Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 776

But the moment Sandy looked up, she caught Shane's dark gaze fixed on her, a shadow lurking in his eyes as they met hers.

Flustered, her cheeks flushed a deep red. What was that look from Mr. Nelson all about?

In her panic, she grabbed her glass of water, only to choke on it, coughing violently.

"Elodie, why are you scaring the lady like that!" Shane chided, striding over to help Sandy by patting her back.

His display of affection was so natural, it left Elodie speechless, her voice tinged with sarcasm, "Has she caught your fancy, Shane? Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Sandy's face turned pale with anger.

Seizing the moment, Shane frowned, "Yeah, you are interrupting. Why don't you leave us alone? Besides, shouldn't you be entertaining yourself at the party rather than coming up here looking for Ludwik? What's that about?" "Just... I missed him, that's all."

Elodie stepped closer, towering over Sandy to interrogate her, "Have you seen Ludwik anywhere?"

Unable to hold back, Sandy retorted sarcastically, "Ms. Miller. Wasn't Ludwik under your watchful eye the entire time? How would I have seen him?"

"You can't even keep track of one person, and you're here questioning us," Shane grimaced.

"I blinked, and he was gone," Elodie said defensively, pouting.

Shane didn't expose what she might have done to Ludwik but remarked coolly, "Maybe Ludwik is avoiding you, Elodie. You can't force love, and it's not like he's into you. There's plenty of eligible bachelors after you. Any of them would be a better choice than Ludwik. He's much older than you."

"How much older? Just a dozen years, that's the sweet spot, don't you know?"

Elodie shrugged off the concern, her grip tightening, "Regardless, Ludwik is the one I want."

"Suit yourself, I'm not getting involved. We haven't seen him anyway," Shane said, dismissing her with a sharp look.

already having

have time to argue with Shane; she hurried out

guest room closed, Sandy

bathroom. If she had opened the door and found Whitney and Ludwik...

was there no sound coming from

to sneak closer to the bathroom, trying

caught her with a firm tug, pulling her back, "Ahem, let's

Nelson. Elodie's gone, I was just

Sandy naively explained.

Shane gave her a look that was both amused and knowing, "And interrupt Ludwik in the middle of... something? Let's just say, if Whitney

what?" Sandy was still clueless, her

heart race, wishing he could just

she remembered their love and the child

a husky chuckle, "It's like firewood meeting fire, Ms. Turner. If they can't contain

that's what Mr. Nelson

and Shane, two unattached individuals, were forced to listen to

adorably red under his

yet now with a mix of innocence and maturity that

ears?" Shane offered,

his masculine scent neared her, Sandy instinctively stepped back, her eyes dodging his, "No, no need... I'm not a little girl. Besides, given Whitney's situation, I can handle it." "You can handle it? What about me, then?" Shane looked at her with

Sandy didn't catch on.

-

Inside the bathroom.

was like a cushion, fiercely held by a heated, drenched form, the man's strong arms

her voice had terrified Whitney into silence, fearing

so bad, help me," Ludwik's pleads were thick with desire, his voice