Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 186

“No way! It’s rare for a boss to offer us a booth, Whitney, Skye Gem Ltd. is really on its last legs!” Nyx

was clearly frantic.

“What’s the meaning of this, your boss won’t take her seat–too good for my department store counter,

huh? Looks like Skye Gem Ltd. is going under,” Maddox sneered.

Nyx quickly picked up a glass and headed over to make amends, “Of course not, my boss will sit down

and join everyone for a chat in a minute, but first, let me toast to you all.”

She grabbed three glasses and downed them all in one go.

Everyone praised Nyx as a woman of valor, their laughter tinged with lewdness.

Whitney watched those gazes and quickly grabbed Nyx, whose face was turning red, “This deal isn’t as

easy to secure as you think, let’s get out of here!”

Nyx, confused, was pulled away by her, and they had just turned around when Maddox’s sinister voice

carried over, “Nyx, are you trying to play me? You drank water instead of alcohol? Seize her!”

“What are you doing?” Whitney was too late, Nyx was suddenly grabbed by the bouncer, restrained,

and thrown

‘t leave her, he wouldn’t be a real man. So this woman, blinded by greed, got dumped by Mr. Lippert

and now has the audacity to seek a partnership for Skye Gem Ltd. here. Didn’t she know Mr. Lippert

would be here?”

The round table of male bosses were talking over each other, attracting numerous onlookers from the

business

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crowd.

Everyone’s attention naturally shifted up to the second floor. The second floor had a luxurious private

suite, overseeing the entire scene below, reserved for the most honored guests

That seat, undoubtedly, belonged to Ludwik.

The noise from downstairs reached Elaine, who smirked to herself.

Seemingly puzzled, she turned to Ludwik, who was brooding with a drink in hand, “Ludwik, do I hear

Whitney’s voice from downstairs? Could she be here?”

Felix glanced quickly over the railing, his face paling slightly.

His expression caused Ludwik to frown. He stood up, his tall frame moving toward the railing.

An overweight boss from downstairs looked up, “Mr. Lippert is here!”

Silence fell, and Whitney’s gaze shot up, clashing with Ludwik’s icy cold eyes.

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Chapter 186

Ludwik paused for a moment, his cold smile fixated on her appearance amid a table of male bosses.

A shameless woman. She claimed she wanted to take care of him, to atone, but as soon as he stepped

out of the villa, she’d stopped acting.

Sneaking in here, making a spectacle of herself, trying to secure a partnership for Skye Gem Ltd.

Did she have any idea how much embarrassment she was causing him by being here?

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Ha, did she care? Did she sincerely want to stay, to repent? Ludwik’s gaze turned completely icy

Whitney knew by his look that he had completely misunderstood the situation,

“Mr. Lippert, if I may be so bold, you’ve divorced this woman, right? She came to me seeking a

partnership, yes shamelessly tried to deceive me. If you don’t want to intervene, then I’ll have to take

matters into my own hands!” Maddox half–joked, looking for a reaction.

ce settling

The crowd watched intently for Ludwik’s response. He simply caressed his glass, his gaze never once

on Whitney, remaining detached and gracefully indifferent.

The crowd speculated, “Mr. Lippert is so proud, he must loathe the woman who made a fool of him.”

“Bitten by a beautiful viper, even Mr. Lippert couldn’t escape the allure of love.”

“Look at Mr. Lippert’s eyes, does he look like he’s going to intervene? He probably wishes she’d just

drop dead!”

Maddox, emboldened by the crowd’s banter and a glance at Ludwik’s indifferent posture, approached

Whitney with confidence, “Your ex–husband isn’t stepping in for you, so we’ll talk business. Those

three fake drinks your subordinate served me–you gonna drink them yourself, or strip as an apology?”

“Whitney can’t drink! If you’ve got guts, come at me!” Nyx stared at Whitney’s thick coat, knowing she

was pregnant

“You’re old and ugly; who would bother with you?”

Maddox looked at Nyx with disdain, then turned to Whitney with a leering smile, “I might not give you

the counter space at Argent Plaza, but it all depends on your sincerity, Whitney. Drink up, or strip

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down–let’s see if your body is as gorgeous as your face.”

“I don’t need your counter space, and I won’t agree to any of your conditions. This is a networking

event, Maddox, mind the impact and let my subordinate go!” Whitney spoke coldly

Maddox laughed loudly. He was the head honcho of Argent Plaza, a man of influence at this gathering.

Besides, he glanced up at Elaine, who watched calmly. As long as he handled things smoothly. Elaine

had hinted that a chip partnership with Skyfaith was a sure thing.

“Mr. Lippert doesn’t care, so if I want to take you with me tonight, I will, and no one will dare say

anything!”

Maddox, puffing out his chest, reached for Whitney’s hand and signaled to a few wealthy young men

nearby. “Let’s play a bidding game. Whoever offers the highest price gets to take Ms. Valentine home

to discuss Skye Gem Ltd’s partnership.”

He said with a suggestive undertone, eliciting giggles from the crowd.

Yet those at the adjacent tables all kept their eyes on Ludwik, shrouded in cold indifference upstairs.

Even if she was a woman he had discarded, they still hesitated to make a move.

Maddox looked up at Ludwik again, seeing no sign of intervention.

He boldly stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves to undo Whitney’s coat, “Every other woman is in a

gown, and here you are, Whitney, wrapped up so thick. The gents can’t see your figure.”

“Yeah, gotta inspect the goods before you bid!” whistled a young tycoon, flipping a coin between his

fingers.

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“Get off me, let go-” Whitney’s face turned pale, her gaze locked onto the man upstairs, desperately

trying to break through the crowd.

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Chapter 186

Maddox and his cronies quickly surrounded her, forcefully peeling off her winter coat

Underneath was a two–piece sweater set, the scoop neckline revealing Whitney’s porcelain skin, her

elegant neck framed by cascading dark locks, the contrast of her ebony hair against her alabaster skin

was striking under the glittering chandeliers Whitney’s delicate bone structure and lithe figure didn’t go

unnoticed.

The young tycoons stared, completely transfixed

“Let Whitney on, she’s pregnant! Have you no decency? Nyx screamed, panic edging his voice

“Pregnant? Could it be Mr. Lippert’s child? one of the tycoons hesitated.

Maddox, having received a text from Elaine, sneered, “Mr. Lippert hasn’t claimed her to this day it’s

obvious he wants nothing to do with the child?”

The young tycoons, emboldened by alcohol, murmured among themselves, “A pregnant beauty, huh?

Even more thrilling”

Whitney couldn’t bear the vile words. Was Ludwik listening? How could he stand by and let these men

slander her like this? No matter what, the child inside her was his!

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