Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 1178

Ludwik shot him a glare, icy and sharp, beads of sweat prickling at his brow. “I know I screwed up. But if you run your mouth again, I’ll cut your damn tongue out.”

Parker snorted, rolling his eyes. “Easy, man. Look, I’m just saying—it’s like they say, ‘Better burn down three churches than mess with a marriage.’ I’m just surprised. Whitney suddenly inherited a fat trust fund, the Sheldon family backing her, and now Parisa too… I’d be sweating if I were you.”

“I’m not,” Ludwik replied, his voice flat. “Whatever money Whitney has, it’s nothing to do with me. I don’t rely on it, I don’t care about it. I just want her—simple as that.”

Ludwik’s background was no fairy tale. Everything he had, he’d clawed out for himself.

That iron will of his—untouchable, unbreakable—wasn’t just a front. Money meant nothing to him these days.

Parker knew that. Ludwik wasn’t like Bryce, who only ever schemed to get ahead.

“Anyway,” Parker went on, “we finally tracked down Bryce. He’s holed up in Germinia. Once you’re back on your feet, we’ll drag him out. The guy’s a cripple now—no way he can sway the board anymore. Even if he’s alive, he’ll be hiding, tail between his legs.”

Parker scoffed. “Honestly, it would’ve been better if he’d died back in Harmonia. He tried to take others down with him, even at the end. Real piece of work, that one.”

“He’ll never stop scheming for himself—not till he’s dead,” Ludwik said coldly. “That’s Bryce for you. I won’t let him off easy. Once he’s gone, Parisa’s troubles are good as over.”

“Yeah.” Parker narrowed his eyes. “I checked in with my uncle at the Justice Department—sounds like Florence is getting life without parole. Whitney can finally have her revenge.”

“Life?” A chill flickered in Ludwik’s gaze. His voice was calm, almost dead. “Let’s get her out of the picture before then. No point keeping her around to upset Whitney. She’s just in the way.”

Parker hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, after the verdict, I’ll make sure someone takes care of it. Discreetly, so it doesn’t blow back on you.”

“Good.”

Parker rolled his eyes. “What’s there to know? That idiot’s just repeating your mistakes. You were away in Germinia, so you probably missed it—Ashton’s ex had a baby girl. Kept it a secret. The kid’s not well, though—born with a heart condition.”

“What?” Ludwik’s face didn’t move, but his tone was genuinely shocked.

He barely knew Ashton’s wife, since Ashton and Valerie Bartels had lived abroad for years. When they returned, word was they were at each other’s throats. Ashton never went home—let alone showed his wife any love.

Ludwik felt a twinge of guilt. Some friend he’d been.

He’d been so caught up in his own mess, he hadn’t even realized Ashton had gotten divorced. Parker had said “ex-wife.”

Was it because of Elaine Bartels? Had Ashton divorced her over that?