Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 140
Whitney felt a wave of warmth wash over her. “Aren’t you due for a meeting soon?”
“Yeah, sorry I can’t join you to pick him up, but I can arrange for the finest lunch.”
Then he grabbed a folder from his desk, striding past her. As he did, he gave her waist a gentle squeeze. He straightened his tie
and headed towards the conference room. “See you at noon.”
With a small smile, Whitney quickly returned to her office to change and grabbed her car keys, determined to drive to Banyan
City International Airport herself.
At the entrance of the conference room, Felix suddenly approached Ludwik. “Mr. Lippert, there’s some crucial information you
need to know.”
Ludwik stepped aside with him.
Felix whispered, “Mr. Lippert, it seems Orion Lippert is coming back today. Not a peep from anyone, and the Lipperts haven’t
stirred.
“Is this news reliable?” Ludwik’s expression turned icy.
Felix hesitated, “Not certain yet.”
“Find out. Keep a close eye on him!”
+
Felix understood the gravity when he saw the frost in Ludwik’s eyes. After severing ties with the Bartels and now openly defying
his father, Ludwik was in a high–stakes game. Orion’s return was not good news. Mrs. Lippert and her son, Orion, had been
coveting the Imperial Gem Corporation.
It was a quarter past twelve. Whitney waited at the airport, holding up a sign. It had been ten years, and her memories of her
uncle’s face were hazy.
From the back of the crowd, a thin man in a wheelchair caught her eye.

In that moment, Whitney’s breath caught.
She recognized her uncle’s face! But his left side was obscured by hair, and why was he in a wheelchair?
Her eyes flickered with shock as she called out, “Uncle!”
Behind her uncle, a tall, striking figure in a navy blue suit was speaking with him. As they split up, that man’s profile caught
Whitney’s eye, a rogue charm to his young face. He threw a glance in her way as he got into a car from another exit..
Who was this man?
“Whitney!” her uncle was already being wheeled over by his assistant.

Whitney snapped back to reality. Lowering her gaze to her uncle’s wheelchair, she saw the left side of his face marred by horrific
scars and her heart lurched. Her throat felt leaden as tears welled up in her eyes, “Uncle, how did this happen to you?”
“It’s been ten years.” Uncle Keegan shook his head, his hand resting over the blanket that covered his missing legs.
Tears fell from Whitney’s eye.
“Silly girl, don’t cry. Your uncle’s right here, isn’t he?” Keegan grasped her hand tightly. “Let’s not make a scene here. Let’s get in
the car.”
Embarrassed by the onlookers, Whitney wiped her nose and quickly opened her car door.
Keegan was helped into the car by his assistant, who then took the driver’s seat.
Sitting in the back alongside her uncle, Whitney saw his gaze drop to the slight bulge beneath her sweater.

His brow furrowed with a surprised smile. Whitney, we didn’t to talk much expecting? Have you got married?”
Whitney composed herself and nodded shyly. “Uncle, 1 haven’t had the chance to t
the phone. Are you
“You’ve grown up. It’s natural to start a family, and that’s wonderful” Keegan held her hand gently
and grandfather would be happy knowing this. Who’s the lucky man?”
Whitney blushed, still unsure of L’s full identity. “Uncle, I’m taking you to meet him. He’s the CEO of a real estate firm. I really like
him, and I hope you will too.”
Hearing he was a CEO, Keegan didn’t question further and nodded.
With her uncle’s blessing, Whitney’s spirits lifted, and she quickly sent a Facebook message to L
He replied with an address: Banyan City International Hotel
Whitney escorted her uncle to the opulent yet discreet restaurant. Upon reaching the private room on the second floor by the
window, a towering figure awaited. Dressed in a sleek black suit and a fine te, Ludwik’s exposed features were handsome and
composed.
He exuded nobility, entirely at ease.
Whitney, on the other hand, felt nervous as she wheeled her uncle over to Ludwik, standing beside him. With a smile, she
introduced, “L, this is my uncle Keegan Tennyson.”

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“Uncle, this is my husband,” she added, her voice laced with bashfulness.
Ludwik glanced over, and in that moment, Whitney felt her uncle’s wheelchair jerk sharply
Bewildered, she looked down to see her uncle’s grip tighten on the armrest, his scarred face paling under the cover of his hair.
Ludwik, noticing the man in the wheelchair and the scars on his face, paused momentarily. His eyes fickered before resuming his
composure. He extended his hand graciously. “Mr. Tennyson, nice to meet you.”
But Keegan didn’t reach out his hand in return.

Sensing the awkwardness, Whitney bent down to her uncle, “Uncle, are you alright?”
She was worried, recalling her uncle’s recent treatments before returning home.
“Yes,” Keegan finally spoke, his voice strained as if biting back emotion, “Whitney, push me inside.”
Ludwik withdrew his hand, a man accustomed to the ebb and flow of the business world, unbothered by the slight. He offered,
“I’ll do it.”
As he pushed Keegan inside, Whitney saw her uncle’s hand trembling.
Ludwik took a seat across from Keegan, no longer examining him. With detached politeness, he began ordering.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Ludwik handed the menu to Whitney as he answered the call.
However, his expression darkened in an instant. He rose abruptly. “What did you say? How could Elaine...”
Whitney’s brow furrowed as she heard Elaine’s name, and she looked up with confusion.
Suddenly, the door to the private booth burst open. Ashton, clutching his cell phone and fuming, stood in the doorway. His gaze
swept the room, and upon spotting Whitney, his eyebrows knitted together in displeasure. He strode over to where Ludwik was
sitting, seized him by the collar of his shirt in a fit of rage, and bellowed without any regard for the others present, “You bastard!
Did you pressure Elaine into dating someone? She always listens to you, so she went out with some high–roller from Riverlyn
City, and what happens? She gets assaulted, and now she’s in the hospital trying to kill herself!

Chapter 140
TADTE
And here you are, wooing another woman, do you have no shame? How are you going to face the Bartels family if she doesn’t
make it?”
Ludwik’s expression turned icy. It was Ashton who had called him, leading him straight to this confrontation a situation Ludwik
had not anticipated at all.
His brow was tightly furrowed as he turned to Whitney, his eyes filled with an anxious apology. “I must leave now. Felix will come
by to check on you later.”
Hearing about Elaine’s attempt to suicide shook Whitney, but a cold smirk quickly appeared at the corner of her eye. Elaine had
never given up on L. There was no way she would take her own life. This was likely a...
“L, but my uncle is still here...” she said, a frown creasing her forehead.
Ashton scoffed coldly, “Elaine is dying, and you’re worried about your uncle? Have you no heart? We’re going to Riverlyn
Hospital now. She’s asking for you!”
Without another glance at Whitney, the man left the room hurriedly with Ashton, a deep crease of concern
between his brows.
Whitney felt a surge of frustration watching his retreating figure. She took a deep breath and bent down to explain things to her
uncle. It was only then that she noticed his face was ashen, his jaw clenched in agony. He was gasping for air, his eyes wide with
panic. Suddenly, he collapsed.
“Uncle? What’s wrong?” Whitney was stunned. She shouted for help, “Manager, call an ambulance!”