Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 283

At the villa, buried in his room, Danny saw his smartwatch buzz. Glancing down, he caught a message from Sammy and dashed downstairs.

The sound of his footsteps, pounding down the steps, caught Ludwik's attention. "What took you so long to come down?"

Elaine, ever the gracious host, stood up with a sigh, directing a helpless look at Ludwik, "The moment I got back, Danny was throwing a tantrum, refusing to come down for dinner." "Come on, Danny, sit. Momma's gonna serve you some food."

"Get lost!"

Anxious, Danny snapped at her, irritation laced thick in his voice.

Ludwik's brows furrowed deeply, surprised at the sudden shift. Just the other day, Danny had been so polite and understanding.

What happened to that cool, collected kid?

"How dare you speak to your mother that way?"

"She's not my mom!" Danny retorted, his face scrunching up in frustration.

Elaine's face fell, but she was too stunned to react immediately, turning to size up the defiant young boy.

Taking a deep breath, Ludwik asked, "Then why did you come down?"

Danny opened his mouth to respond, breaths heavy and ragged, but found himself at a loss for words.

He was frustrated, lacking Sammy's quick wit. The upbringing he had didn't include lying, and he didn't know how to tell his dad that Sammy and his mom were in danger. This was bound to open a can of worms he wasn't ready to deal with.

Ludwik, setting his cutlery down, said firmly, "Danny, if you've got something to say, say it. Don't just sulk."

That was Danny's worst habit.

Elaine chimed in with a laugh, "Ludwik, don't you know Danny by now? If he's not happy, he won't let us be either. Don't get worked up over it."

Her words were meant to soothe but only added fuel to the fire.

shot Elaine a disgusted look, but he was at a loss on how

only Sammy

still couldn't find the words to tell his dad about the danger

Danny turned and ran back upstairs, sending Sammy his dad's number

Sammy would understand, right?

got the message loud

a roll of his eyes, he sneakily took out the phone his mom kept in her back pocket and

connected, he handed the phone to

phone vibrate and looked down,

the call gone through to

was about to end the call when a taunting voice came from the other end, "What do you want, you shameless woman? Heard you got nabbed by the shareholders of Skye

twitched at Ludwik's smug tone,

thugs were right there; she couldn't

she was about to hang up, Ludwik's voice boomed with arrogance, "Looking to beg me now? Fine. If you don't want to end up dead, hand over

eyes in secret, noting Mr.

wrapping things

this attack, and I should apologize to her? Am I

until you see the coffin." Whitney inhaled sharply, disbelief coloring her voice,

last night?" Ludwik ground out, the

things to do! Maybe you should

voice was light and mocking, "As for me and Skye Gem Ltd., Mr. Lippert need not

up, leaving Ludwik to sense her mocking tone even

darkly, his mood souring. She thinks she can handle this

shareholders unyielding; they

or later, she'd call begging for mercy, and when

---

Elaine eyeing him curiously, her gaze fixated on the long, emotionally charged call. Tentatively, she asked, "Ludwik, who was that on the

accusations ringing in his ears. Hesitating, he asked, "Elaine, did you follow me to the hotel

beat, confirming

it. With Whitney's return, you've been distant, and I was so afraid of losing you. I had Jaxon check on you, and he

couldn't resist and went there myself this

watching her cry, felt a twinge of guilt. "I was just drunk. Nothing