Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 373

"I'll help you out."

Whitney wished she could just throw the food away.

She glared at him, "What on earth do you want, Ludwik? I've told you, you're not welcome here."

"Aren't you hungry?" Ludwik spoke as if he had made up his mind to be shameless.

He walked into the kitchen with two bags of ribs, extending his clean wrist toward her, "Help me take off my watch, will you?"

Whitney ignored him, coldly seating herself on the sofa to review some work documents.

Danny hesitantly glanced at his mom's indifferent profile before stealthily helping his dad with the watch.

Ludwik started bustling about in the kitchen, his proficiency evident from the systematic sounds that followed.

He knew how to cook, having shown off his skills three years ago. According to Danny, he had prepared almost every lunch for his son since.

But that didn't change the fact that he was a jerk, heartless, protecting Elaine, blinding himself to right and wrong.

The more Whitney thought about it, the colder her expression became.

"Whitney, where do you keep the salt and vinegar?" His deep voice called out.

After a brief wait, Ludwik peeked out from the kitchen, "Hurry up, Danny's starving."

With a snap, Whitney closed her laptop, fetched the condiments from a visible shelf, and dumped them on the counter.

"Oh, so they were here. I didn't notice," Ludwik said innocently upon seeing her mocking expression.

"Oh, so Mr. Lippert is blind!" Whitney scoffed.

Ignoring the double entendre, Ludwik's gaze hardened as he looked at her, "If you won't talk to me, I have to find some excuse, don't I?"

"You protect Elaine every day, refusing to avenge our son's kidnapping. As long as you do, we will be at odds."

Whitney was straightforward.

Ludwik paused his cooking, sighing silently before turning to her with a helpless look in his eyes, "Whitney, how do I make you understand that I owe her…"

"Then focus on her and stop trying to have it both ways, acting like a shameless jerk. And I have no intention of going back to you. We're divorced, and I don't want anything to do with you. You have no right to interfere in my life."

Ludwik bristled, "Is it because you don't want me meddling in your love life? In this city, there's nothing I can't handle, including you!"

Whitney clenched her fists, furious. Just then, Ludwik's phone rang.

He answered with a sharp glance still fixed on her, "Hello... Ashton?"

Whitney could hear Ashton yelling from the phone, "Where the hell are you? Big trouble with Elaine! She was attacked by a crazed fan who broke into her villa. She fell from the second floor trying to escape and is bleeding badly!"

"What?" Ludwik's expression darkened, "I had assigned two bodyguards to her…"

"The bodyguards were absent. How could they protect her when you treat her so coldly? Get to the hospital now!"

Ashton hung up angrily.

Ludwik hesitated, then made to leave, but Whitney blocked his way, her eyes gleaming with scorn, "Elaine in trouble again?"

"It must be real. Ashton wouldn't lie to me."

Whitney laughed bitterly, "So, whenever you're here, she ends up in some accident? First, a gastric perforation from drinking at the trial, and now, a broken leg? She's good at playing the victim to gain your sympathy."

"Whitney…" Ludwik frowned, "Don't speak like that about someone's misfortune."

Whitney's cold laughter echoed, her heart aching despite her resolve.