Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

"Actually, if Whitney would just hurry up and marry Bryce, my threat would be gone," Florence spat venomously, her eyes simmering with resentment. "That witch, if she's already given up on Ludwik, why keep him dangling?"

"If she knew Sammy's been found, she wouldn't be under my thumb anymore."

"I bet Ludwik won't tell her, he can't even face Whitney now. Did you forget, Whitney went public with her new relationship? With the two of them at each other's throats, communication's practically impossible."

Holly pondered, patting her daughter on the shoulder, "Calm down. Besides, isn't Sammy a bit of a lost cause? How would Ludwik just hand him back to Whitney?"

Florence considered this, her frustration slightly easing as she furrowed her brows, "I need to find a way to test Whitney."

Just then, Myra rushed in, her iPad alight with breaking news, "Ms. Sheldon. Whitney tracked down the paparazzi who was stalking her and traced it back to you. She's hit back with a news piece exposing your actions, mocking that if you can't keep your man, you should look at yourself rather than framing her."

"What?" Florence's face hardened, trouble following trouble. That witch Whitney.

"Show me that tablet!"

---

At noon, Ludwik stepped out of a meeting at Pearl Plaza, uncharacteristically flustered with mistakes made not once, but twice during the conference. Parker and Felix waited to catch him. "Ludwik, let's grab some lunch."

the mood, his mind elsewhere, "Felix, I need a list of the

chimed in, "Looking for a shrink for

suspect he's been hypnotized," Ludwik's

source. Ryan operated on his brain;

understand that feeling? How do I explain this to Danny? How do I respond to his hopeful gaze?" Parker remained

Parker broached the subject, "This is actually what I wanted to ask you. You've found your son, but are you going to tell Whitney? Even though Sammy's situation is complicated, and he's refusing to come back, Whitney has been tormented enough,

on his

her? She's busy playing lovebirds! If Sammy was her priority, she wouldn't rush to marry another man! What about our child? Did she ever think of him? Since she didn't, since she could coldly abort our child, she

Parker got his answer.

the rage, Parker saw something else. Ludwik's heart still had a soft spot for Whitney, despite his outward coldness. If he truly had no feelings left, he would've told Whitney straight away. But he didn't he had promised to return a whole son to

interrupted by a commotion from the mall below-a high-society lady making a scene over Whitney's jewelry brand, accusing it of

Plaza, defended her brand and personal life with grace and assertiveness, debunking the accusations of being a homewrecker with reasoned arguments

the woman's aggressive behavior with a cool, commanding presence, drawing a line against the unjustified assault on

jewelry is top-notch, and as for her character, that's none of your business. If you know what's

to push me?! You must

yesterday, calling

Whitney is just playing the field, keeping you around to sell

ove