Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 224
On February 20th, Elaine and Ludwik’s engagement party went ahead as scheduled.
It was an event of unprecedented grandeur. Flicking through the channels on Banyan City TV, every news program was giving
way to live coverage of the lavish engagement at Joyful Manor.
The blinding flash of paparazzi cameras pierced through the television screen and into Whitney’s eyes as she stood motionless
in her apartment. She was not surprised, nor was she particularly upset; she just felt as though a huge chunk had been carved
out of her heart.
Today, it was finally official; he was with her. The dust had settled, and they had each gone their separate ways.
Tomorrow, it was her turn to get engaged!
Ironically, and somewhat messily, that was how things ended between them.
Whitney blinked hard to clear the mist from her eyes, consoling herself with the thought that the harsh words he had said that
day in the bridal shop–about making her pay–surely did not count now.
Since he had chosen to get engaged and was so enamored with Elaine, his heart had clearly moved on from Whitney long ago.
After the engagement, he would accept their fate, wishing her well from afar.
Her heart, tense for days, let out a faint sigh of relief.
“Whitney, why torture yourself like this?” Tiana burst through the apartment door, saw Whitney transfixed by the TV, and
immediately snapped it off.
She wrapped her arms around Whitney, both fierce and worried. “Are you alright? Every local channel in Banyan City is airing it.
It must be Elaine’s way of getting back at you, using her connections to flaunt her engagement. That couple isn’t worth our
attention. Let’s find something else to do.”
Not wanting to worry her best friend, Whitney forced a smile. “I’m really okay... Even if I had held any illusions before, today,
they’re truly gone.

I bought some baking gear when I moved in yesterday. I was thinking that once the baby’s born, I’ll learn to make some purees.
Wanna help me experiment?”
“Absolutely! We’ve got to make sure the little one eats well and stays healthy!”
Tiana thought the baby was the only thing that could lift Whitney’s spirits and shift her focus, “Let me download a cooking app...”
“What are you guys up to? Can I join in?” The knock at the door was followed by Valerie’s voice.
Chapter 224
Tiana was taken aback for a moment before she went to answer the door, asking in a hushed tone, “Why aren’t you at that
despicable couple’s engagement party with Ashton? I’m obviously not invited, but you’re different. You could’ve gone and spied
for me.”
Valerie shrugged off her scarf, her lips twisting sarcastically. “Elaine’s grand engagement is a massive blow to Ashton. How could
he attend when the woman he loves is getting engaged to another man?
He’s been hiding out somewhere, and I’m glad for the peace. It saves me from having to accompany my parents and endure
Elaine’s two–faced attacks. You know my parents are affiliated with the Bartels family and always overshadowed by Zane.”
Tiana huffed in irritation.
Turning around, Whitney had heard their conversation.
Valerie walked over and gently touched Whitney’s wan face with a look of shared understanding. “How did we both end up falling
for men who’ve been ensnared by Elaine? What’s so great about her? Is it her manipulative ways, her acting skills, her
numerous vices? These men are all blind to it!

Whitney, don’t be sad. On the contrary, you should celebrate escaping from misery. Let that Ludwik, Elaine, and Ashton love
triangle wear themselves out. It’s hard to find a three–legged toad, but men with two legs are a dime a dozen!”
“You’re wrong; men have three legs, too,” Tiana said with a blush.
The playful banter between them made Whitney chuckle, “Tiana, are you looking for a boyfriend? Anyone catch your eye since
Gunner Lutz?”
“Out of the three of us, you’re the only one who has pristine and untainted love lives. What do you think about Parker Doonan?”
Valerie teased.
“Why are you bringing up Mr. Doonan?” Tiana was utterly confused and blushed even more.
“Your face is red. Is there something going on?” Whitney prodded.
Having seen something she should not have twice, did that count as something going on?
“You both are such gossips! Stop making things up. I’m closer to Nolan. Why don’t you say something’s going on with him? Let’s
drop it! Or shall we go back to discussing your tragic love stories?”
“Tiana, do you even have a heart?” Valerie dropped her usual cool demeanor and roared.
Their playful teasing seemed to genuinely calm Whitney’s mood, and she went to the kitchen to fetch the baking tools with a
resigned smile.
With Whitney out of sight, Tiana could not resist turning the TV back on, her mouth twisting in annoyance. “I want to see what
kind of people Elaine’s parents are, whether Ludwik looks

happy today...”
It was around six in the evening, and the last light of dusk cast a beautiful glow over the lush lawn.
The buffet table was a sight to behold on camera.
Seated on white silk chairs were the relatives of both parties. Ludwik’s flamboyant engagement had attracted many business
elites.
“That’s Zane and Delphine, the head honcho of the Bartels Hospital in Emperor City,” Valerie pointed out.
Zane looked dignified, his eyes revealing nothing, while Delphine appeared resplendent and ruthless.
“Elaine takes after her mother; you can tell just by looking at her eyes–cold and malicious.”
Tiana snorted, her gaze shifting to Ludwik’s family. There was an empty spot, except for an elderly man in a traditional suit, his
back to the camera, conspicuous yet understated.
She squinted, amused. “Kaden Lippert didn’t show up, huh? No surprise there. Ever since Imperial Gem Corporation was taken
from them, Ludwik has probably detested the Lippert family. He definitely wouldn’t have invited them.
But it’s odd, isn’t it? Zane allows Ludwik’s parents to be absent? I’ve always wondered, with all of Elaine’s wealth, why she’s so
devoted to Mr. Lippert. The Bartels family seems to take Ludwik very seriously, too.”
Valerie was just as puzzled. “Elaine is far from the love–struck woman she pretends to be. I know she set her sights on Ludwik in
her early twenties. What kind of charm does this man have?”
“Hey, that old man in the traditional suit sitting with Ludwik’s guests, do you know him?”
The camera caught a clear frontal shot.
Valerie peered at the screen. “Isn’t that Ludwik’s uncle? The top brass of the Emperor City military. The Lippert family actually
hails from Emperor City. Kaden moved to Banyan City later on. From what I gather, Ludwik is third in line among the younger
generation in the Lippert family.”
“I see,” Tiana mused.

Tiana analyzed with a sneer, “The Bartels family must be eyeing Ludwik’s uncle’s military influence in Emperor City, huh?”
“But this guy is quite enigmatic, barely has any contact with Kaden, and he’s not Ludwik’s dad either. There’s a layer in between.
Who knows what the Bartels are really after...”
Valerie was mid–sentence when she saw Whitney, belly swollen with pregnancy, coming out of the kitchen. She quickly turned
off the TV, and the conversation came to an abrupt halt.
At Joyful Manor.
Ludwik loosened his Windsor knot, feeling suffocated.
The elderly man dressed beside him sat as serene as a pine tree, “Ludwik, what’s so important that you’ve asked me to this
lounge?”
Ludwik looked up, facing his uncle, Jason Lippert. Truth be told, they had hardly been in contact since his childhood and were
not close.
It was not until a few years ago, when he quietly founded Skyfaith Electronic Tech and during his most financially trying times, his
uncle silently offered a lifeline.
Since then, there had been a slight, though distant, connection between them.
Ludwik spoke with an indifferent expression, “Uncle, with your position in the military, I need to request an arrest warrant of the
highest level from Emperor City. Is that possible?”
Jason looked over with interest. “Who are you planning to take down?”
“It’ll be needed for tomorrow.”