Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 669

"Ludwik, shut it! You guys, hit him! A bunch of you can't take down one guy on a high? Damn it."

The tall guy, seeing the job wasn't done, hurriedly grabbed a shiv and aimed another stab at Ludwik's belly.

Just then, footsteps echoed down the corridor. The cops must've heard the commotion and came over, "What's going on here? Who was making all that noise just now?"

When the flashlight beam hit the cell, revealing everything, the cop couldn't help but roar, "Who allowed you to have a private brawl in here?

Everyone stop, you're incarcerated and still can't behave? Hey... the one bleeding, you alright?"

-

In a luxurious mansion in the Emperor City's affluent district.

Bryce received a call, a lazy smile playing on his lips, "It's done?"

"Rest assured, it's done. The guy in the cell said Ludwik got stabbed in the belly, bled a lot. Probably done for good."

"Probably?" Bryce dropped his glass in dissatisfaction. "I wanted certainty!"

Ludwik had been sneaking around with Whitney just to humiliate him, and he harbored a deep-seated grudge.

He wanted to render Ludwik completely impotent, utterly ruin him.

At his wedding, Ludwik sent that kind of video, wasn't it to show off his prowess?

Let's see how he manages now. A total loser, how's he supposed to get close to Whitney?

"This... Mr. Lutz, it's hard to confirm, but it's nearly certain, he's done for." The voice on the phone said timidly, "He was about to go in for another stab, to make sure, but the cops seemed to bring someone to visit Ludwik, just caught them in the act."

"Incompetent, what now?" Bryce's face twisted in anger.

"Mr. Lutz, the guy hit him hard, should've been fatal." The voice dared to add.

"Just handle it, silence that man, make it clean."

A dark shadow passed over Bryce's face, his normally gentle features turning ferocious. Ludwik, let's see how you brag now.

-

The Nelson Group.

Ashton, wanting to get someone out of the police station, had to seek out Shane again.

This time, Shane clearly shook his head, his expression serious, "Nolan, I agreed to bail Ludwik out last time because I felt a bit guilty.

I had sensed Jarvis trying to rope in Justin, planning something against Ludwik.

But as you know, in Emperor City’s top three families, the Nelsons rank second. As a businessman, I must remain neutral.

Helping was a favor, not helping is my right.

If I help you out this time, wouldn't that be openly opposing the Patrick family?

...Maybe you should try the Sheldons, Whitney Sheldon's running the show there now."

Ashton gave a bitter smile, "You know what Ludwik did to Whitney, how could she help? She's not a masochist."

Shane raised an eyebrow, his question tinged with deeper meaning, "What about Florence? Does she still have feelings for Ludwik?"

"She's called a few times, seemed genuinely concerned about Ludwik, but Florence is a hypocrite, just watching from a safe distance.

Besides, after her illegitimate daughter was exposed, her status is nowhere near Whitney's."

Shane squinted, contemplating something.

If Florence would still stay by Ludwik's side, maybe he could use Ludwik to learn about Sandy's amnesia from Florence.

Just as Shane was hesitating on whether to help Ludwik, Ashton's phone rang.

"Felix?"

A panicked voice came through, "Nolan! Nolan... get to the hospital quick, Mr. Lippert got badly beaten up in the cell, there's been an incident."

"What? Those bastards!"

Ashton cursed, turning to run.

Shane paused, Ludwik got beaten up in the cell? There's a conspiracy here, he turned to his subordinate, "Go check out the police station."

-

Hospital.

Felix, anxious and hurried, arrived to wait outside the emergency room.

Soon, Ashton rushed over, "What exactly happened? How could those bastards stab Ludwik in the waist? They want to make him infertile? Was the attacker interrogated?

This can't be his own doing, someone must've arranged for them to be locked up with Ludwik.

Jarvis?

He's too vicious. He and the Patrick family have already done so much to the Lipperts, and they still won't let Ludwik go.

Is their hatred that deep? Ah!"

Felix, dejected, punched the wall, thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Nolan, I don't think it was Jarvis who wanted Mr. Lippert harmed this time.

From what I know of Jarvis, he's twisted inside, but he can't hide it. Since Mr. Lippert returned to the Lippert family, Jarvis has been openly hostile, always clashing with him.

He's played plenty of dirty tricks.

But he doesn't have a personal vendetta against Mr. Lippert, does he?

Targeting someone's vitals, this act, doesn't it seem like there's a specific grudge?

Whoever's behind this wanted two things: to make Mr. Lippert infertile, and to rob him of his manhood.

It looks exactly like targeted revenge."

Ashton's eyes widened, Felix's reasoning made sense, sparking an epiphany, "Thinking of it that way, it reminds me of those scorned lover stories, making someone infertile over romantic entanglements.

Having a romantic rivalry and a complicated relationship with Ludwik... could it be Bryce?"

At the mention of the name, Felix's face turned ashen, the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced it was true.

Ashton looked incredulous, "But Bryce, he was famously genteel and refined back in Banyan City, known as the gentleman of the business world. I've never met him, but those high-society ladies in Banyan City who had a crush on him always said he was the epitome of gentleness. Isn't it his gentle nature that won over Whitney's heart?"

Felix let out a scoff, shaking his head. "Exactly because everyone says Bryce is gentle, don't you find that odd? Look at the corporate world, which tycoon didn't rise to power through being ruthless and iron-fisted, like Mr. Nelson or Mr. Lippert? How could a man so gentle not be cunning to succeed?

When Bryce first moved his company to Emperor City, it was hardly noticeable. He was constantly overshadowed by Mr. Lippert, even humiliated at a party at the Sheldon family's old mansion. The Lutz Group was initially a nobody, even mocked by the elite of Emperor City. But somehow, in just a few months, the Lutz Group skyrocketed to the top in Emperor City.

During the month Mr. Lippert was away on that island vacation, Bryce was even awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, he's a staple at every high-society gathering. Thinking about it now, it's actually quite frightening.

This Bryce is too good at playing his cards close to his chest. I once found out he had a powerful backer in Emperor City, but then I got sidetracked and never figured out who it was."