Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 173

“Miss Whitney” This is the police station Keegan’s amputated limb has become severely infected He’s

refusing treatment and causing a commotion, resisting his sentence. He insists on seeing you before

he’ll cooperate. If he continues to break the law, we’ll have no choice but to place him in solitary

confinement. Please come to the station immediately!”

“What? Alright, I’m on my way!” Whitney’s face turned pale as she bit her lip. Her uncle had been

sentenced to prison overnight, how could be possibly accept this turn of events?

She gently laid Ludwik back on his pillow, her hands twisting anxiously. He was now sound asleep –

had it been ages since he last slept properly?

By the time he woke up, she figured it should be a few hours, and by then, she should be back.

The situation was urgent, and Whitney, with no other choice, stood up.

Outside the hospital room, Elaine watched with a cold gaze, quickly dismissing eight bodyguards and

concealing herself.

Whitney hurried out, glancing at her watch with a hint of confusion.

Six in the morning – did the police station really start work this early?

There was no time to ponder, she quickly left.

Around the corner in the hallway. Felix, who had been up all night, was making coffee when he thought

he saw Whitney leaving Mr. Lippert’s room. He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was mistaken, and after

fixing his coffee. he decided to check out the room.

Opening the door, he found Elaine’s figure inside.

Felix silently backed out, everyone had seen Elaine treating Mr. Lippert the night before.

But he was sure he had also seen Whitney lurking by the door,

Felix pondered this, his gaze deepening.

In the police station’s visiting room.

Whitney saw her uncle, gaunt and unrecognizable, and her eyes reddened. Separated by the table,

unable to get close, she asked bitterly, “Uncle, why won’t you accept treatment from the station’s doctor

for your leg?”

“What’s the use? Ludwik is determined to see me dead! They sentenced me to life without a trial. I

won’t accept it! His mother’s comatose state has nothing to do with me, or you. Whitney, the police

questioned you, what exactly happened that night?”

Whitney clenched her fists, her voice cold, “It was a trap set by Elaine, the same woman who called to

persuade you to kidnap Natalie.”

Keegan fell silent, regretting his impulsive actions, “I’ve been manipulated over and over, and now

you’re under investigation because of me. But I’ve made it clear you weren’t involved in the kidnapping:

you were there to save her”

Whitney managed a bitter smile. Yes, everyone – Orion, Elaine had come together.

They had used her uncle, leading to a situation as tangled as a knotted rope.

“Don’t worry about me, Uncle, I trust the police will clear things up.”

“You can’t be in trouble.” Keegan said fearfully, I’m counting on you to appeal for me, I should get, at

most, ten years for kidnapping. Life? It’s no different from the death penalty. I don’t want to suffer in

prison for the rest of my life. Whitney… please, beg Ludwik for forgiveness. And most importantly, your

cousin Yael, she’s still

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missing, and I don’t know if Ludwik has her locked away somewhere. I’m worried about her… you must

help me save her!”

Whitney felt alarmed; it had been four days since the incident.

She had only escaped from the village yesterday and hadn’t had time to look for her cousin.

Moreover, talking with Ludwik was now an issue. She swallowed these troubles and said gently, “Uncle,

give me some time. you and Yael are the most important to me; I won’t abandon you. I’ll find a way to

appeal your case, but not immediately, because Ludwik…”

“I know, he’s a devil! Find out where your cousin is as soon as possible. She’s my only daughter.”

Keegan aged a decade in that moment, his shoulders slumped.

Whitney advised him, “For the sake of reuniting with your daughter, Uncle, please accept treatment.

Don’t make trouble or break the rules anymore; it will only worsen your sentence.”

Keegan shook his head, “I wasn’t making trouble. I just refused treatment, giving up on myself to see

you one last time. But I won’t do it anymore.”

Whitney frowned; the officer who called her in the morning clearly said her uncle was causing trouble

and resisting his sentence. Frightened, she had rushed over.

Was there a mistake in translation? Withholding this from her uncle, she talked a little longer until the

medical

staff came to treat him.

Once more, Whitney reminded her uncle to take care of himself in prison and not to break any rules.

Checking the time, it was nine o’clock. She was worried about Ludwik’s condition; the acupuncture

needles should not remain in too long. It was time for him to wake up.

She hurriedly left the station.

On the ride back, the weather was dreary, the sunlight hidden behind clouds, unable to break through.

It was early, and the streets were still quiet. Suddenly, she saw a bakery open.

Freshly made cookies were displayed.

“I miss the cookies you used to make…” Ludwik’s weak voice seemed to echo in her ears.

Whitney’s heart ached, and with a glimmer in her eyes, she stopped the taxi, ran across the street, and

bought

a bag of cookies, packing them up to keep warm against the early spring chill.

Worried they would cool down, she held them close.

The warmth reached her swelling belly, and the baby inside stirred.

“This is for Daddy, he loves them,” Whitney whispered with a soft laugh.

Blinking back unease, she hoped that the sight of the cookies would bring a touch of warmth to him and

that he wouldn’t reject her as he did the previous night.

Taking a deep breath, she passed through the hospital’s main entrance and headed back to the

intensive care unit on the third floor.

As she neared the door, her phone rang.

In a daze, Whitney saw countless missed calls from Tiana.

She quickly called back, “Tiana?”

Tiana was frantic, “Whitney, where did you go after you ran upstairs last night? I’ve been looking for

you all night!”

“I was in Ludwik’s room treating him; I’m okay, Tiana.”

“You were treating him? Couldn’t Elaine handle it? Tiana was puzzled and then urged, “Are you done

now? With your condition, you should come back and rest!”

Whitney’s hand, clutching a bag of cookies, brushed against the hospital room door. Her thoughts

turned to the man inside, sick and vulnerable. A tender smile played on her lips as she whispered to

herself, Til be back soon. He needs me more.”

With a gentle creak, the door swung slightly ajar

Beyond it was a narrower entryway, which Whitney pushed open without hesitation. Her gaze,

however, aligned perfectly with the small window, granting her an unobstructed view of the scene within

the room.

In an instant, her hand on the door froze in place.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to accept the reality before her

It was as if the sun had finally broken through the clouds, casting its light into the room. A gentle breeze

teased the white curtains aside.

Ludwik lay on the edge of the bed, his neck outstretched, his pale, sickly face still strikingly handsome.

Elaine, seated in a wheelchair, was enveloped in his embrace, her slender waist bent as he kissed her.

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Chapter 174