Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1048

Sammy gave his mom a look that was half exasperation, half amusement. "I've never come across that saying before. Is that one of your originals? Enjoying sweets is a kid's delight, Mom. You can set the limits, but you can't strip away the joy. Just a friendly reminder." Whitney's pretty face darkened instantly.

Arguing with Sammy was a battle she seldom won. His points were always well articulated, delivered with a gentleman's grace and a seriousness that left little room for rebuttal.

She pursed her lips in frustration, pointing at the two of them as she muttered, "Bringing up two little troublemakers just to give me grief. Boys just don't have the same knack for thoughtfulness as girls."

The room fell silent.

Danny's brain buzzed, and his heart skipped a beat. He looked up thoughtfully and whispered, "Mom... would you have liked a daughter?"

"What?" Whitney was puzzled.

"Danny!" Sammy quickly intervened, fearing his brother might blurt out more than necessary. He chuckled, "What mom hasn't dreamt of having a daughter at some point? You've had those moments too, haven't you, Mom?" That caught Whitney off guard.

She scrunched up her nose, her beautiful face looking a bit bewildered as she scratched her head, thinking hard.

Actually, she shook her head, "I haven't really thought about it. I was young when I had you guys, and that year was so filled with ups and downs with your father, there was hardly a good moment. Without positive feelings, how could I have fantasized about having another child, a daughter?"

Danny felt a pang of disappointment.

He understood the probing nature of Sammy's question.

Clearly, Mom had no clue about once being pregnant.

The embryo, their sister, was taken away before Mom could even know... Just thinking about it was painful. How to broach this subject with Mom to make her understand?

Sammy's expression dimmed as he softly smiled, "Mom, life sometimes throws unexpected surprises our way. Maybe down the line, you and Dad will have another baby, a girl. Our family would flourish even more."

"That's impossible. And I don't want anything to do with him."

Just thinking about Ludwik, that icy man, filled Whitney with indignation, and she instantly rejected the idea.

Danny shot Sammy a helpless glance.

Sammy signaled him to zip it.

risky topic was

Whitney's head as she ruffled her children's hair, "Arguing and not

you're not eating, you

Mom got strict, she was

this all too well from a young

hand as the two kids quietly

backs, shook her head, and picked up the dinner plates to take to

cleanup, she washed her hands and

them dessert, she still wanted

and pouring two glasses of milk, Whitney carried the tray upstairs

warm, ensuring a silent walk up the stairs. Whitney approached the door to

paused, her delicate fingers

quiet... It was unlikely the

their behavior over the past few days, she softened

the hospital the day before yesterday, they hadn't asked

against going out, the boys hadn't protested these past

intuition was

turned the doorknob, and

quiet children's room. LEGO sets and toy trucks lay untouched on the

in, her sharp gaze scanning the

together at the desk by

Her brows furrowed.

they weren't sharing secrets, why seclude themselves so far from

the tray down and tiptoed

window, Sammy was working on his little laptop while Danny fretted, "Can we really find top-notch doctors in the black market? What if they're

ask Dad for the

take the job in the black market. It's a

they better than

field has its experts. It's different for every medical specialty," Sammy said, furrowing

He muttered, "I've been looking at

twisted into a shy smirk, "Why are you looking at me like that! Here I am, a hardcore dude, forced to start paying attention to these darn Barbies, figuring out which age group plays with which series. It's

escape him, "And