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Chapter_154
Whitney’s breath hitched as Ludwik’s words settled in the air between them, heavier than she expected. His simple command, “Stay and make it right,” seemed to reverberate in her chest, a quiet plea wrapped in layers of defiance. It was as if the ground beneath her had shifted, and for a brief moment, she wasn’t sure if she could stand.
She had come here hoping for some semblance of peace, for a reprieve from the turmoil she had carried with her for so long. But Ludwik’s presence, his words—they had a way of unraveling the fragile calm she’d built around herself. She wanted to respond, to explain herself, to make him understand, but the words felt trapped in her throat. What could she say that would ever be enough to undo the damage?
Instead, she looked at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of the man she had once known. There was something in his gaze—a flicker of something softer, buried beneath the cold, calculating exterior he had mastered so well. It was fleeting, but it was there.
“I’ve made a mess of things, Ludwik,” she whispered, her voice raw, barely above a breath. “And I don’t know how to fix it.”
Ludwik’s expression remained guarded, but his eyes softened, just enough for her to notice. He stepped closer, closing the space between them, the intensity of his presence undeniable. There was no distance anymore, no room for evasions or half-truths. The air around them was charged with the weight of unspoken history, and for a moment, Whitney felt as if the entire world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
“You’re not the only one who’s made mistakes, Whitney,” he said quietly, his voice low and steady, like the calm before a storm. “But you’re the one who has to fix this. I can’t do it for you.” His words were sharp, but there was an underlying tenderness in them that caught her off guard.
Whitney’s heart clenched, and for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to feel the depth of what had been lost. It wasn’t just the fractured business dealings, the broken trust, or the tangled web of lies. It was the love they had once shared, a love that seemed to have been buried beneath layers of regret and resentment.
Her hands trembled as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek, trying to hold it together. But the truth was, she couldn’t fix everything. She couldn’t undo the past, no matter how hard she tried. All she could do now was face the consequences, whatever they may be.
“I’ll try,” she said finally, her voice barely audible, but resolute. “I’ll try to make it right.”
Ludwik studied her for a long moment, his gaze unwavering. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—something she couldn’t quite place. But he didn’t say anything more. Instead, he turned, his broad shoulders cutting a powerful figure in the dim light of the kitchen.
“Good,” he said over his shoulder, his voice firm but without the usual harshness. “Because if you don’t, then there’s nothing left for us. Not in business. Not in anything.”
Whitney nodded slowly, a weight settling in her chest. She watched him walk away, his figure retreating into the shadows of the hallway. And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she realized that maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance. Not to fix everything, but to begin again. To rebuild what had been broken.
It wouldn’t be easy. She knew that. But she had no choice now but to try.
