Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 242
Ludwik was on the edge, teetering close to a breakdown, clinging to his newborn as his lifeline to sanity.
Despite the fact that the little tyke had been in the incubator for what seemed like an eternity, facing life–threatening
complications every other day, Ludwik had exhausted every medical avenue and refused to give up. He was there day in and
day out as if possessed while completely ignoring Skyfaith Electronic Tech.
In such a state, Elaine felt as though she had become invisible, unable to even get close.
And the idea of finding a chance to eliminate the bane of her existence was laughably far–fetched.
Finally, after six months, the baby was out of the incubator. Ludwik, with his ragged beard and a touch of despair that made him
all the more alluring, cracked a rare smile.
But Elaine was still kept at arm’s length from the child.
Ludwik took the baby to Natalie’s house, where he devoted his nights to solo parenting–nursing, changing diapers, never once
asking for help.
Elaine, seeing no other way, gritted her teeth and shifted strategies. The baby was young, just a few months old. If she raised
him as her own, surely he would call her ‘mom‘ someday. To avenge Whitney’s death and then have her child call her ‘mom‘ felt
like a twisted form of victory.
And it would certainly secure Ludwik’s heart.
By adopting this approach, Elaine did indeed manage to earn a smidgen of trust and favor from the man. She finally felt she
could tentatively reach for his heart, which had been sealed away for half a year.
One night, after the weak child had finished his milk and fallen asleep, Elaine sought out Ludwik, who had retreated to his study
to bury himself in work. She was determined to have a serious
talk about their future.
Ludwik was detached from everything, but the gentle Elaine approached, bashfully snuggling into his embrace, and whispered,
“Ludwik, I can wait for you indefinitely, for a spot in your heart, but I worry. If you continue to shut yourself away, you’re only
tormenting yourself.

I can’t bear to see you hurt like this. Please, for Danny’s sake, come out of this. He needs a normal dad and a mom, a complete
family. It’s time to let her go. She’s not worth your remembrance, not even your hatred. No mother could be that cruel...”
“You worry too much,” Ludwik closed his file, his profile sharp and expression darkening.
Elaine’s breath hitched, and in a bold move, she kissed his jawline, pleading with infatuated desperation, “If you still harbor
hatred and seek revenge, wouldn’t the best way be to fall for another woman, to build a life and find happiness with her?
Wouldn’t that be the cruelest
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comeback?”
As if realization suddenly dawned on him, Ludwik’s enigmatic gaze landed on Elaine, who was undeniably beautiful. A flash of
deep coldness crossed his features.
Elaine’s lips trailed down along his skin to his throat as she whispered fervently. “I’m worth it. Ludwik. I deserve your attention.”
“You’re right.” Ludwik murmured, closing his eyes, a mix of exhaustion and simmering resentment in his tone. He traced her lips,
kissing her with a controlled intensity. “Not loving a good woman like you is a sickness, one I must cure. The best revenge is to
fall for you. Let’s be a happy family of three. Take good care of Danny, Elaine. You’re his mother now.”
His gaze was hooded as he kissed her, movements stiff yet unrelenting. Elaine, flushed with success, knew the weight of his
words. With her head held high, flushed with triumph, she thought Whitney must be turning in her grave.

Defeated, two lives lost!
Three years later, abroad.
Dawn was just breaking as a medical examination room in a medical academy buzzed with activity.
The male doctor tapped the woman’s knees, saying, “Ms. Valentine, after three years, your chronic condition has finally
improved, but remember, the after–effects are lifelong. You must avoid standing in the cold and soaking your legs in ice water, or
you’ll suffer unbearable pain.”
The woman, who had been deprived of sunlight for years, had a snow–white, breathtakingly beautiful face, her skin porcelain
smooth. She stood up, jumping lightly, her voice husky from permanent damage yet sultry. “I understand. And don’t forget, I’m
your senior at this medical academy. It’s just that doctors can’t operate on themselves, so I needed you to help with the
acupuncture.”
“You’re stubborn. What’s the rush that you’re interrupting your treatment? You’re a miracle worker in our hospital. I heard you’re
transferring your medical license back to Harmonia Country?”
“I’ve got a patient back home,” she replied evasively, picking up her boxing gloves and heading for the rehab room.
The doctor shook his head in resignation. Ms. Valentine had been on death’s door three years ago, right after childbirth. She had
worked hard these past years, pushing the limits to climb the career ladder.
At seven o’clock, Whitney returned to her villa.
Torin was watering the plants. He was deaf and mute, but they communicated through writing.
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Chapter 242
Whitney, carrying breakfast, dashed into the living room. Yael Tennyson signaled from the stairs, her slender figure exuding
gentleness, “Whitney, Sammy’s still snoozing.”
“That little sleepyhead.: Whitney chuckled, though her eyes betrayed her concern.
Sammy had suffered an asthma attack the night before, only settling down at dawn.
Whitney entered his tiny bedroom, where her son curled up in bed, his princely features and delicate frame at odds with his
ruddy cheeks–a testament to her care.
A flicker of coldness crossed her eyes, not wanting to recall how she had managed to nurse him to this state of health in the last
three years.
That fateful night, she had leaped into the sea, overwhelmed by bitterness, only to be saved by an unexpected rescuer.
Later, when Bryce was released, he found Whitney, who had fled abroad. Then, he secretly helped her find her cousin Yael, both
barely clinging to life, hiding out for three years.
To treat both Sammy’s cold–induced asthma and her leg injuries, Whitney revisited traditional medicine,
Fortuitously, Torin, a servant from her grandfather’s days and whom she had once sent Simon to find, had been overseas for a
decade.
In his possession were medical books left by Whitney’s mother, and by studying those books, Whitney became known as a
miracle acupuncturist, gaining a modest reputation over the past three years.
These memories seemed lengthy yet fleeting. Agony and struggle had become her constant bedfellows, keeping her awake
night after night. Every time she closed her eyes, the memories of that fateful night played out in excruciating detail. She needed
time to gather her strength, to
heal.
But that despicable pair were out there, living it up, not granting her a moment’s respite!

Today, they were preparing to celebrate their grand wedding. Yet in prison, her uncle, Keegan, was suddenly convicted of
murder, his life sentence turned into a death sentence. Was this Elaine’s twisted version of a ‘wedding gift‘?
Skye Gem Ltd., once a beacon of stability, was now adrift and on the auction block after three
years.
Tiana, humiliated and exposed by Elaine’s malicious leaking of photos, had brought the wrath of that despicable man down on
the Melford family, leading to their social ostracism. After her disgrace, Tiana had a pregnancy no one had anticipated.
In these three years, she had avoided all contact with others, but Bryce had relayed that Tiana was forced to give birth, the child
now two years old.
With each thought, Whitney’s hatred became impossible to conceal. The architect of all this chaos was none other than Elaine.
How could she possibly let this woman go unpunished?
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With each grievance, she vowed to settle with that despicable pair. It was time to return home.
“Whitney, you have to find a way to save Dad from the death penalty,” Yael pleaded, his voice tinged with unease.
“Of course, this trip back isn’t just about rescuing family and friends; it’s also about revenge!”
Whitney squeezed her hand, her alluring eyes brimming with a chilling intent.