Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1024

that terrible car crash. No ashes to speak of...

Keegan clutched his chest, a frown creasing his forehead. "It's the strangest thing, Whitney. I've dreamt about your grandfather these past two nights, but your mom... she's nowhere to be seen in them. They were buried together, even though there wasn't much left after In the dream, your granddad seemed worried, kept asking where your mom was. It freaked me out so much last night; I couldn't get back to sleep.

You said they passed away together, so why would he be asking about her?

Dreams shouldn't be taken as reality, I know, but it's unsettling. Makes me want to visit their graves, maybe leave some flowers."

Whitney's brow furrowed in thought. Uncle Keegan's life had been so peaceful lately; why these troubling dreams now?

She too found it odd. She'd dreamed of her granddad a few times but never her mom, despite them dying together.

Without Uncle Keegan mentioning it, Whitney wouldn't even realize he also couldn't dream of her mom.

It wasn't like them to believe in the supernatural, yet Whitney couldn't help but wonder. Her mom had been a beauty, cooler and more poised than she could ever hope to be, a sharp and capable woman who helped manage the family business... She never understood why her mom chose to live with Preston Valentine, of all people.

Only later did she find out it was her granddad's idea, a ruse to evade the Bartels family from Emperor City.

She had vague memories from their time in Banyan City. Her mom, despite being admired by many, remained melancholic, her heart shattered from being separated from dad, Hudson Sheldon.

If only she hadn't been sent abroad forcefully by Preston's machinations.

She would have seen her mom and granddad one last time, would have known how they died.

Keegan returned and confronted the Valentines,

in Banyan City held no remains, just a place

her uncle. "Maybe you're just missing them, plus you've not been well.

shook his head, asking, "Haven't you

I do see

your mom, but why can't we dream of her? Dad even asked where his daughter was, as if she might still

more Uncle Keegan spoke, the more

puzzled. "How could Mom still

pang of sorrow. "Didn't you rush to the crash site after Granddad called, only to find him impaled by Ludwik's mask, mistaking him for the assailant? Did you... not see Mom's

gaze grew distant as he delved into

Dad, but it was too late. All I remember is him yelling at me to flee the country, to preserve the

Bartels family and

I ran..."

was Keegan's deepest regret. He'd witnessed his father and sister's demise, tears streaming down his face as he fled. If

clear: better to live and fight

after all the twists and turns, Keegan had misidentified their enemy, wrongfully seeking revenge on Ludwik, fracturing his relationship with Whitney and causing her immense

the events of the past year, Keegan's guilt

uncle's words, blurted out, "So, you don't remember

was focused on him, then the explosion threw me back.

pondered. "Besides, if she had escaped, why hasn't she come

dismissed the thought

explosion left

dreams were indeed curious. Perhaps their shared longing for her mom and granddad to still