Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 495

"Who's that kid? The one that barged in with Whitney, yelling at Florence about some kidnapping?" Emma muttered irritably from downstairs.

Hudson descended the stairs, a frown etched on his face as he spoke to Hugh, "Hugh, take Mother to the guest room to rest. I've got some family matters to attend to."

Firstly, Hudson wasn't sure how much of what Whitney said was true. Secondly, this was something Emma couldn't find out about, let alone get involved in. With a few of the house staff in tow, he headed straight for the Sheldon estate's backyard.

"Dad! You can't just open up my storage room because my sister wants to take a peek. The Sheldons have our own rules. She storms in here, demanding to search the place - on what grounds? It makes me wonder what you're thinking." Holly was also obstructing, "Exactly, my love! Everything in this house is in perfect order. Why should we let Whitney dictate a search just like that?"

"Do you really not know why? You're suspected of kidnapping my son, and the evidence points to you," Whitney said coldly, looking at Florence who had caught up. Both she and Holly's desperate attempts to stop the search, and the guilty looks in their eyes, made their unease all too apparent.

Florence must have been caught off guard: she had the evidence. After all, she and Danny had kept their findings about Florence and Sammy's disappearance a secret, stumbling upon it by chance. Their conversation with Parker at the hospital yesterday was something Florence couldn't possibly know about. The more she tried to stop them, the more likely it was that Sammy was being held in that mansion.

"Grandpa! Sammy's in there. We might as well err on the side of caution. Please, let them break down the door!" Danny pleaded, gripping Hudson's hand in desperation.

had the chance to meet. What harm was there in checking an old mansion that hadn't been opened for

door, open all

a few of his best men, ready to search every possible hiding spot with utmost diligence. If Sammy was there, they were determined to find him. Whitney and Danny rushed in, heading straight for the basement that Danny had noticed before. The mansion, modest from the outside, was surprisingly expansive on the inside. The basement was deep, the stench of dust and mildew nearly suffocating. Whitney covered

"Understood, Ms. Valentine!"

Two hours later-

his way to the Sheldon estate. After delegating his men, Parker stepped outside to meet Ludwik at the bend in the driveway. Ludwik's Bentley pulled up, his appearance notably paler, his handsome features worn from the past few days. He attempted to rise, visibly in pain. Parker, noticing his discomfort, dissuaded him, joining him in

-

nearly three hours of searching, Whitney hadn't found Sammy! Parker's men, experts in reconnaissance and evidence collection, had turned every stone. But they reported back to Whitney,

heartbroken and frustrated, emerged from the mansion dirt-streaked and defeated. By now, Florence had adopted a different demeanor. Her face was relaxed, streaked with tears of self-pity, yet there was a hint of triumph in her eyes. She cried to Hudson, "Dad, how could I possibly kidnap my niece's child? I didn't even know she had

wanted to confront her, to demand where she had moved Sammy. Sammy wasn't there. But he had definitely been there

shouting for Sammy then; maybe he would have heard me! The second time, that feeling was gone. Today, I was too hasty, didn't think it through. Now that we can't find Sammy, Florence must have moved

been today. It was the day Danny had the accident at the Sheldon estate! Whitney realized then that Danny's intrusion must have alarmed Florence, prompting her to move Sammy that very day. Florence and Holly's obstruction earlier was intentional; they were putting on a show! Caught up in their urgency, Whitney and Danny had fallen right into their

child continue to pressure me..." Florence coughed weakly, her face pale.

he tore off during the kidnapping, ended up in the kidnappers' car with your presence? The handkerchief with the tiger orchid pattern, a poisonous flower you planted in front of your storeroom in this mansion, filled with