Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 159
“I overheard you talking the other day, and I couldn’t believe it – Ludwik really spoils you, doesn’t he? You’ve got access to all his
liquid assets, and you can spend without limits, as long as it’s for something that looks legit. If you were to transfer funds to my
account, Ludwik could trace it and take it back. But if you funnel it into one of the companies he’s already set to invest in, then it’s
all above board.”
Whitney’s eyes widened in sheer panic, and her face drained of all color.
When had her uncle started scheming this?
Was it from the moment they first met and he heard about her having a black card? So that was why he insisted on a partnership
with Ludwik using an offshore company.
Looking back and realizing the gist of it, she felt chilled to the bone.
With her signed contract in hand, and then redirecting Ludwik’s assets into an offshore company...
“No, Uncle. You can’t do this!”
But there was Keegan, sliding the card through the reader, with the bank manager overseeing the transaction..
“No!” Whitney’s eyes turned bloodshot as she stared at the frozen image of Ludwik’s handsome face on the TV screen, her
scream tearing through the room. “You can’t swipe his funds now! He needs that money to get through this tough time. Uncle,
this is robbery!”
Yet, the bank manager processed the transaction.
Keegan grabbed her hand to scan her fingerprint.
Whitney clenched her fingers tight, her body thrashing in the chair. Her heart felt as if it were being cleaved in two. She could not
give her fingerprint; she could not sign her name, and she could not be the cause of Ludwik’s downfall. They had a future. They
could still make it....
But her uncle forced her finger onto the fingerprint scanner.
The transaction was complete.

Dozens of receipts were printed out, each requiring her signature.
“Uncle, stop! This is theft! I’m begging you, I love him, I don’t want to harm him, please, no...!”
But Keegan held her trembling hand, forcing her to scribble her name on each slip.
She resisted with all her might, but she was pinned down, signing her name through tears.
Each signature felt like a blade, knowing it would soon cut into Ludwik.
Why was this happening?
This morning, she thought they had clarity and could be in love.
She was overjoyed, filled with ironclad hope.

And now, her uncle was crushing that hope in his hands.
That black card, given to her as a sign of his sincerity, a token of his affection.
How could this be used to break his heart?
Whitney’s tears flowed freely as she shook her head in despair. “Uncle, you might as well kill me now.”
“Wake up and see you’ll never be with him! This is what you should do! This is all our family’s money!” Keegan could no longer
hear reason and forced her to sign her name,
The young man approached, calculating the amount, and laughed. “Over 400 billion dollars and that’s just liquid assets, My
brother’s really loaded.”

Chapter 159
Whitney froze, her face ashen, veins standing out starkly,
She seemed not to comprehend. What was this man talking about?
Brother?
At United Realty Corporation, Ludwik wrapped up a meeting that had successfully silenced the investors. He frowned as he
entered his office.
The PR department sought his opinion. “Mr. Lippert, the press is still buzzing. Do you want to visit the family of the man who
jumped from the building?”
“No need.” Ludwik’s eyes were sharp as a hawk’s. “Call Felix in.”
At the door, however, Felix rushed in, followed by the CFO of Imperial Gem Corporation. Both were pale as ghosts.
Ludwik was about to ask about the man who had jumped, his gaze icy, as he started to speak, “What’s wrong?”
“Mr. Lippert! There’s been a breach at Imperial Gem Corporation. I was just consolidating all the cash assets when suddenly,
over 400 billion dollars in liquid assets were swiped! The funds have been transferred overseas. We tried to freeze the account,
but because it’s through Citibank, we couldn’t stop it in time, and now the funds have entered the other company’s account!”
Ludwik’s Adam’s apple stopped momentarily. He knew exactly how much 400 billion dollars meant – it was all the liquid assets of
Imperial Gem Corporation.
“Who stole it?” His expression turned to ice, his aura terrifying.

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Felix, shaking, could hardly speak.
Ludwik stood tall, his presence in the office overwhelming Nolan.
He swept the papers off his desk.
Felix seemed to collapse, shaking uncontrollably, and never had he found it so difficult to speak, his entire body frozen.
“It was... Madam.”
Ludwik paused, his lips curling slightly. “Nonsense. Call her back from her uncle’s place.”
Felix watched the disbelief on his boss’s face and the indifference that suddenly made his heart scrape with pain. He trembled as
he laid down the bank receipt, saying, “It’s true... Mr. Lippert, the black card could bankrupt you. It requires her fingerprint and
signature, dozens of them. They’re all here!”

Ludwik glanced at the documents, speechless. His striking features were suddenly as rigid as stone.
His fierce gaze cut through the air like countless arrows.
He remained motionless, his chill seeping into his bones.
Felix felt unbearable discomfort.
Ludwik had to pay 120 billion dollars because of Whitney, but because of how much he doted on her, he did not say a word.
Yet, Whitney had transferred all of Ludwik’s liquid assets, which were 400 billion dollars,
Felix could not believe it.
It was like knives falling from the sky!
Ludwik regained composure, his face emotionless as he asked, “Who paid the jumper?”
Felix felt Ludwik knew the answer.
Chapter 159
He gave it, “Orion. Mr. Lippert, the overseas company where your 400 billion went, the legal representative is..

Ludwik’s face was devoid of any expression.
Felix struggled to say, “Also Orion. And Keegan is the second–largest shareholder.”
“Keegan?” Ludwik muttered the name, pausing a long while, then smiled.
His elegant hands were cold as marble as they pressed against the desk. He bowed his head, his profile so handsome it could
take one’s breath away.
His voice showed a hint of weariness. “Call Whitney.”
“I already did. No answer.”
“Then find her!” The man’s roar echoed through the room, silencing all other sounds.
Felix could hear the deadly chill in his words. Whitney being entangled with Orion must feel like a knife tearing his boss apart.
And what about her uncle Keegan? What role did he play in all of this?
The weather was gloomy and depressing, mirroring the mounting troubles faced by United Realty Corporation.
Nineteen investment firms had waited until evening, trusting Ludwik’s reputation for keeping his word, a titan who held Banyan
City’s economy in his iron grip. He had promised compensation, and they had no doubt he would deliver.
But as night fell, there was still no compensation contract from United Realty Corporation.
The executives were growing restless and anxious when suddenly, someone leaked a bombshell: Imperial Gem Corporation had
transferred a staggering 400 billion in liquid assets, and Mr. Lippert might be staring down the barrel of bankruptcy for both
Imperial Gem and United Realty!
Four hundred billion in cash an astronomical amount!
–
Only a truly wealthy consortium could muster such liquid assets.
But where had it all gone?
Was Ludwik now unable to make good on his promises?

Feeling played, the enraged executives stormed the CEO’s office floor, hurling accusations and demanding compensation.
United Realty Corporation’s offices were besieged by staff from these companies, packed to the gills, while reporters barged in to
cover the scandal. The news of Imperial Gem’s transferred cash and the potential insolvency spread like wildfire, causing a
public uproar..