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

ignoring another pressing call from

her fingers. [It’s me, Tiana.

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

in his chair, his eyes lighting up at the

such a knockout when not pregnant? My dive into the ocean three years ago to pull

eyes

sat down with

fishing on a yacht in Sea Bay at the same time. She had struggled in the cold waves for

she immediately asked why he

laughed with his crooked smile, revealing a long–term plan. “Keeping you

Twisted, but true.

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

had become

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

was not naive and scoffed. “So you want me as a human target? Just by sitting in Imperial Gem, I

out when you know the score? Don’t you

saved your life three years ago, and this is your chance for payback. Ready to

his blatant manipulation was

should she not

could not refuse the offer. Second, she had

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Chapter 250

her

her lips as she

as he lifted her chin. “I never realized you hated

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

Orion retracted his hand and settled

was, however, not cut out for business,

for Imperial Gem, but his rakish, cavalier attitude

Whitney asked, “Why do you hate him so much? Why go after

eyes narrowed 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 successor. So I had to step up, had to make something of myself, beat him

mired in mud since childhood while I’ve

“Why didn’t your dad like him? Isn’t he his son

dad. Ludwik’s parentage has always been in question. The old man and Natalie had a terrible relationship, so naturally, he resented

schadenfreude was palpable, making