Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 250

“Come on, how did you know she was pretty before I even mentioned it?”

There was an awkward silence before Daniel, resting an elbow on the bar, rolled his eyes. “You think I’m a gullible three–year–old kid, huh? A kidnapper, my foot. That was clearly a nurse with a crush on you!”

Ludwik’s lips twitched, and he shot Daniel a side–eye without a word, casually adjusting his tie.

Felix knew that Mr. Lippert fiddling with his tie was a sign he was relaxed. Daniel, the little goof, had not even suspected that the ‘kidnapper‘ was his mom.

With a chuckle, Felix teased, “Danny, did you forget you’re actually three and a half and easy to fool?”

Daniel’s mature composure took a hit. His chin jutted out in both embarrassment and defiance at the jab about his age.

For some reason, Ludwik sneezed repeatedly.

Daniel glanced over, showing slight concern with an indifferent tone, “Roll up the car window for him, will ya? The old man’s getting weaker by the day.”

Felix shivered, thinking, “Danny, your dad just got back from an andrology check–up with your mom. He’s pretty sensitive to the word ‘weak‘.”

Sure enough, Ludwik’s face darkened, and he gave Daniel a sharp look. “You’re awfully chatty today. Want me to throw you overboard?”

Daniel clamped his mouth shut reluctantly.

He sensed his old man was weighed down by worries today and not in high spirits. The sneezing had to be because someone was bad–mouthing him, right? He wanted to cheer him

1. up.

Clearly, the father–son duo was having a tense day, and his attempts to lighten the mood were not effective.

Daniel huffed in frustration.

Whitney parked her car, her phone buzzing with a new message.

It was from Tiana. [Whitney?]

She had called Tiana the night before using a new number, as her old number had been terminated three years ago. Was that why Tiana was too scared to pick up?

Whitney felt an inexplicable surge of emotion and bit her lip as she read the message over and over. Tiana’s tone seemed so casual. But could she really be unaffected by everything?

Chapter 250

another pressing call from

Tiana.

tucked her phone into her purse and walked with furrowed brows into the restaurant’s private dining

in his chair, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the woman

such a knockout when not

your sleazy eyes to yourself,

down with a

Bay at the same time. She had struggled in the cold waves for hours, and he probably saw her much earlier but

she woke up, she immediately asked why he had bothered to save her

had laughed with his crooked smile, revealing a long–term plan. “Keeping you alive to use against Ludwik someday? That’s

Twisted, but true.

country, she had found that the Imperial Gem Corporation’s market

become the laughingstock of Banyan City. Orion was barely hanging on; without a new plan, he was headed for certain doom.

and slid a contract across the table. “Join Imperial Gem as a jewelry designer. The pay’s great; just follow my orders to

naive and scoffed. “So you want me as a human target? Just

the score? Don’t you want to crush Ludwik with your own hands?”

life three years ago, and this

narrowed; his blatant

should she not play along?

the offer. Second, she had returned with a

2/4

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Chapter 250

would be her platform to

her lips as she signed the contract

his gesture intimate as he lifted her chin. “I never realized you hated him so deeply. How about marrying me instead? I must admit, my brother had an eye for stunning women; you’re practically glowing.”

her pen, her disgust unhidden. “I have zero interest in you. And I haven’t forgotten

hand and settled back into

oddly eccentric. He was, however, not cut out for business, or he would not have

for Imperial Gem, but

him so much? Why go after

old man didn’t like him, didn’t want him as his successor. So I had to step up,

round. He’s been mired in mud since childhood while I’ve lived in luxury, yet the family elders

didn’t your dad like

paused, a twisted smile forming. “Rumor has it Natalie wasn’t exactly faithful when she married my dad. Ludwik’s parentage has always been in question. The old man and Natalie had a terrible relationship, so

schadenfreude was palpable, making