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.

was two, Elaine had coaxed him into

made sure to remind

Elaine sometimes resorted to underhanded tactics with Daniel, and Taryn would reveal them to the boy in secret. With his sharp intellect, Daniel caught on quickly.

Chapter 246

We’re under her roof; we have to play by her rules. It took me a long time to gain your Daddy’s trust and prevent Elaine from firing me. That’s why I’m still here to look after the old lady. What else has she done to

pounded a fist on the bed. “She deliberately put me in a regular class with a bully who picks on me. Stinky Dad

powerless. It’s been three years, and your grandmother hasn’t woken up.

G•

back right now, and you’ll have your real mommy soon, free from that wicked

of sadness and hope. She never believed the story that Ms. Valentine had abandoned her

eyes filled with confusion. Taryn always

mother. Could it be

her, referring only

mother?

truly had a real mom, where was she? Did she even know she had a precious

expression turned

at the HR department to secure a position, but to her surprise, the director promoted her to Head

gathered around her as

animal.

heard she never formally studied at a traditional medical school. Can she handle it?

case of epilepsy abroad that couldn’t even be solved

“With just acupuncture?”

“With just acupuncture.”

“That’s incredible.”

The chatter continued,

it comes to the

schedule is tight. I’m only taking this one case for now.

director dared not object, especially since her

been cured by the young woman standing before them, who looked to

Valentine, your office is on the second

appearance, while the female doctors chuckled at

she arrived at her office on the second floor. The large sign that read “andrology” caused her

Andrology…

indeed involved a broad range