Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 339

"He... he's the kid from the supermarket downstairs,\" Whitney explained guiltily, giving Sammy a warning look before handing him a bill, \"Alright, kiddo, you better head home now!\" \"Uncle, you're so cool! Tall and strong, way cooler than my deadbeat dad,\" Sammy, looking up at Ludwik, chimed in.

Whitney felt a wave of panic wash over her.

\"Deadbeat dad?\" Ludwik frowned, puzzled. For some reason, he found himself not disliking the masked boy in front of him. There was a strange connection, perhaps because he and Danny were of similar age and height.

"Yeah, my dad's the worst! Cheated on my mom while she was pregnant, sent her to a psychiatric ward, and then caused her to have a premature birth. Took off with me to escape it all. And guess what? He's still lost in his affair, refusing to see sense. Tell me, uncle, isn't he the worst?\"

Ludwik's brow furrowed deeper, sensing an odd parallel between the boy's story and his own life with Whitney. But he was determined not to be that kind of man.

He cleared his throat, \"A guy like that, you're better off without.\"

Whitney and Danny exchanged glances.

Sammy, unimpressed, added, \"Right, I also think Mom's better off without him. Unless he comes crawling back, begging for forgiveness, maybe after hitting rock bottom, like, ninety-nine times.\"

Ludwik responded with a noncommittal grunt, choosing not to comment further.

Whitney couldn't help but pull a face.

"Wow, seeing you three together makes me so jealous. Ma'am, can I stay and play for a bit?\" Sammy asked cautiously.

Whitney felt like she was about to implode. 'Ma'am'? When did she get promoted?

Before she could respond, Ludwik, struck by the phrase 'a family of three,' gave Whitney and Danny a long, thoughtful look. A pang of something like hope or perhaps a fleeting dream hit him. \"Sure," he said cheerfully. \"Danny, why don't you show our guest to the living room?\" Ludwik commanded, taking on the role of the man of the house.

Who do you think you are?

Whitney watched, a mix of amusement and despair, as the two boys ran off hand in hand to the living room.

\"Isn't your dinner ready?\" Ludwik turned, his noble posture imposing.

Whitney, at a mere five feet five, seemed almost diminutive in front of him. She rolled her eyes, ignoring him, and walked into the kitchen, soon returning with a hearty spread. "Danny, dinner's ready!\" she called out.

Ludwik, lured by the aroma, felt his stomach grumble. He took his seat with a dignified air.

and join us for dinner?\" he inquired,

Whitney tensed...

\"No, uncle,

not?\" Ludwik asked,

afraid I might infect you!\" Sammy replied with a wry smile,

in irritation, trying to calm her

for cleanliness, he immediately distanced Danny further from Sammy, dropping the subject. Danny couldn't help but

clever, Sammy. You're about to break

with a subtle lift of his

let's eat,\" Whitney admonished the two mischief-makers,

was already well-fed; she didn't need to

Ludwik finally noticed the lack of a place setting before him, his patience wearing

Lippert, you haven't eaten?\" Whitney feigned surprise, \"Can't you

continued to pick out ribs for her

darkened further. He stared at the succulent ribs in Danny's bowl, the rich aroma wafting up. He had to admit, Whitney's cooking skills had indeed improved over the years. But this blatant favoritism was just

made his way to the kitchen to serve

he marched

your fiancée's, I wouldn't dare offer it. You should head

Danny? You think I'm still the woman who could only make

of spaghetti with tomato sauce silenced them both, stirring

almost involuntarily, \"Make me

paying?\" Whitney hid her

a check for a million dollars on

kitchen, only to

said nothing, starting on the spaghetti with elegance, all the

fish and feeding him. Danny ate with complete

mirrored his own behavior, tender

swept across the table, including

pang of heartache hit him. That fleeting sense of happiness was out of reach; Jacky was gone, and their broken family

the table for

his mouth full of sweet and sour

this made him think of what could have been, a family of four,\" Sammy said, his voice

the cemetery, but he never talks about it with me. Sometimes, he just goes there, alone.\" Whitney's hands paused for a