Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 164

“Why on earth did this damn woman team up with her uncle to kidnap Natalie? That’s Ludwik’s mother for crying out loud! Does Whitney have no heart?”

“Keep it together. It might be a misunderstanding. Natalie’s frall and can’t be without oxygen. We’re working with the cops over here. Whatever you do, keep Ludwik in the dark!”

Nolan was struck dumb, his mind racing with panic.

The car sped along the country roads. Whitney had stopped at a rural clinic and grabbed some emergency medicine and a first aid kit.

Soon, the car veered into the mountains, Keegan’s assistant taking twists and turns, making sure Whitney could not memorize the route.

Bent over her dead phone, Whitney realized the battery was flat. Her face went ashen.

Around midnight, the car pulled up to a dilapidated farmhouse.

Ignoring the hunger pangs, Whitney bolted from the car and barged through the front door.

Inside, her uncle and two bodyguards were in disarray, the room a mess, and Natalie slumped in a chair, frothing at the mouth, her condition unimproved.

“She’s rolling her eyes back! Whitney,” Keegan bellowed.

Whitney felt a turmoil inside, her emotions complex as she glanced at her uncle, noticing he had stood up. likely on a prosthetic, limping as he moved.

Tears spilled from Whitney’s eyes as she

saw her uncle’s pitiful state, yet she also felt an overwhelming hatred. She rushed to Natalie’s side, her voice breaking. “Uncle, why must you do this? You’re driving us both to a dead end. You’re not well yourself; you know the pain of illness; why can’t you show some compassion to Mom?”

“Who’s your Mom? Her? No! Whitney, don’t betray the Tennyson family!” Keegan burst out.

He was too far gone, deaf to reason.

Whitney felt despair.

Bending down, she administered acupuncture to Natalie’s skull, pressed on a vital point on her throat, and forced the medicine down her throat, slowly halting her spasms.

on. She can’t die. Ludwik has been inseparable from his mom since

if a knife was twisting in her heart. Knowing how much Ludwik loved his mother, she could not take

misstep could lead to a deadly

not take it any longer and suddenly knelt before her uncle, pleading, “Please, Uncle, let’s call it off. We’ll take Natalie back. She needs proper hospital care; she can’t be without her oxygen. If we take her back now, you won’t be a kidnapper,

Whitney, I love you. That’s why I brought you here, so that

uncontrollably,

with the acup and

a soft spot for her, yet he was so

with a

icy hand touched Whitney’s

eyes open, looking back at

Whitney silently communicated with her eyes and continued with

to her uncle, urgently saying, “Uncle, we’re missing a crucial medicine. We need it now, or Natalie might not

“What is it?”

clinic in the village on the way here, but they might not have it. You

“You three go.

too.

“I wouldn’t have taken her if that person on the phone

on the phone?

her brows in suspicion.

in relief. With the last needle in place, she saw Natalie’s breathing ease and her eyes brighten.

“Whitney…”

sit up, checked

a ruse to send them away.

We need to leave now.

the girl’s intention; her uncle had kidnapped

cough less violent.

skills, Whitney strapped a portable oxygen tank to Natalie and hoisted her up, ready to leave.

village, Whitney relied

home before her uncle returned. If they made it, the kidnapping would be undone, and she could beg Natalie’s forgiveness and explain, hoping Ludwik would

as she mustered all her strength, uncertain how long they had