Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1188
"Mom, can you not go all 'Ludwik, Ludwik' at him? Dad literally took two bullets trying to take down that scumbag Bryce for you.
The least you could do is be a little more gentle, you know? Maybe call him 'honey,' or 'babe,' or even 'dear.' That's how you get
closer! You get me?"
Danny grumbled out his lecture, his mouth full of BBQ ribs, sauce smeared at the
corners.
Wait, what now?
Whitney actually shivered at the thought, her whole face nearly turning pale, cheeks burning with embarrassment. “You little
rascal! Have you been binge- watching those soap operas again while I wasn't looking? What on earth are you learning from
them?"
She glared at him. "I told you, stop hanging out with your great-grandma so much."
"Look at Sammy, will you? He's your age and already building robots, writing code, and solving math problems like a pro."
Danny's eyes widened in outrage, waving his rib in protest. "Wow, so you're disappointed in me again! You have no idea how to
keep a man, Mom. Need me to teach you?"

Whitney nearly choked. This kid's head was always in the clouds, worrying about things he shouldn't. She was about two
seconds away from losing her cool. "Listen, kiddo, grown-up stuff isn't for you to butt into. You don't get it, and you're not
helping."
Danny heaved a dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes. "If I don't help, you and Dad will be divorced until I'm old enough to get married
myself!"
Whitney opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words, while Shane burst out laughing at the end of the table.
She shot him a look, threw down her napkin, and got up. "Keep squawking and I'll stop feeding you altogether. Enough! Eat your
dinner, all of you."
Sammy, as usual, played the peacemaker, stifling a laugh and glancing at his brother. "Mom, Danny's got a point, even if he's a
bit much. Maybe listen to him a little."

"You're the slyest of them all," Whitney muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose as she left the room.
She made her way to Ludwik's hospital room, still fuming from the boys. Part of her wanted to take it out on Ludwik, maybe even
accuse him of bribing the kids to gang up on her.
But as she reached the door,
clutching a thermos of homemade
chicken soup, she paused. Felix was

standing by Ludwik's bed, holding
out his phone. Ludwik was on speaker with someone on the other end. śwnovel
Whitney stopped short, hesitating outside the door.
She was about to wait until they finished, but then she caught the voice from Felix's phone: "Mr. Lippert, Florence is dead! She
died last night in her cell-her throat was slashed with a blunt object, and she fett from the second floor. She was awaiting trial,
hadn't ever seen a judge yet, and now she's just... gone."
Whitney's ears rang-she snapped her head toward Ludwik.
He saw her, her face pale as snow, and motioned her in. No secrets. No masks.
Florence... dead? Just like that?
Whitney was still furious with Florence, but this? This was too sudden, too strange.
She stepped into the room, heart pounding.
The call was from the police-one of Ludwik's trusted contacts. He
explained that it all happened out of nowhere, and now the Sheldon.
family had gotten word. Holly Kad stormed the jail, and Florence's body was being transferred to the funeral home.
Felix put away his phone and quietly stepped back.

Ludwik sat in silence for a second, his broad shoulders tense even under the hospital blanket. The man was intimidating even
bleeding out, and his blue eyes were ice-cold, unreadable.
Whitney couldn't hold back. "Ludwik, Florence's death... was it... you?"
He looked up at her, eyes sharp. "What, you think I did it?"
Whitney dropped her gaze, struggling to meet his eyes. To be honest, it did seem exactly like something he'd do...