Chapter 31


    A sudden chill swept through the private room, sending a shiver down Whitney’s spine.


    Simon shot up from his seat just as Whitney turned her head to see a tall figure d in a perfectly


    tailored ck suit, his mask hiding a stern jawline beneath. Those deep, piercing eyes aimed a chilling


    gaze straight at


    her.


    Why was L here?


    Whitney tried topose herself in disarray as her cheeks flushed a bashful pink.


    Without a hint of tenderness, his icy grip hoisted her up. He had appeared next to the couch without


    notice, his frosty stare alone enough to send Whitney’s heart racing with fear.


    Biting her lip, she immediately positioned herself behind him.


    He turned, his gaze sweeping over Simon, who had his arms wrapped around Whitney’s waist.


    Simon faltered, taken aback. This man was supposed to be a thug, but the aura around him was so


    intimidating that Simon’s arms fell away without conscious thought.


    Coming back to his senses, Simon’s anger red. “You again, you thug!”


    But before he could throw a punch, he was met with a fierce blow that sent him sprawling to the


    ground.


    “Hiss.” Eyes zing, Simon scrambled back to his feet. Just then, two other young men entered from


    outside. Simon’s demeanor shifted on spotting Nn Fuller and Parker Doonan. Nn was from one of


    the four families, while Parker, not quite from that elite circle, was even more notorious. His family, the


    Doonan family, was one of the rulers of the underground world.


    Parker was the youngest head of the Doonan family.


    Now, the Fuller family’s young lord and the Doonan family’s head were nking the masked man, like


    his right and left arms.


    Simon’s expression soured. Maybe this guy was not just some thug after all. But who was he?


    Whitney was abruptly swept up in the man’s arms as he strode out of the room.


    “Stop!” Simon bellowed, his pride wounded. “What right do you have to take her? You’re nobody to


    her!”


    The man’s eyes narrowed, a sneer spreading as he nced down at the woman in his arms. “Didn’t


    you tell her who you belong to?”


    Whitney hung her head as if she had done something wrong.


    “Who the hell are you?” Simon roared, still not ready to back down.


    Nn nced at L before kicking the door shut with a sneer. “Just a man who doesn’t give a damn


    about you. Simon, you touch her again, and your whole Perlman family will have to watch out.”


    Simon stiffened, overwhelmed by the audacious tone. Just who was this man?


    The night air was crisp with a hint of cold.


    Whitney found herself carried to the car, sitting on hisp, the temperature inside as chilling as the


    embrace of the man she leaned against.


    He did not say a word, and the oppressive silence was heavy between them.


    Feeling awkward in her disheveled clothes, Whitney wanted to move away.


    Before she could, his hand came down sharply and pped her butt. “Eager to get off myp? Were


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    your ex–fiancé’s legs morefortable? I thought your hatred ran deep, but it seems old mes can


    be rekindled.”


    17:47


    His cruelty was biting when angered.


    With her hand covering the spot he had hit, Whitney muttered in embarrassment, “Mr. L, there’s no


    need for sarcasm… Thank you for earlier.”


    His mood was clearly foul as he eyed her pale face with mockery. “You think I want your thanks?”


    He kicked the seat in front, signaling the driver to turn on the air conditioning.


    The woman in his arms trembled lightly.


    He pulled her closer, his gaze falling to the torn fabric of her blouse. As he reached out, she recoiled


    instinctively.


    “What are you doing?” His rough fingers touched her delicate skin, and Whitney, already rattled by the


    night’s near–disaster, pushed his hand away.


    A low, mocking chuckle came from above. “What do you think I’m doing? Should I finish here what you


    started with that ex of yours?”


    Whitney’s cheeks burned with humiliation. “Please don’t speak so crudely.”


    “Who’s acting crudely? You lied to my mother, telling her you were going out with your BFF, right?” He


    shot back coldly.


    Whitney’s face paled further. “I didn’t want to worry anyone with this. I can exin. I needed a phone


    book, and indeed, if you hadn’t arrived in time, I couldn’t have borne the consequences. But I never


    imagined Simon would stoop so low…”


    Never would she have expected Simon to do something so sick to a pregnant woman.


    His tone grew colder. “Didn’t I make myself clear? Have you forgotten, Madam?”


    Whitney lowered her gaze, hershes quivering. She thought of his private life and, after a moment’s


    calm reflection, stated, “Thank you for your kindness, Mr. L, but let’s be clear. Ours is a contract


    marriage. We should maintain our distance. I don’t want to bother you with my issues, and I’ll stay out


    of yours.”


    Silence fell for a few seconds.


    Whitney could feel the temperature drop.


    The assistant, Felix, in the front seat shivered and could not help but look back, whispering, “Madam,


    Mr. L was workingte… He rushed back to pick you up from the airport, but you didn’t reply to


    messages or answer your phone.”


    Whitney blinked in surprise.


    “Felix!” Ludwik’s voice was ice–cold.


    The assistant fell silent.


    Whitney lifted her head to the sound of Mr. L’s chilling voice.


    “You want distance? Then keep your distance.”


    Whitney stiffened and quickly crawled off hisp, squeezing herself as far into the corner as she could.


    Observing the woman trying to distance herself, the man’s chest grew stiffer. After a second, he barked


    at the driver, “Close the window on her side!”


    The chill against Whitney’s face vanished, and she stopped shivering as he turned on the heat. She


    kept her eyes low.


    His anger was palpable, yet his observation was meticulous. He a man was hard for any woman to


    resist.


    Was domineering, cold, yet considerate. Such


    Whitney could only assume that he did not want her stomach to suffer from the coldness, nothing more.


    35


    17:47


    Chapte 3


    The car stopped at the hospital, where doctors quickly attended to Whitney to ensure the baby was


    fine.


    Notan breathed a sigh of relief, grumbling. “Ludwik married her just for the kid. If anything happened to


    the baby, he’d probably take it out on Whitney..”


    Parker, however, looked toward the slender figure and mused. Is it just the child Ludwik wants? I sense


    something more”


    “What are you sensing?”


    “A whiff of scandal,” Parker said with intrique.


    “Don’t be nidiculous. Ludwik’s a cold fish! His heart’s like a monk’s–untouched. Have you seen how


    he’s never so much as nced at the woman who’s been by his side for years?”


    “That’s different. After all, Whitney is his first… taste,” Parker said with a wicked grin.


    “You’re utterly sick!”


    Nn was convinced that Whitney was a mystery, and Ludwik was only interested in having a child,


    not in the child’s mother!


    “Excuse me, where can I find Mr. L?” Whitney approached and asked.


    Seeing that she was unaware of the incident at the club, Nn decided to y a trick on her. “His


    mother got sick because of you. Where do you think he is?”


    With that, he pointed in a direction.


    Whitney’splexion changed slightly, and she quickly made her way to Room 02, “Mom?”


    A tall man stood in front of the hospital room, his suit jacket removed, leaving him in a crisp white shirt


    entuating his noble and aloof demeanor.


    He nced at Whitney briefly before looking back at the bed. “You didn’te back by eight, and the


    maid let something slip, then Mom fainted out of worry for the baby,” he said coolly.


    How could this have happened? Whitney was filled with guilt!