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Chapter_226
Whitney stood frozen in front of the mirror, her breath coming in shallow waves. The words that Bryce had spoken still hung in the air, too charged, too close. She hadn’t expected the surge of emotion that came with his proximity, the intensity that seemed to crackle between them, leaving her feeling exposed, vulnerable. His compliment had caught her off guard, not just because of the admiration in his voice, but because it had stirred something she hadn’t anticipated—something she had hoped was buried.
Her fingers tugged at the fabric of the champagne gown, trying to regain some semblance of control over her emotions. She could see herself in the mirror, the reflection of a woman poised and elegant, but inside, the pull of uncertainty had her questioning everything. She had wanted to move on, wanted to step into the future with Bryce, yet the past was never far behind. Ludwik’s shadow loomed over her, impossible to escape, even as she prepared for a new beginning.
She exhaled slowly, trying to banish the lingering thoughts. It’s just a dress, she reminded herself. Just a dress. It’s nothing special. But the words tasted empty in her mouth. She had spent years hiding behind this version of herself—perfect, polished, untouchable—but now, standing here alone, she couldn’t ignore the cracks that had started to show.
Bryce’s departure left the apartment eerily silent, the space suddenly too large, too vast. She turned to the mirror once more, eyes tracing the outline of the gown, the delicate fabric that seemed to echo her inner turmoil. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day she moved forward, the day she was free of Ludwik’s hold. But the truth, she realized, was far more complicated. There was a part of her that couldn’t quite let go, a lingering hope, a fragile dream that still clung to her heart.
Was she ready? The question haunted her, unanswered.
Across Town: Ludwik’s Struggle
Ludwik sat alone in his apartment, the glow of the city lights below reflecting in his glass as he took another sip of his drink. The silence in the room was oppressive, the stillness amplifying the chaos swirling in his mind. He had tried to bury the thoughts of Whitney—tried to focus on the future he had with Elaine, tried to convince himself that he could build something meaningful with her. But it was all a lie. Every time he closed his eyes, it was Whitney he saw, her face haunting him, reminding him of what he had lost.
Felix, standing at a distance, watched him closely, a faint expression of concern in his eyes. He had been patient, silent, but it was clear that Ludwik’s internal battle was becoming unbearable.
“Mr. Lippert,” Felix’s voice broke the silence, low and careful. “I know it’s been hard, but you can’t keep running from the past forever. Elaine deserves more than this.”
Ludwik’s hand trembled slightly as he poured another drink, his gaze distant. He didn’t answer immediately, his mind lost in the labyrinth of his own regrets. Felix’s words had struck a nerve. He knew it was true. Elaine deserved someone whole, someone capable of giving her what she wanted, but he wasn’t that man. Not anymore. His heart was elsewhere, tethered to a past he couldn’t escape.
“I know,” Ludwik murmured, his voice rough with regret. He looked down at the glass in his hand, swirling the liquid as if trying to drown his thoughts. “But no matter how much I try, I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Felix’s gaze softened as he observed the man who had once been so sure, so confident. Now, Ludwik seemed lost, as though every decision he had made had led him to this point of no return. Felix didn’t press him further, sensing the depth of the internal conflict that was tearing Ludwik apart. There were no easy answers, no quick fixes to the mess he had made of his life. But for all of Ludwik’s cold exterior, Felix could see the cracks that had formed—cracks that ran deep.
Ludwik’s eyes flicked to the window again, as if the answer to his turmoil lay somewhere in the distance. But there was no clarity in the view before him. Just more uncertainty. He had once believed he could control everything, manipulate his circumstances to fit the life he wanted. But now, all he felt was loss.
Whitney… The thought slipped out before he could stop it, a whisper in the dark of his mind. He felt the weight of her absence, the ache of what could have been.
In that moment, Ludwik realized something he had long been avoiding. No matter how hard he tried, he could never fully escape his feelings for Whitney. He had pushed her away, betrayed her trust, but the pull of what they had—what they could have been—was too strong to ignore.
Felix watched him quietly, as if understanding that no words could ease the pain Ludwik was feeling. There was no simple solution to the mess he had created. Only time, and perhaps, a painful reckoning with the choices he had made.
The night stretched on, heavy with unspoken truths, both men left to ponder the paths they had chosen and the futures they weren’t sure they could change.
