Love Beyond the Mask

Chapter 31

A sudden chill swept through the private room, sending a shiver down Whitney’s spine.

Simon shot up from his seat just as Whitney turned her head to see a tall figure clad in a perfectly

tailored black suit, his mask hiding a stern jawline beneath. Those deep, piercing eyes aimed a chilling

gaze straight at

her.

Why was L here?

Whitney tried to compose herself in disarray as her cheeks flushed a bashful pink.

Without a hint of tenderness, his icy grip hoisted her up. He had appeared next to the couch without

notice, his frosty stare alone enough to send Whitney’s heart racing with fear.

Biting her lip, she immediately positioned herself behind him.

He turned, his gaze sweeping over Simon, who had his arms wrapped around Whitney’s waist.

Simon faltered, taken aback. This man was supposed to be a thug, but the aura around him was so

intimidating that Simon’s arms fell away without conscious thought.

Coming back to his senses, Simon’s anger flared. “You again, you thug!”

But before he could throw a punch, he was met with a fierce blow that sent him sprawling to the

ground.

“Hiss.” Eyes blazing, Simon scrambled back to his feet. Just then, two other young men entered from

outside. Simon’s demeanor shifted on spotting Nolan Fuller and Parker Doonan. Nolan was from one of

the four families, while Parker, not quite from that elite circle, was even more notorious. His family, the

Doonan family, was one of the rulers of the underground world.

Parker was the youngest head of the Doonan family.

Now, the Fuller family’s young lord and the Doonan family’s head were flanking the masked man, like

his right and left arms.

Simon’s expression soured. Maybe this guy was not just some thug after all. But who was he?

Whitney was abruptly swept up in the man’s arms as he strode out of the room.

“Stop!” Simon bellowed, his pride wounded. “What right do you have to take her? You’re nobody to

her!”

The man’s eyes narrowed, a sneer spreading as he glanced down at the woman in his arms. “Didn’t

you tell her who you belong to?”

Whitney hung her head as if she had done something wrong.

“Who the hell are you?” Simon roared, still not ready to back down.

Nolan glanced at L before kicking the door shut with a sneer. “Just a man who doesn’t give a damn

about you. Simon, you touch her again, and your whole Perlman family will have to watch out.”

Simon stiffened, overwhelmed by the audacious tone. Just who was this man?

The night air was crisp with a hint of cold.

Whitney found herself carried to the car, sitting on his lap, the temperature inside as chilling as the

embrace of the man she leaned against.

He did not say a word, and the oppressive silence was heavy between them.

Feeling awkward in her disheveled clothes, Whitney wanted to move away.

Before she could, his hand came down sharply and slapped her butt. “Eager to get off my lap? Were

your ex–fiancé’s legs more comfortable? I thought your hatred ran deep, but it seems old flames can

be rekindled.”

17:47

His cruelty was biting when angered.

With her hand covering the spot he had hit, Whitney muttered in embarrassment, “Mr. L, there’s no

need for sarcasm… Thank you for earlier.”

His mood was clearly foul as he eyed her pale face with mockery. “You think I want your thanks?”

He kicked the seat in front, signaling the driver to turn on the air conditioning.

The woman in his arms trembled lightly.

He pulled her closer, his gaze falling to the torn fabric of her blouse. As he reached out, she recoiled

instinctively.

“What are you doing?” His rough fingers touched her delicate skin, and Whitney, already rattled by the

night’s near–disaster, pushed his hand away.

A low, mocking chuckle came from above. “What do you think I’m doing? Should I finish here what you

started with that ex of yours?”

Whitney’s cheeks burned with humiliation. “Please don’t speak so crudely.”

“Who’s acting crudely? You lied to my mother, telling her you were going out with your BFF, right?” He

shot back coldly.

Whitney’s face paled further. “I didn’t want to worry anyone with this. I can explain. I needed a phone

book, and indeed, if you hadn’t arrived in time, I couldn’t have borne the consequences. But I never

imagined Simon would stoop so low…”

Never would she have expected Simon to do something so sick to a pregnant woman.

His tone grew colder. “Didn’t I make myself clear? Have you forgotten, Madam?”

Whitney lowered her gaze, her lashes quivering. She thought of his private life and, after a moment’s

calm reflection, stated, “Thank you for your kindness, Mr. L, but let’s be clear. Ours is a contract

marriage. We should maintain our distance. I don’t want to bother you with my issues, and I’ll stay out

of yours.”

Silence fell for a few seconds.

Whitney could feel the temperature drop.

The assistant, Felix, in the front seat shivered and could not help but look back, whispering, “Madam,

Mr. L was working late… He rushed back to pick you up from the airport, but you didn’t reply to

messages or answer your phone.”

Whitney blinked in surprise.

“Felix!” Ludwik’s voice was ice–cold.

The assistant fell silent.

Whitney lifted her head to the sound of Mr. L’s chilling voice.

“You want distance? Then keep your distance.”

Whitney stiffened and quickly crawled off his lap, squeezing herself as far into the corner as she could.

Observing the woman trying to distance herself, the man’s chest grew stiffer. After a second, he barked

at the driver, “Close the window on her side!”

The chill against Whitney’s face vanished, and she stopped shivering as he turned on the heat. She

kept her eyes low.

His anger was palpable, yet his observation was meticulous. He a man was hard for any woman to

resist.

Was domineering, cold, yet considerate. Such

Whitney could only assume that he did not want her stomach to suffer from the coldness, nothing more.

17:47

Chapte 3

The car stopped at the hospital, where doctors quickly attended to Whitney to ensure the baby was

fine.

Notan breathed a sigh of relief, grumbling. “Ludwik married her just for the kid. If anything happened to

the baby, he’d probably take it out on Whitney..”

Parker, however, looked toward the slender figure and mused. Is it just the child Ludwik wants? I sense

something more”

“What are you sensing?”

“A whiff of scandal,” Parker said with intrique.

“Don’t be nidiculous. Ludwik’s a cold fish! His heart’s like a monk’s–untouched. Have you seen how

he’s never so much as glanced at the woman who’s been by his side for years?”

“That’s different. After all, Whitney is his first… taste,” Parker said with a wicked grin.

“You’re utterly sick!”

Nolan was convinced that Whitney was a mystery, and Ludwik was only interested in having a child,

not in the child’s mother!

“Excuse me, where can I find Mr. L?” Whitney approached and asked.

Seeing that she was unaware of the incident at the club, Nolan decided to play a trick on her. “His

mother got sick because of you. Where do you think he is?”

With that, he pointed in a direction.

Whitney’s complexion changed slightly, and she quickly made her way to Room 02, “Mom?”

A tall man stood in front of the hospital room, his suit jacket removed, leaving him in a crisp white shirt

accentuating his noble and aloof demeanor.

He glanced at Whitney briefly before looking back at the bed. “You didn’t come back by eight, and the

maid let something slip, then Mom fainted out of worry for the baby,” he said coolly.

How could this have happened? Whitney was filled with guilt!