Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



In the quaint powder room nestled within the Sheldon family's sprawling estate, not far from the dining hall, Whitney leaned heavily against the ornate vanity, splashing cool water on her face before looking up into the mirror, her eyes tinged with discomfort and the faintest hint of red.

Ding-dong-

A text from Bryce interrupted her solitude, "Whitney, are you okay? I'm just outside."

With a wry smile, Whitney replied, "I just need a moment to myself, Bryce. Why don't you head out to the garden for a smoke..."

Crash!

Her phone plummeted into the sink as a sudden, stormy presence enveloped her from behind, pinning her slender hands against the vanity. Ludwik, having caught a glimpse of the message, seethed with rage. "Exchanging sweet nothings in the bathroom now, are we?" His voice was a dark, menacing whisper, his breath hot against her ear. "Are you deliberately flaunting your little romance with Bryce in front of me?"

Whitney, startled by his sudden appearance, turned pale and whirled around, her gaze darting to the door, which was firmly shut, with Bryce standing just outside.

But how did Ludwik get in?

Then she saw the open window...

Was this man out of his mind?

His accusations, his angry breaths close to her ear, filled her with an indescribable discomfort, morphing into unreasonableness. Hadn't he humiliated her and Bryce enough for one evening?

And now he had the audacity to corner her here?

"So, it's fine for you to parade around with Florence at Sheldon family functions, but I can't have someone?" Whitney retorted, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I'm also a Sheldon, Ludwik. Who I bring home is none of your business. What right do you have to police me?"

Bryce was just pretending to be her fiancé to keep Emma from thinking she was reckless with men, making things even harder to explain.

Besides, she hadn't known Ludwik would be here today. And why should she be afraid of him?

"You dare admit it?" Ludwik's laugh was cold, filled with scorn and a terrifying fury. "You think I have no say over you? Try me!"

In a swift, violent move, he pushed her against the wall, his grip on her face fierce as he forced a kiss on her, her lips instantly giving way under the assault. His dark eyes burned with a ferocious anger, as if the very flames could consume Whitney whole.

For the first time, she realized how truly frightening he could be.

"Don't..." she gasped, revolted by his touch, "You can't do this to me! Let go...ugh, I despise you! Go kiss Florence with those lips, not me!"

"Who else has the right, then? Bryce?" Ludwik's fury intensified, his grip unyielding.C0ntent © 2024 (N/ô)velDrama.Org.

He lost all control at the mention of Bryce, transforming into a beast driven by primal desire.

"Those years back at the hotel, the scandalous footage that leaked... it's all coming back, isn't it?" he sneered, bringing up past grievances that Whitney thought were long buried.

Seeing her silent, his anger only

grew, his voice dripping with mockery. "You and him, disgustingly intimate, and you expect me to bless this union? Never. Even if I discard something, it's not for another man to enjoy. Understand your place."

"You monster!" Whitney trembled, her voice barely a whimper, her eyes swimming with tears and fury. "How can you do this to me, Ludwik?" "Admitting your care for Bryce over me?" His voice turned icy.

Whitney, desperate and cornered, could only think of her reason for enduring all this to uncover the truth behind her mother's tragic end.

"Yes, I care for him! And what about Florence? How can you justify your actions towards me when you parade around with her?" Whitney's accusation was a mix of anger and despair.

Ludwik, however, only heard her confession of caring for Bryce, and it pierced through him. He never cared for Florence, not like how Whitney seemed to care for Bryce.

His actions became more aggressive, a terrifying mix of possession and humiliation. "Since you're so fond of him, let's have him hear how you sound under me..."

The escalation was swift and

net

terrifying, Whitney's attempts to fight back futile against Ludwik's overpowering strength. In that moment, the disparity in their power was starkly evident; she was utterly at his mercy, a realization that filled her with a profound sense of vulnerability and fear.

Ludwik's face was a stormcloud of emotion as Whitney, tears streaming down her pale cheeks, finally gave in. "If you insist on humiliating Bryce, I might as well be dead to you." Her voice was a whisper of defeat,& making Ludwik's control slip even further. She found herself lifted up, her back pressed against him as he glared down at her with a fury that was almost palpable.

"Do you want to kill me, Ludwik? Have you forgotten? That night, you were the one who sent me away, hurling insults and telling me to go back to Banyan City, to go back to Bryce!"

"If you let me go, if you let us be, why are you doing this now? Why make everything so ugly?"

He froze, a cold shudder running through him, though a fire still burned within. Ultimately, his anger deflated, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

His nearly six-foot-three frame slumped, his voice heavy with sarcasm as he whispered in her ear. "Why didn't you just go back, then? Bringing him here, flaunting your affection under my nose, it's like you're asking for trouble."

"You defend him so passionately, I'll remember that. You reject me for him? Ha. Let Bryce try to make his mark in Emperor City. I'll ruin him. Dare to marry him, and see what happens," he said, his eyes dark with a bloody promise.

Whitney shivered involuntarily at his words...