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Chapter_237
A single, deafening shot rang through the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of bodies falling to the ground. The thugs staggered back, their expressions twisted with confusion and fear, but before they could react, another figure appeared—a flash of movement so fast, so precise, that it left no time for hesitation.
“Stay away from her,” the voice was low, steady, and full of command. It was a voice Whitney had not heard in what felt like an eternity, but one she would never forget.
Ludwik.
His figure emerged from the shadows, tall and commanding, a gun in his hand and his face set in an expression of unyielding determination. He moved with the fluid grace of someone who had been trained for moments like these, his every action deliberate and calculated.
The thugs, disoriented and panicked, hesitated, glancing between each other and the man who had appeared out of nowhere. The leader, still holding the scalpel, gritted his teeth and advanced, but Ludwik’s cold, steady gaze never wavered.
With a flash of motion, Ludwik’s gun was aimed and fired again. The leader of the thugs dropped to the ground, the weapon falling from his hand with a metallic clatter. The others froze, their faces pale as fear overtook them. The remaining henchmen looked at each other for a moment, weighing their options. But Ludwik’s presence, his unwavering calm in the face of danger, was enough to break them.
“Leave,” Ludwik commanded, his voice like ice. “Now.”
The thugs didn’t need another warning. They fled, scrambling over each other in their desperation to escape, abandoning the scene as fast as they could.
Whitney, still crumpled on the ground, her body battered and broken, barely registered the chaos around her. Her hand instinctively clutched the baby to her chest, though her vision blurred and her strength failed her. She could feel herself slipping, her consciousness fading into the blackness that threatened to swallow her whole.
Ludwik knelt beside her, his hand reaching for her. For the first time in what felt like forever, his touch was gentle, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and regret.
“Whitney…” His voice cracked, laden with emotion, as he pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know… I didn’t know how much danger you were in.”
His words felt distant to her, like she was hearing them through a veil. The pain, the fear, the betrayal—it was all too much. But through the haze, one thing cut through the fog: his touch, his presence.
The baby’s cries broke the silence, a sound of life amidst the wreckage. Whitney’s eyes fluttered open, her body trembling as she lifted her head weakly. She gazed at Ludwik, her heart heavy with everything she had endured, everything that had been lost.
“Ludwik…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “The baby… you have to save him… promise me.”
Ludwik’s face softened with a mixture of fear and determination. He cradled the child carefully, his fingers brushing against the delicate skin, and nodded. “I promise. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not anymore.”
Whitney, her vision dimming once more, closed her eyes and rested against him, her body giving in to the darkness. But for a brief moment, as Ludwik held her and their child, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could survive this nightmare.
But as the world faded away, the shadow of Elaine’s manipulation, the weight of the lies, and the consequences of their fractured love still loomed over them, an inescapable force threatening to tear them apart once again.
