Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1296

There was something unreadable in Ludwik's eyes. He stepped aside, his long legs halting as he answered his phone, voice low and tense. "Parker, what's up?"

"Is Whitney with you?" Parker's voice came sharp, no small talk, straight to the point.

Ludwik heard the urgency and guessed what was coming. "What happened? Is it Ashton—”

“Valerie might die!" Parker cut him off, his words hitting like a slap.

For a moment, Ludwik's normally stoic face flickered.

He didn't respond right away.

Parker's voice pressed on, cold and fast. "When I got back to Riverbend, Tiana told me Elaine was after Valerie's kid. Ashton wasn't even there, useless as ever. Valerie's a mom—she sensed something was off. Stopped Elaine in time. But they couldn't prove anything to Ashton. No evidence."

Ludwik's jaw tensed.

Parker continued, "A couple days later, Valerie just... couldn't take it. She tried to confront Elaine about it, alone. Now she's missing. Elaine's gone too. Ashton finally realized what was happening. We're searching everywhere. Someone spotted two women heading towards the old dam out by the lake...”

His voice dropped. “That place is dangerous, Ludwik. Valerie might be trying to end it all with Elaine, just to make Ashton see the truth. If Elaine's gone, maybe Ashton will finally get his kid the help she needs. Valerie's lost it, man. Driven mad by Elaine."

voice cracked. “You should tell Whitney to come home. Valerie might not make it—she might

face unreadable

said enough. Ludwik kept

begging you, too. She's

"Yeah."

up, his knuckles white where he gripped the

never unfurled as he turned, heading up the

woman at the side of the crib. She was thin as a willow, her delicate face haloed by the glow, long

was feeding their daughter, cradling the bottle with gentle

the milk

didn't look up,

see the weight

words in

tight, and made

she saw it was him, her expression softened,

door frame, hands behind

shy. “What are you doing