Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1019

"What were you up to? Or did Mr. Lippert think it wasn't worth mentioning to me?"

Whitney was pressing hard, cornering him with every step.

He was well aware there was no sidestepping the truth, his deep-set eyes hiding a whirlpool of secrets as he firmly grasped her delicate shoulders, his Adam's apple bobbing, "I went after Florence; she fled abroad." "What?" Whitney was taken aback, not expecting Florence to be the subject.

Her brow furrowed, recalling the last time Florence made an appearance at the Sheldon Group, right when Bryce's plans fell apart.

After Ludwik blacklisted Bryce, Florence seemed to vanish into thin air.

Whitney guessed she must've been hiding like a rat crossing the street, but she didn't expect her to have fled the country.

"But why were you after her?" Whitney puzzled.

Ludwik's gaze shifted away, dodging the heart of the matter, "She had something important in her possession that I needed to retrieve. It was urgent, and I worried you'd be angrier knowing it involved Florence, so I didn't tell you." Sammy, standing a little way off, listened to his dad spin this yarn, breaking out in a sweat on his behalf.

He also didn't understand why his dad continued to deceive mom.

Why not just tell her about his sister...

His small fists clenched nervously.

Whitney, digesting his explanation, subconsciously thought it must be some corporate secret?

Yet, for some reason, Elaine's insinuations about Florence stealing something valuable from her flashed through her mind.

Her heart skipped a beat, overcome by an inexplicable sense of unease.

Whitney snapped back to reality

"She got away."

the 'important thing'?"

eyes, his hand sliding from her slender shoulder to clasp her waist, a move brimming with unsaid intentions. The warmth

Whitney's eyes, now misty,

unusual tenderness, "Don't move. You've lost weight,

a few days, and in that time, a crisis struck

tone, "Leaving you and our

eyes locked with his, could

her storm, his strong frame like

skin felt ablaze, her heart equally aflame, and she quickly averted her gaze, her anger seemingly

go inside," she murmured, stepping aside

noticed the luxury watch on his wrist, its face cracked, and the veins on the back of his hand standing out, a testament to his strength - and to his injuries. Coupled

was crumpled, an

you run into trouble in Eurovoria?" she couldn't

a nonchalant smile, "There's always someone who doesn't know better to stay out of my way. Just

"You also look unrested."

I had to rush back after wrapping up some business, all to see you sooner," he continued, his gaze deep, filled

herself at a loss for words, her cheeks

absence made the heart grow fonder, even dulling

she thought, chastising

was about to steer the conversation back to Florence, Danny barged in, "Hey! Can you two stop being all lovey-dovey for once? Ludwik, did you

did! After all this time, you come back and this is how you treat your own son?

even have a heart left, or is it all

you know? Sammy, do you get what I'm feeling? The