Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 234

Elaine could not allow Whitney to turn the tables. She had to keep her secrets from being unearthed–secrets that could crumble her house of cards. Secrets like the truth about Natalie’s accident or the fact that she had never actually donated a kidney.

Jaxon, however, had been scouring the city for the elusive girl since dawn, but as dusk approached, there was still no sign of her. Tiana had hidden her too well.

Frustrated, Elaine decided to take matters into her own hands. She changed into something less conspicuous and headed to the Skyfaith Electronic Tech building.

Ludwik was working late in his office. Elaine peered inside, her breath catching in her throat, then turned away and casually asked the secretary, “Has anyone come to see the CEO this afternoon?”

“Just a manager from a partner company. Mr. Lippert hasn’t met anyone else,” replied the secretary earnestly.

Tiana had not brought the girl directly to Ludwik to expose everything? Did that mean Tiana thought Ludwik would not believe her? Or were they still lacking proof?

Elaine’s thoughts darkened as she twisted her fingernails anxiously. She had to find a way to get Ludwik out of Banyan City before Tiana seized her chance.

Taking advantage of the dinner hour, when the secretarial office emptied, Elaine fiddled with the schedule.

She then slipped out to a secluded terrace and made several phone calls, orchestrating a crisis at the manufacturing plant.

When Felix received a call from the chip manufacturer, he stepped into the CEO’s office. “Mr. Lippert, there’s been a glitch in the production line, and their top engineer can’t fix it. They suggest you, as a co–developer of the Auric Chip, go down there tonight?”

Ludwik’s brow furrowed. “How did such a major issue arise so suddenly? Wasn’t there any quality control?”

“I’ve got people looking into it, but the volume of chip orders is so high that even an hour’s delay could cost us fifty million,” Felix explained, concerned.

“If you could reset the program, we could be back on track quickly.”

Ludwik glanced out at the darkening evening sky, his expression pensive. He thought about the woman in the sanatorium who was stubbornly refusing treatment, heavily pregnant, and due any moment. He was angry and had decided not to visit her for a while, but he did not want to be too far from her either. If he went to the southern factory, he’d be away for three or four days, and he was worried about her safety.

“Let’s deal with it tomorrow,” he said finally.

16.33

contacted her father, Zane

the hour, the secretarial office was bombarded with calls. “I heard Auric Chip’s manufacturer is having problems. Will Mr.

reluctance

Skyfaith Electronic Tech needs these big orders to hold its ground. You’ve already shrunk Imperial Gem Corporation’s market value by billions

was not critical, but every step Skyfaith took had

worried about Ms. Valentine’s child, I’ll keep an

stood up. “Elaine, come with me; we can solve the

face fell at the suggestion, and she suddenly clutched her stomach, feigning frailty. “I’d like to, but I ate something bad today;

Seeing her like this, he did not press and patted her shoulder. “Have the

on the line about the chip issue!” the secretary interrupted.

temple, realizing the urgency of the situation. Grabbing his coat, he instructed Felix to ready his private jet and could not help but worry about his

an eye on her; everything should be fine. Yet,

…

turned in the

car.

no word on the

“Can’t you find Tiana either?

the mastermind behind the scenes. Tiana had found

the call and ordered her driver, “To the sanatorium

director called. “Elaine, Mr. Lippert’s office is

would be on

it. Later, edit out anything inconvenient. What’s Whitney doing

while,” reported the director, but he was suddenly interrupted by commotion

“Director, someone’s opened Whitney’s room! Several nurses

her face turning ashen. “It must be Tiana’s doing. Find them

it, how had they managed

the bathroom,

with a precise location, she had infiltrated the sanatorium disguised as a nurse. There was not much time.