Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 1314

She clenched her jaw, frustration tightening her voice. “You don’t have to pretend you don’t care, you know. Elaine was really tangled up with you, back in the day.”

“Is it just a thing with women?” Ludwik shot back, his tone edged with impatience. “You want us to say something we don’t mean, just so you can prove your own suspicions, and then get mad anyway and threaten to break up? Is that how this goes?”

Whitney fell silent. He’d boxed her in—what else could she say?

“Are you seriously calling me dramatic right now, Mr. Lippert?”

“No. Sorry. Wouldn’t dare,” he answered curtly.

But Whitney could practically hear the smooth-talking, the fake humility in his words.

Her jaw tightened, like she’d just tried to punch a pillow—no resistance at all.

Ludwik, the sly old fox.

“You slap me with one hand, and toss me a sugar cube with the other. Ludwik, do you really think I’m that easy to brush off?”

Ludwik: …

Someone, please explain to him why ex-wives were so impossible to deal with.

He kept his voice even. “Whitney, I really don’t care about Elaine anymore. You know, I literally gave her a kidney. What else do you want me to say?”

He paused, voice softer. “I get it—her name just feels like a splinter right now. That’s why I have to be honest. Why waste our call talking about people who don’t matter?”

Whitney hesitated. Honestly, she didn’t really call him for sweet nothings anyway. Their calls were more like sparring matches than anything else.

She let out a breath, her lips curling in a half smile. “So, what do you want to talk about?”

Ludwik didn’t miss a beat. “For starters, when are you coming back to Emperor City?”

Translation: You’ve got no reason to hang around.

“Oh, come on. Can’t I have a little freedom? We’re not even together and you’re already trying to control me?”

“Are you really not getting this? I miss you, you goof,” Ludwik said, his voice rough and direct.

That one landed. Whitney felt her cheeks burn, her heart thumping a little faster. She bit her lip, suddenly shy. “Fine. I’ll come home tomorrow night.”

“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear. Hurry back.”

“Why so pushy?” she grumbled. Wasn’t he supposed to be busy?

But underneath his controlled tone, Whitney sensed a kind of urgency, like he couldn’t wait any longer.

She frowned, thinking about it. Nothing in Emperor City was that pressing—so why was he in such a rush for her to come home?