Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 246

He clenched his tiny fists tightly, unable to articulate a defense against the stinging words.

Ludwik furrowed his brow as he thought about his son, Daniel. The boy was reticent, aloof, and had always been a loner, playing by himself since he could crawl. The only person he ever opened up to was Ludwik, his father, and that was only during their love–hate squabbles. The pediatrician had once commented that Daniel’s solitude bordered on autism.

Elaine had mentioned that the boy struggled to fit in at preschool and often resorted to hitting other children.

It troubled Ludwik deeply. If mainstreaming him in a regular class could improve his social skills, then it was worth a shot.

“Alright, we’ll do it your way,” he decided, siding with Elaine, his wife.

Daniel’s hopeful eyes, which had been looking for his dad to object, dimmed at the words. He felt betrayed. His father never truly inquired about his feelings, always taking Elaine’s side.

With his little fists balled up, the frail boy stood up and stormed off to the backyard.

“He always runs off to his grandmother whenever things don’t go his way. Kids these days…” Ludwik sighed, hoping his son would grow up healthy and sociable.

“Don’t overthink it, Ludwik,” Elaine consoled, aware of why the boy was upset. In her heart, she reveled in the discord she sowed between father and son. It was exactly what she wanted.

That old lady in the backyard, who had been hanging on for three years, was a thorn in her side. But what could the child really confide in her, and could she even hear him?

A child without a mother was easy prey for her schemes. It was unfortunate for Whitney to have passed so young.

Elaine silently gloated, knowing she held all the cards now. With Whitney’s uncle on the brink of a life sentence, the Bartels family would soon have nothing to fear.

Once she cured Ludwik of his erectile dysfunction, she would be the happiest woman alive, in both body and soul.

She smiled to herself, adjusting Ludwik’s tie with feigned affection. “Ludwik, take a couple of hours off for the hospital appointment, okay?”

Ludwik grunted, clearly unenthusiastic, and headed out, calling the caretaker as he left. “Make sure Taryn feeds Danny well, and then get him off to preschool.”

“Taryn, you were right. She’s not my real mommy. She pinches and hits me.”

In the quiet solitude of the caretaker’s room, Daniel confided in Taryn beside his comatose grandmother’s bed.

Taryn looked at the bruises on Daniel’s arm with a heavy heart. The boy was thin, a precious soul brought up with great care by Ludwik. Ludwik was good at everything but trusting that woman too much.

Daniel was two, Elaine had coaxed him into

made sure to remind him of his real mother, Whitney Valentine,

reveal them to

Chapter 246

we have to play by her rules. It took me a long time to gain

bed. “She deliberately put me in a regular class with a bully who picks on me.

blindly with your education… He can’t attend to everything. I feel powerless. It’s been three years, and your grandmother hasn’t woken up. If only your mother were here. Danny, just hold on a little longer. Your mom said she’d come back with medicine for grandma.

G•

have your real mommy soon, free from that wicked

hope. She never believed the story that Ms. Valentine had abandoned her son to run away. It had to be Elaine’s

his big eyes filled with confusion. Taryn always

his real mother. Could it be

her, referring

mother?

where was she? Did she even know she had a precious child waiting for her? Why had she not come to see him?

turned cold and

a position, but to her surprise, the director promoted her to Head of Traditional Medicine and even organized a

heads gathered around her as if she were a zoo

animal.

medical school.

said Dr. Valentine cured an intractable case of epilepsy abroad that couldn’t even

“With just acupuncture?”

“With just acupuncture.”

“That’s incredible.”

The chatter continued,

light smile, “When it comes to the nervous system, acupuncture is quite miraculous.”

“Director, my schedule is tight. I’m only taking this one case for now.

dared not object, especially since her abilities were well recognized internationally.

had been cured by the young woman standing before them, who looked to be in her early

is on the second floor to the left.”

doctors were mesmerized by Whitney’s appearance, while the female doctors chuckled

office on the second floor. The large sign that read “andrology” caused her to crack a wry

Andrology…

involved a broad range