Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 139

Whitney’s breath hitched as the man’s brooding exhalation traveled across the phone line. He didn’t hung up which meant he’d give her a few seconds to explain

“Listen, this is the last time I went to see him Whitney rushed to explain. “I needed to retrieve a family heirloom from him, something of my grandpa’s. Then I have to track down my uncle. He’s all the family I have left. And I’ve got it now, so can you please not get all jealous?”

The man on the other end paused, his voice still frosty. “Looking for family? Fine, I’ll forgive you. Now get yourself home!

“I’m on my way,” she muttered, driving with a mixture of irritation and resignation. “You’re being paranoid. Everyone has some secrets, and you’ve already dug into mine. But you…”

Whitney trailed off, her thoughts suddenly snagging on something Elaine had said before leaving–something utterly baffling

She’d hinted that ‘L‘ was harboring a secret about someone who had once saved his life.

Whitney pursed her lips, blurting out without thinking, “And speaking of the past, what about you? Do you harbor someone in your heart?”

Silence came from the other end of the line.

Then the flight attendant’s announcement filtered through.

Felix reminded him that it was time to board his plane.

His response to Whitney was clipped. “Enough talk. I’m off on a business trip. While I’m gone, stay out of

trouble.”

And with that, he hung up.

Whitney stared at her phone, her delicate brows knitting together. Did he react to her question, or was he hiding something?

Could there really be such a saviour in his life? Or maybe Elaine was just stirring the pot? Whitney let out a sigh, realizing there was no point in clinging to his past.

Resolved, she pressed down harder on the gas pedal, her spirits lifting as she drove.

Back at the villa, Whitney pulled out the small, well–worn contact book from her bag, cradling it like a precious relic. She stroked its cover, her eyes welling up with tears.

seeing her

sent abroad for middle school.

all of her grandpa and mother’s belongings had disappeared. She’d secretly been searching for her grandpa’s personal assistant, Torin, but to no avail. But it was Simon

a well–known businessman in Banyan City, with a reputation that preceded him and extensive

inhaled deeply and

was indeed in her grandpa’s handwriting. Her eyes burnt with fresh

book was thin, with several pages clearly torn out.

ripped them

1/4

to look for her uncle’s contact number

name “Keegan“. Below it was a sequence of

letter puzzles with her grandpa as a child, and quickly decoded the letters into

came to life on

page.

had her grandpa hidden it? Was he protecting her uncle

dialed the

call connected, and a voice spoke through the veil of time, “Is that you,

her uncle’s

vigorously,

joy and sorrow, almost quivering. “Whitney, you finally called. Do you have any

been waiting for

He said when you grew up, if you could find this number, it would mean you were ready

hit

behind her grandpa and

are you coming back?” Whitney asked urgently.

I’ll make it back for your mother and grandpa’s anniversary,” her uncle replied with a mix of excitement and a hint

was shaken. She knew nothing of the past. “Uncle, what happened

idea what I’ve been through these years. But now that I’ve found you, I’ll explain everything

with anticipation, Whitney ended the call, still unsure of her uncle’s condition.

she had finally connected with her only remaining

her uncle’s number to her phone, Whitney continued to flip through the contact book. Her grandpa had recorded

name kept cropping