Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1094

In the chilly recesses of Parisa's heart, a flicker of hope lingered-perhaps her brother wasn't dead after all. Maybe he was with her real daughter...

Her eyes, sharp like a frozen lake, held a mix of anger and disappointment, but there was a spark of renewed hope, a steely determination. She had to escape her current predicament! How dare those deceitful people try to trick her? Did they really think Parisa was so easily fooled?

Florence hurried after her, her eyes on Parisa's striking face. As she thought about their impending flight to Emperor City, she tried to persuade her once more, "Mom, when we get back to New York, you really should disguise yourself. You might be safe from Ludwik here in Springfield, but in New York, he won't let you go so easily. For your own safety, you can't let Ludwik recognize you and try to take you down again!"

Parisa abruptly stopped, a sardonic glint flashing in her icy eyes. She raised a brow, as if about to question something, but ultimately held back. What was once just a suspicion about the need for a disguise now seemed a guilty conscience laid bare.

Her real daughter was in New York, wasn't she? They feared someone-a daughter or an old acquaintance-might recognize her. Parisa was now more eager than ever to return. She responded with cold indifference, "A disguise? When danger comes, do you think I won't know how to avoid it? Ludwik isn't some mythical beast. Why should I be so afraid of him?"

"Mom, don't underestimate him!" Florence called, struggling to keep up as Parisa climbed into the car.

Florence narrowed her eyes, contemplating something sinister. Suddenly, she turned to Erik, saying, "I just remembered, I left my bag in the hotel lobby. Erik, can you and Mom wait for me in the car?"

Erik glanced at her, nodded without a word. Florence hurried back into the hotel, not to retrieve a forgotten bag, but to make a discreet call to Bryce from the restroom, ensuring Erik hadn't followed her.

Bryce picked up, "What is it?"

cunning old woman, I think she might have

you to keep a close eye

Parisa saw through the fake headstone

To calm her down, I had to go along with her to buy a burial plot, and she

"Did you find her?"

"I did, but I can't figure out where Erik and the others are taking her. They said they needed to

medicine. She's had amnesia for years and shouldn't remember much,

his brow. "Whitney grew up in Springfield.

lived with... let's see,

it was the Valentine

weren't her biological family, and

wn

recall.

and that Valentine family had a major falling out three years ago. Parisa might have remembered them... she could have gone to find them and caused

"...Really?"

have told her something. Florence,