Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 77

"Don't come any closer. I don't know you," Whitney said, clutching herself with a mix of caution and fear.

"You look familiar though, like a style I fancy," the woman said with a sleazy and sinister approach.

Her accomplice stood by the door, peeking out cautiously.

Whitney slowly realized something was off. As she pushed herself up against the wall, her face turned pale.

This was no ordinary cellmate situation. Why had they been locked up right after her?

She tried to scramble away, but the tall woman swiftly pinned her against the corner with a strong grip on her delicate neck.

"What do you want?" Whitney struggled.

The woman confirmed they were in a blind spot and revealed her vicious intent, not at all intoxicated as she had pretended. "Someone wants you to enjoy the ambiance here," she said with a low chuckle, tightening her grip on Whitney's neck. "When I 'drink,' I love to get rough."

Whitney's eyes widened in horror as she screamed for help, "Officer, officer! Someone's attacking me... mph!"

Her mouth was promptly silenced. The lookout hissed, "Hit her in the stomach."

No... not the baby!

Whitney was shoved next to a cabinet as the brute kicked her shin, bringing her down to her knees in agony, unable to stand.

The woman quickly aimed another kick at Whitney's stomach, but she curled up tightly, protecting her belly. Unable to pry her open, the woman grew furious and began to pummel her relentlessly.

Whitney's face turned ghostly white as she could only think of one person, "L, why haven't you come? Save me, please save me."

Tears streamed down her face in desperation, and in her panic, she began to foam at the mouth.

The beating continued until the lookout panicked, shouting, "Enough! She's foaming at the mouth; she's not gonna die, is she? The cops are coming!"

The assailant stood up and quickly stuffed a blanket into Whitney's mouth.

The police were at the door, and Whitney could no longer cry out. The officers didn't notice her plight, "Your folks are here to bail you out. Come with me now."

"Sure thing," the two women hastily exited.

Once the door shut again, Whitney lay curled up on the floor, trying to crawl. However, even the slightest movement sent waves of pain through her abdomen, causing sweat to bead on her forehead.

Panic took hold, and as she lay on the cold ground, her consciousness began to fade. Helplessly whimpering, she uttered, "My baby, my baby is in danger, L..."

…

The helicopter landed swiftly in front of the Lutz Mansion.

Ludwik stepped out, feeling an inexplicable heaviness in his chest, a terrible premonition.

A car seemed to have been waiting, and a man rushed towards him, "Mr. Lippert, there's trouble at Imperial Gem Corporation!"

The man was the materials purchasing manager from Imperial Gem Corporation, and he reported nervously, "My monitoring fell short, Mr. Lippert. Following Whitney’s arrest this afternoon, Carter, implicated alongside her, confessed that a few months ago, under Whitney’s recommendation, he delivered counterfeit gemstones to a subsidiary of our company. These fakes have now been used in the production of diamond rings. It might have gone unnoticed, but today’s routine inspection by the commerce and quality inspection bureau discovered a substandard product in our store. This could be a deliberate act by Whitney against Imperial Gem Corporation! We've made the negative headlines now, and the reputation of Imperial Gem Corporation, cherished by aristocrats worldwide, is at stake."

Ludwik's expression stiffened, his eyes unreadable in the night.

Elaine glanced at the purchasing manager before approaching Ludwik cautiously, "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you even know who Whitney is to Mr. Lippert?"

Ludwik gestured for silence with a swift hand.

Elaine obediently stopped talking, then whispered, "Bro, you didn't even know Whitney a few months ago. There's some business rivalry between Skye Gem Ltd. and Imperial Gem Corporation..."

A chill rippled through Ludwik's eyes, growing more intimidating.

He had come to rescue her without fully understanding the situation or knowing that Imperial Gem Corporation was involved.