that’s all you need to
know”
Whitney pushed down the flicker of doubt in her heart, her feelings for him growing deeper. That very morning, they had
witnessed their child’s first ultrasound together.
She chose to trust this man.
But she did not know that her blind trust would soon be shattered.