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

sniffled, ignoring another pressing call from Orion.

replied with a tremor in her fingers. [It’s me, Tiana. I’m back, and I need to see you today.]

phone into her purse and walked with furrowed brows into

eyes lighting up at the sight of the woman

a once–over and whistled. “Looking good, I see. Who knew you’d be such a knockout when not pregnant? My dive into the ocean three years ago to pull you

eyes to

with a

with Sammy in her arms, only for Orion to be out fishing on a yacht in Sea Bay at the same time. She had struggled in the cold waves

she immediately asked why he had

long–term plan. “Keeping you alive to

Twisted, but true.

found that the

Orion had stolen from him had become the laughingstock of Banyan City. Orion was barely hanging on; without

“Join Imperial Gem as a jewelry designer. The pay’s great; just follow my orders to snatch deals, and

scoffed. “So you want me as a human target? Just by sitting in Imperial

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

I saved your life three years ago, and this is your

narrowed; his blatant manipulation was

why should she not play along?

she could not refuse the offer. Second, she had returned with a

2/4

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Chapter 250

would be her platform to achieve just that.

on her lips as she signed the contract without

a boisterous laugh. He leaned in, 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

with her pen, her disgust unhidden. “I have zero interest in you.

his hand and settled

lips twitched. Orion was indeed rotten to the core and oddly eccentric. He was, however, not cut out for business, or he would not have fallen so

clear how much he cared for Imperial Gem, but his

him so much? Why

in resignation, “Who wouldn’t want to be the carefree heir to a fortune? But the old man didn’t like him, didn’t want him as his

won a single round. He’s been mired in mud since childhood while I’ve lived in

dad like him? Isn’t he his son too?”

when she married my dad. Ludwik’s parentage has always been in question. The old man and Natalie had a terrible relationship, so naturally, he resented Ludwik by association. Guess who benefited? Me and my

schadenfreude was palpable, making Whitney frown.