Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 105

The assistant peered down at the photograph of Whitney, and her hands trembled ever so slightly. She lifted her eyes to Elaine, knowing this was no laughing matter.

Clearly, Elaine had been plotting this for a long time. Despite her young age, it was terrifying how cunning and

malicious she was

Elaine leaned back into her leather chair, gazing out the window at the cars scurrying like ants below. A sly smirk crept across her face. “Time to spring Whitney from her gilded cage,” she said.

“Check on the schedule for the doctor who’s attending to Mr. Lippert’s mother in her cottage retreat. Find out when he’s off–duty,” Elaine commanded.

The assistant quickly responded, flipping through her notes with practiced ease.

Elaine chuckled lowly, a sinister plan clearly forming in her mind. “And get me a burner phone,” she added.

As per routine, Taryn delivered meals to Whitney on the sixth day. Natalie’s villa was nestled behind the golf course, a fair distance from the main manor.

It was a considerate gesture from Mr. Lippert, who wanted his mother to convalesce in peace, the forest air rich with oxygen.

But now, with Whitney confined by Ludwik and Natalie oblivious to her plight, the help from both households remained unaware of each other’s affairs.

Today, the day the doctor was off–duty, Xandra had been reassigned to fill in.

Around noon, with her health seemingly stable, Natalie retired upstairs and received an unexpected call from an unknown number that reeked of telemarketing.

She answered the phone with her usual warmth. “Hello?”

“Natalie!” The sing–song voice of Elaine carried through the line, its sweetness veiling malice.

In a flash, it ignited something in Natalie’s memory–a warning signal, an echo of danger, telling her that this was the voice of a venomous snake and that she should stay away from it. She stiffened. “Elaine, what can I do for you?”

Elaine’s voice was dripping with feigned innocence. “Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to ask why you dislike me so. Why have you made Ludwik hold off marrying me? He’s indifferent to everyone else; he could marry anyone. You’re quite the thorn in my side, you know? Why are you afraid of me? Could it be because of the time I pushed the girl who liked Ludwik…”

“Ah!” Natalie could not grasp the details, only that this girl was a source of terror. No, she was no girl. She was a scorpion. What had she done? Natalie could not remember, but her head throbbed with pain and fear, an urgent need to escape this conversation…

chest tight, her

lady fell ill, then hung up the phone with a

instructed the assistant, “Natálie is going to have an episode. Keep an eye on the cottage. Once

disarray. Xandra scrambled to contact Ludwik, but his phone went unanswered–likely

reigned. Natalie had been improving and eating every meal well. Why this sudden epileptic relapse? Xandra could not understand it.

staff overwhelmed, a housemaid rushed to the main house for help.

15:51

Chapter 105

just served Whitney when the landline shrilled from below. She dashed to answer it, leaving the upstairs

overhearing Taryn’s panicked voice. “The matriarch is ill? No

Mom?” Whitney’s

check on the situation at the cottage. Please stay

foaming at the mouth, it’s no small matter.” Whitney swiftly pocketed a needle kit from her

onto the e–bike without a second thought and drove

cottage. This was her second visit, and she was very familiar with the place, heading

were too afraid to intervene. Whitney ordered everyone

complied, leaving Whitney to shut the door behind them.

administered the needle, targeting the acupuncture points. Then, she carefully fed Natalie a sedative pill, one her mother

Natalie’s spasms ceased, and her complexion stabilized.

had bought some time, though she was unfamiliar with the specific medical details. She

Whitney was sure the crisis was averted, she called the nurse back in.

doctor arrive?” She

Should be here

sigh of relief and stepped outside. The lawn was deserted, and everyone’s attention was

eyed the silent expanse of the estate. Behind the cottage lay a path leading to an exit, the keys still in

of confinement, perhaps longing for fresh air or perhaps

she jumped onto the

out, to go anywhere, just to escape the confines of the mansion.

e–bike sped away, the security detail inside the gates realized Whitney

fled through

a lengthy meeting and was on the way back from the company’s

phone hit him like a one–two punch: his mother was ill, and his wife had taken