Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Before Whitney knew it, a pristine and elegant wedding dress was being presented to her.

Ludwik gently helped her into it, his eyes lighting up in satisfaction as the dress hugged her slender, graceful frame.

It was just the two of them in the room, enveloped in a serene quietude.

The man rose, his towering figure moving towards the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Outside, an endless expanse of azure sea stretched out before them, the sun casting a glittering sheen on the sandy beach, while the breeze rustled the palm leaves, all kept at bay behind the glass.

It felt like a hidden paradise, its tranquility soothing his restless spirit. He turned, looking at her with a quiet, stirring intensity, as if she was his cherished wife, and nothing could disrupt their bliss.

"Whitney, when you open your eyes, you'll be mine.

My only wife, my only love..."

With a groan, Whitney's eyes snapped open, a sharp pain in her neck propelling her to sit up.

Gazing around at the unfamiliar room, adorned in American-style decor, confusion washed over her.

Her fingers brushed against the soft fabric of the wedding dress, and looking down, her complexion turned even more pale.

She remembered wearing a toast dress!

Yet now, she was in a wedding gown she'd never seen before, its mermaid silhouette shimmering with tiny diamonds, making her feel like a sunlit mermaid with every move, the dress clinging tightly to her curves.

How did she end up here?

How had she changed into this, even her clothes were different.

She vividly remembered, after marrying Bryce, Ludwik had crashed the wedding, and after a violent brawl, she had tried to use death as her threat, but he had knocked the knife from her hand, and it seemed he had knocked her out too!

He said he was taking her to see Sammy...

Her mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts.

Her gaze sharpened as she noticed the darkening sky outside, panic setting in, she moved to get out of bed-

Just then, footsteps approached, and entering her line of sight were Ludwik's familiar, impossibly straight legs.

Dressed in sleek black trousers and a perfectly tailored shirt, now blood-free and paired with a black vest, Ludwik exuded an air of elegance and nobility, his Windsor-knotted tie a testament to his gentlemanly aura. His presence was dazzling, ethereal almost.

Whitney was taken aback by his appearance, realizing this was no ordinary situation. "Where are we? Where's Sammy?" Whitney sprang up, her voice laced with urgency.

Ludwik, with his long, graceful fingers, took a crystal goblet from a butler's hand.

He placed it gently on the European-style nightstand beside her with tenderness in his eyes. Smash-!

Without hesitation, Whitney knocked the goblet away, her eyes blazing with fury as she struggled to get off the bed.

Panic rendered her thoughts scattered, her mind racing to Bryce, to the disastrous wedding, tears falling freely.

"You lunatic... Ludwik, you maniac!

Where have you taken me?

Where's Sammy?

Didn't you say you'd let me see him? Have you kidnapped me for some reason other than to meet him?"

She looked around helplessly; Sammy was nowhere to be found!

Was he deceiving her?

Where was this place?

She needed to understand.

Determined to escape his presence, Whitney wiped her tears and, barefoot, dashed out, eager to flee.

"You're causing a scene, Whitney."

Ludwik anticipated her reaction upon waking; knowing her temperament, she'd be like a cat with its fur on end.

His gaze remained indulgent as he

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watched her and before she could make it two steps away, he firmly grasped her, his voice still gentle, "Running around like this will only get you hurt, darling. Put on your shoes first."

Did he just call her darling?

Whitney shuddered at the term, and upon meeting his dark, intense eyes, felt a chill run down her spine.

Was this man out of his mind? He seemed oblivious to her protests, his eyes soft but sending shivers down her spine.

"I won't wear them, and don't call me that!"

Whitney fiercely struggled out of his grasp, kicking the shoes away in anger.

Ludwik sighed, his patience evident.

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It seemed no matter what she did, in his eyes, she was endearing. He tightened his grip, his tone still gentle, "Darling, I'll say it again, if you don't wear the shoes, I can't let you go outside. You'll hurt your feet, and how will you be my bride then?"

"..." Whitney couldn't comprehend his words; she was Bryce's wife!

He had truly lost his mind, his actions and words no longer aligning with the Ludwik she knew, seemingly living in his own delusion.

Her skin crawled at the thought of how bloodily violent he had been at the wedding, and now, how tender and obsessed he appeared.

Too extreme.

Whitney didn't want to consider that she might have angered him to the point of triggering his madness.

She just wanted to escape.

What kind of place was this?

She pushed him away, slipped on the shoes, and ran from the bedroom, darting through the mansion like a headless fly.noveldrama

The sun was setting, casting the beach and the ornate, castle-like estate in a golden hue, the atmosphere filled with remnants of a grand wedding celebration, complete with pink balloons

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ribbons, and banners of joy.

Encountering numerous servants along her desperate escape, their respectful greetings of "Good evening, madam!" only heightened her sense of dread.

Realizing she might be far from Banyan City, she panicked, racing faster, yet finding no way out of this sprawling estate, which felt more like a prison than a home.

Overwhelmed and lost, Whitney collapsed, the sound of approaching footsteps causing her heart to race.

Turning, she saw Ludwik advancing steadily, his elegance a stark contrast to the primal fear gripping her heart, his gaze both commanding and crazed, a beautiful madness that terrified her as much as it entranced.

Whitney had completely lost it. The fury inside her chest exploded into a thousand pieces as she ran towards him, pounding on his arms like a madwoman. "Ludwik, what on earth were you thinking bringing me here?

And Sammy, I haven't found him either. Have you been lying to me all this time?

If you're going nuts, do it on your own time. Why on earth would you kidnap me on my wedding day?

Do you even realize that Bryce and I are married now? We're legally husband and wife. Snatching someone else's wife and dragging me here is a crime! I could have you thrown in jail!"