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

immediately contacted her father, Zane to sabotage a few

the hour, the secretarial office was bombarded with calls. “I heard Auric Chip’s manufacturer is having problems. Will Mr. Lippert personally handle it? Can we expect our chips on time? My autonomous car launch can’t

Mr. Lippert’s reluctance to leave

Electronic Tech needs these big orders to hold its ground. You’ve already shrunk Imperial Gem Corporation’s market value by billions and stopped Orion’s vehicle project from being launched. We can’t afford any mishaps now.”

every step Skyfaith took

should go?” Elaine walked in, feigning concern. “If you’re worried about Ms. Valentine’s child, I’ll keep an eye on the sanatorium for you. Besides, you can

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

face fell at the suggestion, and she suddenly clutched her stomach, feigning frailty. “I’d like to, but I ate something bad today; it might have taxed my kidneys. I wouldn’t want

her like this, he did not press and patted her shoulder. “Have the villa’s doctor take a good look at you.”

the line about the chip issue!” the secretary

to ready his private jet and could not

everything should be fine. Yet, for some reason, his mind just was not at ease

…

turned in the

car.

Jaxon, but still no word

within her. “Can’t you find

flashing across her mind. Whitney was the mastermind behind the scenes. Tiana had found the girl

with a cold light as she abruptly ended the call and ordered her driver,

sanatorium, the bribed director called. “Elaine, Mr. Lippert’s office is demanding Whitney’s room surveillance feed immediately. Should I send it

glanced at the time. Ludwik would be

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

quite a while,” reported the director, but

the head nurse exclaimed, “Director, someone’s opened Whitney’s room! Several

her face

on the money. Damn it, how had

had been biding her time in the bathroom, keeping in touch with

location, she had infiltrated the sanatorium disguised as a nurse. There