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Chapter_110
Elaine’s smile faltered for just a moment, but it was gone before Whitney could truly register it. In the blink of an eye, the cool composure returned. She stepped closer, her gaze fixed and unwavering, as she addressed Whitney. “Ah, still hung up on that, are we? Really, Whitney, you’re going to hold onto such trivial things? I’m just trying to help,” she purred, her voice soft and sweet, but the insincerity was palpable, like a mask slipping.
Whitney’s eyes narrowed. She could feel her patience snapping, stretched too thin. “Trivial? Don’t pretend you don’t know exactly what I’m talking about. You led me straight into the Lotus Clubhouse with that supposed ‘recommendation,’ and yet you conveniently left out the fact that you have a personal connection to the place—or that it’s the very same spot Ludwik frequents. You acted all innocent back then, and I didn’t buy it then. I still don’t.”
Elaine’s lips twitched as if she were suppressing a smile, but her eyes shifted cold—icy, even. “You misunderstand me, Whitney. All I’ve ever done is care for you,” she said, voice slipping into a mock sweetness. “But perhaps that’s my mistake—trying to be someone you can rely on. I should’ve known better. You’re not exactly the trusting type, are you?”
Whitney didn’t flinch at the accusation. Her words were steady, but her resolve was steel. “Trust is earned, Elaine. And you’ve done nothing to earn mine. So, tell me this: Was it your idea to drag me into that ridiculous dinner, or was someone else whispering in your ear?”
Elaine stepped closer to Ludwik’s bed, her fingers brushing the back of the chair near him as if claiming her territory in the room. She had a way of asserting dominance, even in such a vulnerable place. “Ludwik and I… we have history,” she said, her voice softening into something almost coaxing, as if trying to lull Whitney into complacency. “I’m sure you understand that. But I never meant to hurt you. You’re just… so determined to see everyone as an enemy, aren’t you? Even me, the one who’s been nothing but supportive.”
Ludwik’s gaze flickered between the two women. His jaw clenched, and Whitney could feel the tension in the room, thick and heavy. The heat between them—between Elaine’s manipulations and Whitney’s suspicions—was almost unbearable. Whitney could practically feel the rift growing wider.
“Stop acting like the victim, Elaine,” Whitney shot back, her tone sharp. “The only one here playing games is you. If you really wanted to help, why not tell me the truth from the start? Why keep secrets? Why manipulate things in your favor?”
Elaine paused, a deep breath escaping her as if gathering her composure. “Because, Whitney,” she said slowly, her eyes flashing, “I know exactly how this is going to play out. Ludwik will forgive you. He always does. As for me… I’m just here to help, to be the better woman. But if you want to keep pushing me into a corner, I’ll leave you to your own devices.”
With that, Elaine turned sharply, her heels clicking with a finality that seemed to echo in the room long after she was gone. Her figure disappeared down the hallway, leaving behind the sharp sting of her words and the faintest whisper of her manipulations.
Whitney stood still for a moment, her shoulders tight with frustration. “She’s playing us, L. You might not see it, but I can. Everything she does—every little thing—is calculated.”
Ludwik shifted in the bed, his expression pained as he looked at her. His voice was quiet, heavy with regret. “I know,” he muttered. “I’ve seen it too. But she’s been around a long time. Longer than I care to admit. I’ve never been able to fully push her away. Maybe I’ve let her linger for far too long.”
Whitney’s heart tightened, and she approached his bedside. Her voice softened as she spoke, her hand brushing his in a gesture of reassurance. “We’ll figure this out, L. I’m not going to let her keep pulling the strings. Not anymore.”
Ludwik’s gaze met hers, a mixture of gratitude and exhaustion behind his eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he murmured.
She gave him a faint, comforting smile, though her mind raced with the weight of everything happening around them—Elaine’s manipulation, the mysteries yet to be uncovered, and the growing pressure from every side. For now, though, all she could do was focus on him. Keep him safe, help him recover, and somehow stay one step ahead of the mess they were tangled in.
As they sat in the uneasy silence, the door to the room clicked open once more. The doctor entered, his expression all business. “Mr. Lippert, Madam Whitney,” he began, his tone official, “I need to speak with you regarding your mother’s condition.”
Whitney’s stomach dropped. She braced herself, unsure of what was to come. It was a feeling she had gotten all too familiar with in recent days—a sense that another layer of deception was about to be peeled away.
But she couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that Elaine’s departure wasn’t the end of it. That, somehow, this conversation with the doctor was just the beginning of a new web they’d need to untangle.
