Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 233
Whitney closed her eyes, a wave of exhaustion washing over her as she lay back on the hospital bed.
The test results were as expected; the medication from this morning was fine.
She shook her head wryly, a mix of sorrow and helplessness in her gaze as she looked at Ludwik. “You don’t believe a word I
say, do you? That child is yours, and even if you don’t want
it, at least don’t let Elaine harm it!”
He did want his children; that was why he had brought her here. How could this damned woman understand his turmoil?
“Ms. Valentine, I’ve told you repeatedly that I would accept this child and raise it well. Why must you relentlessly accuse me?”
Elaine glided into the room with a soft grace, casting a glance at the man before her thinly veiled sarcasm hit its mark.
“Perhaps you’re just upset and taking it out on the staff? The surveillance and medication are both fine. Ludwik has been patient
with you.
Maybe you just want to leave, right? I heard your bestie cornered Felix last night inquiring about Bryce. You’re pretty concerned
about him, aren’t you? Desperate to rush to his rescue?”
Ludwik’s eyes turned frosty.
So the claims about the medication and surveillance were all excuses?
Of course, her thoughts were consumed with saving Bryce; how could she contentedly remain here?
“Drop that fantasy of running off with him,” he snapped, releasing Whitney. “Stay put and behave!”
“This is all her design; why can’t you see that? I don’t want to stay here because it’s dangerous. Everyone is out to get me, don’t
you understand?” Whitney said, grabbing his arm in desperation.
“Everyone is out to get you?” Ludwik looked at her with disdain. “It seems your paranoia is worsening.”
He could not let go of her; from the moment she woke up, she had been unreasonable and aggressive.

The doctor approached, speaking in hushed tones. “Based on last night’s evaluation, Mr. Lippert, Ms. Valentine is indeed
showing signs of depression. This can lead to paranoia, extreme unrest, and even aggression.”
All the symptoms fit Whitney to a tee. Ludwik rubbed his temples, weary.
Staying here only meant endless quarrels, bringing nothing but displeasure.
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He stood up and left the room, disappointment trailing behind him.
Elaine quickly followed, trying to console him. “Ludwik, don’t be angry. She’s sick, after all. I’m not even upset with her
accusations. Maybe you should stop visiting for a while? Let her cool off; it might even be better for the baby. We have the
surveillance, and we should trust the doctors.”
Ludwik thought that perhaps he was a source of stress for her. That woman was impervious to reason and only fixated on Bryce.
He stormed off.
Elaine turned back to the ward, her face morphing into a cold smile as she taunted the disoriented Whitney, “How does it feel to
be seen as a depressed patient?
Right now, he won’t believe a word you say, and why would he? I’m the kind–hearted, gentle woman who gave a kidney to his
mother, and I’m even accepting of his child. Poor thing, pregnant and powerless, trapped here and utterly alone. How does that

feel?”
Whitney’s breathing grew rapid, her hands clutching the bed sheets. Hindered by her pregnancy, she was almost defenseless.
She despised her current vulnerability!
“You’re nearly finished,” Elaine whispered cruelly. “That medication from last night–it was indeed designed to induce premature
birth, but it’s undetectable. And soon, both of you will die as you wish.”
“Elaine, you’ll get what’s coming to you. Do you think you can deceive everyone forever? If you don’t want anyone to know, don’t
do it!” Whitney retorted.
Elaine paused for a moment, rattled by the veiled threat in Whitney’s words.
“Still trying to confuse the situation, even at death’s door. You’re locked in here, powerless to change anything.” Elaine’s smile
was casual as she walked out.
Once the door closed, Whitney quickly looked up at the ceiling where the surveillance camera was situated. Sure enough, Elaine
had turned it off during their conversation.
The mention of the kidney transplant rang alarm bells in her mind.
She jumped out of bed, rummaging through her coat for the watch Tiana had given her, having forgotten about it in the chaos of
the previous night.
With her phone confiscated and her whereabouts unknown, she needed to reach Tiana.
After her recent attempt to reason with Ludwik, she had lost all hope; he was too trusting of Elaine to investigate anything. She
would never find answers in him.

Now, her last hope was to expose Elaine’s true face. Tiana must have made progress on that girl at the hospital.
Holding the watch, her last card, she knew that every extra day she stayed put the child in greater danger. Damn Ludwik for his
ignorance.
Chapter 233
She had to escape and expose Elaine’s sham kidney donation. Only then might Ludwik realize that her supposed depression
was a ploy to harm her!
Fiddling with the watch, Whitney finally caught a faint signal while hiding in the bathroom.
At Tiana’s apartment, the signal from the watch broke the silence. Overjoyed, Tiana exclaimed, “Whitney! Where are you? How
are you?”
“Save me, Tiana. The baby is in danger. Ludwik doesn’t believe me. I need proof...”
But Whitney’s words cut out as the signal dropped.
Tiana was frantic, scanning her computer for Whitney’s location. Once she had a rough idea, she grabbed her laptop and bolted
out the door.
Valerie called after her, “Where are you going?”
“The girl from TriMed Hospital confessed everything. Elaine’s kidney donation was a sham, just as Whitney suspected. The
organ transplanted into Natalie was sold by that girl, and I’ve got proof of a $300,000 payment to her from Dr. Horatio.
All I need is evidence of Elaine’s dealings with Dr. Horatio, and the truth will be out.
Whitney said there’s poison in Natalie’s system, causing organ failure. She’s kept quiet for her safety. Now, we’ll take this
evidence to Ludwik, and the truth will come to light!
He trusts Elaine because he can’t imagine someone harming another and then sacrificing their own kidney. But Elaine never
donated, did she? Such a vile woman; it’s time to open that jerk’s eyes!”
Valerie inhaled deeply. “Looks like you’ve been silently working everything out. I’ve been worried about Whitney, pregnant and
vulnerable, but thankfully, she’s been one step ahead.”

“If it were not for her carrying that jerk’s baby, she wouldn’t be so helpless against Elaine,” Tiana said with a determined look in
her eyes. “I’m going to get that girl to safety right now and then rescue Whitney. The kid’s welfare is paramount! Once she’s free,
and we have the evidence, we can negotiate terms with Ludwik!”
Valerie frowned. “If it were not for my fear that Ashton might tip Elaine off, I’d help, too. You have to be careful!”
“Better you stay out of it. The fewer people involved, the better.”
In the afternoon, Elaine was lounging contentedly in her villa when suddenly her phone rang. It was Jaxon, his tone unusually
grave.
“Elaine, Dr. Horatio, that fool, screwed up. He told me the girl tried to blackmail him for a hundred grand more, and he refused.
Yesterday, he accidentally discovered she had a medical exam proving she only had one kidney. The bill, I checked, was paid by
Tiana,” he explained.
Elaine’s mind raced, and her sunny disposition quickly clouded over. “What are you saying?
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Tiana is looking into this?”
“Yeah, Parker had been to TriMed Hospital before, but he didn’t find anything in the nephrology department. How on earth did
Tiana trace it back to that girl?”
If Tiana was looking into it, that meant Whitney was behind it.
Damn it, that woman had been holding onto such a trump card all this time, and Elaine had been none the wiser.
How had Whitney guessed the fake kidney donation?
Elaine could not figure out where she had slipped up. Then she remembered the day Ludwik was about to abort the child.
Whitney had indeed sneered at her, asking if both kidneys were intact.
That cunning bitch!
Elaine’s headache intensified. “What’s the situation now? Find that girl immediately; don’t let Tiana beat us to it.”

“It might be too late, Elaine,” Jaxon said, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s all because Dr. Horatio was so hesitant. He’s only
telling me now, and by the time I went looking for the girl, Tiana had already moved her.”
“What?” Elaine’s face darkened, “Find her! Now!”
She stood up, her composure shaken. If Whitney had the evidence against her at this critical juncture, she would lose everything
to Ludwik. That simply could not happen.