Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 170

In the hospital room, Parker struggled to restrain Ludwik’s shaking hands. Peering into the man’s

bloodshot eyes, Parker felt a wave of helplessness. “Ludwik, hang in there, buddy. Just take it easy, the

doc’s on his way. You need a sedative.”

“It won’t work. Regular docs won’t work,” Ludwik panted, his body trembling violently, beads of sweat

dotting his forehead as his right hand twitched uncontrollably.

A brutal headache clawed at his temples, inciting a mad desire to smash everything in sight. Slowly, his

vision. began to blur.

He collapsed to the floor, his large, heavy frame jostling his mother’s hospital bed.

Ludwik’s eyes reddened with distress as he reached out desperately to steady his mother’s bed.

The sight wrenched Parker’s heart. He rushed to Ludwik’s aid, only to be met with an uncontrolled

punch that burst open his forehead, blood trickling down.

“Ludwik, what’s wrong with you?” Suddenly, a faint, trembling voice cut through the tension at the door,

tinged with concern.

A slender figure dashed into the

e room.

Whitney hurried to Ludwik’s side. His symptoms mirrored those of a violent psychotic episode, where

initially. the patient might exhibit aggressive, bloodthirsty behavior, escalating to self–harm, confusion,

and insanity.

She reached out to check his pulse, but Ludwik caught sight of her.

His consciousness still intact, the image of her face, along with the sight of his mother lying quietly in

bed, pierced his heart with agonizing pain.

“Why is she here?” he looked up at Parker.

Tell her to get out. I don’t want to see her.”

“Get out!” Ludwik’s uncontrollable rage sent objects flying toward her.

Parker saw a porcelain piece heading straight for Whitney’s stomach and kicked her out of harm’s way

just in time.

Whitney stood frozen, her mind echoing with his hateful, disgusted curses.

Ludwik lay half on the ground, his tall and noble frame so vulnerable, shaking as he clutched his head.

Suddenly, his eyes lifted.

He thought of someone who could save him–his breaths shallow, he muttered, “Call… Elaine.”

“Huh?” Parker was puzzled. Elaine was a patient herself; why call her?

“Hurry, call Elaine! I need her!” Ludwik gritted his teeth in pain.

Four years ago, during his hysterical episode, it was Elaine who had stayed with him through the night,

saving him. She might know what to do.

While he still had a lucid moment, Ludwik repeated his command.

The repeated pleas for Elaine battered against Whitney’s ears.

Her heart felt as if it had been pierced by a thousand needles, bleeding profusely, the pain making her

feel weak and suffocated.

Ludwik now trusted Elaine so completely. Had he lost all faith in her?

He couldn’t even bear to look at Whitney, as if a single glance would exacerbate his condition.

In his heart, Whitney and Elaine had switched places in an Instant.

“Why are you still here? Ludwik’s sick because of you. Whitney, you’re a jinx!”

Nolan rushed in, roughly pulling her toward the door.

Whitney’s face drained of color. Seeing Ludwik in agony shook her to her core. She recalled what

Natalie had said, that he had been troubled since childhood, prone to violent outbursts.

Yet she couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly is happening to him?”

“Do you have the nerve to ask?” Nolan fumed. “Aren’t you the main culprit? Haven’t I told you that he’s

not ordinary, that his childhood was harsh, that he has severe emotional issues? It’s been years since

he’s had an episode, you malignant woman, you’ve hurt him, hurt Natalie. Ludwik, such a strong man,

you’ve shattered his last belief! He’s having a hysterical fit!”

Whitney staggered back, tears brimming in her eyes. A thousand apologies choked in her throat, all

dissipating into a sharp pain in her heart.

I didn’t hurt Natalie.” she stammered in defense.

“Still making excuses!” Nolan glared coldly.

Elaine arrived in her wheelchair, noting Nolan’s harsh demeanor toward Whitney. Everyone around

Ludwik had turned icy cold toward Whitney.

A smirk twisted her lips, a sense of triumph filling her as she feigned concern, “What happened to

Ludwik? Nolan, did he ask for me?”

“Yes, Elaine, go to him. He’s having a hysterical fit and he asked for you. He probably thinks you can

help him.”

Nolan’s expression softened considerably when addressing Elaine. After all, even psychiatrists were

often helpless against Ludwik’s condition.

“Right, I have a knack for medicine; I’ll take a look at him right away!”

Elaine said, her eyes, however, darted toward Whitney and with feigned concern she said, “Ms.

Valentine, are you lingering here to continue agitating Ludwik? Don’t you understand that you are the

cause of his outbreak?” Whitney had no rebuttal for this, but she glared coldly at Elaine, her fists

clenched. “If his illness is because his mother was his last thread of sanity, then you are the real culprit.

Elaine, you know what I’m talking about. His mother’s vegetative state is linked to you. The truth will

come out one day, and you will face the consequences! You don’t love him. You’re wicked at heart,

willing to harm his mother and cause his illness, all for the sake of possessing him in a sick way.”

Elaine glanced quickly at the departing Nolan, her face freezing for a moment before she sneered.

Her wheelchair glided up to Whitney’s side, and she whispered with a chilling laugh, “Right now,

everyone sees you as the culprit, while I’m the one who donated a kidney, and Ludwik is touched by

my gesture. You’ve lost completely, and him kicking you out is the best proof!

And I will have Ludwik, whether it’s his body or his heart. Oh, his heart might already be mine.”

That last sentence was spoken with a particularly sinister tone.

Whitney’s gaze was icy, not understanding her meaning.

“Do you want to know why he’s calling for me, why he relies on me so much, don’t you? You’ll never

know.” The smugness, in Elaine’s laugh was evident as she thought of the half ring she had snatched,

giving her the upper hand. Whitney would never know how she lost.

Elaine thought with a twisted smile, “From now on, his beloved will only be me. You just watch as I cure

him and bask in our love.”

Elaine wheeled triumphantly into the room.

Chapter 170

Whitney stared hard at her retreating figure, watching her approach Ludwik.

Ludwik, with the last shred of his consciousness, looked at Elaine trustingly with reddened eyes.

Whitney felt a pang of sorrow so intense it was as if a cold wave had washed over her, plunging her

into the depths of a harsh winter.

Why, she wondered, did he trust Elaine so much when he was ill?

Was it solely because Elaine had donated a kidney to his mother?

“Let it go, Whitney, Tiana said, concern etched in her voice. “He’s really resistant to you right now. Let

Elaine take care of him for now and see how it goes.”

Tiana was worried that if Whitney barged in again, she might harm the child. The kid’s what matters.

With him like

this, you need to take even better care of the baby, right? You saw the way Nolan looked at you – if

looks could kill. Let’s head back to your room, you need to get that wound dressed.”

Whitney fell into a helpless silence as she was wheeled away

Meanwhile, in Natalie’s hospital room, Elaine was far from the picture of ease she had painted to

Whitney.

Ludwik struggled to cling to the last vestiges of consciousness. “Elaine… is it worse than it was four

years ago?”

Elaine, clueless, could only weave a half–baked lie. “Yes, Ludwik, this time it’s particularly severe.”

“You healed me four years ago, I trust you can do it again.”

Elaine offered a nervous laugh, taking his pulse for what seemed like an eternity. His pulse was all over

the place, impossible to read, leaving her at a loss for where to even begin.

Damn it, she thought, how on earth did Whitney manage to save him that night

ght four year