Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

Chapter 146
Keegan clasped his hands together, nodding with a sense of finality. “Glad to hear that. I invited you both out today to bury the
hatchet–whether or not you argued, it’s time to make amends.”
Ludwik had indeed not seen Whitney for several days. Though his words were frosty, his heart harbored a hidden warmth, and
he shot her chilly glances more than once.
Since Keegan had stepped in to smooth things, Ludwik was willing to give in.
With an awkward scratch of his head and a sheepish look, Keegan broached the subject. “Mr. L, I asked to meet with you today
because, well, I have this favor to ask—and it’s not easy for me, believe me. I heard from
Whitney that you’re a big shot in the real estate game, and, as it happens, my little company’s on the brink of being swallowed
whole. I don’t suppose you could extend me a lifeline, a partnership of sorts, for Whitney’s
sake?”
Whitney’s fingers tensed, concealing the shock in her eyes as she watched her uncle put on quite the performance.
His humble expression and polite tone set Whitney’s nerves on edge.
She soon turned to Ludwik, her heart secretly hoping for his rejection.
But the man paused, his deep gaze briefly touching her face before he lifted his chin decisively. “A partnership is, of course, no
issue.”
Then, with a touch of arrogance, he addressed Whitney, “As the Vice President of United Realty, you can represent me. Handle
the paperwork, will you?”
He was coaxing her in his own way, giving her uncle considerable respect.
Whitney got the message.
But she did not want to say, ‘Thank you.‘ Her heart was just too heavy.
Keegan chuckled wryly, “Mr. L, you’re a generous businessman and clearly quite fond of our Whitney.”

Whitney felt alienated, as if she saw a side of her uncle she did not recognize–one that was insincere.
“Well, I won’t take up more of your precious time. Here’s to a fruitful partnership,” Keegan said, emphasizing the last four words
with a meaningful look as he extended his hand.
Ludwik reached out, their handshake firm, his eyes deep and honest.
Whitney watched him, her heart quivering at the intensity of his gaze.
Suddenly, he looked her way, his phone ringing, but he did not leave–almost as if waiting for her to give him an
out.
In a panic, Whitney averted her gaze from the bottomless pools of his eyes. That was when her uncle, with a chuckle, said, “My
legs are not what they used to be. I’m afraid I’ll need Whitney to take me home, and we can discuss the partnership details on

the way. I’ll make sure she gets back early.”
Ludwik’s thin lips pressed together as he looked at her.
Could she not even initiate a simple conversation with him?
After all the respect he had given her uncle, this woman still played hard to get. What would it take for her to let go of the past?
His phone rang again, signaling an important meeting–a bidding war over a prime piece of land for a five–star hotel project was
imminent. With a furrow of his brow, Ludwik had no choice but to leave as Felix, his assistant, respectfully waited by the door.
Whitney slumped back into her chair, her heart pounding as Keegan whisked her away to his penthouse.

Chapter 146
But there, along with his assistant, was another man!
Tall, with a suit that hugged his frame, he stood casually at a table, his back to Whitney, holding a stack of
contracts.
Keegan took the contracts and turned to Whitney, his composure unchanged. “You brought your company seal, right?”
She had it in her bag, but as Whitney’s lips tightened, she could not help but ask, “Uncle, why did you discuss a partnership with
him today?”
“Because I really want to, of course” Keegan smiled warmly as he patted her cold head. “I know it’s hard for your to decide, so
I’m giving you a push. There’s no turning back now–I’ve drawn the bow for you!”
Whitney shuddered, a chill spreading from within as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Her uncle was leading her towards a cliff, and ahead, there was no clear path with Ludwik anymore.
Sensing her sadness, Keegan’s eyes held a hint of scornful laughter. “You need to pull yourself together and help me get my
revenge!”
“But Uncle, why didn’t he guard against you today? You spoke of a partnership, and be agreed without hesitation.” Whitney was
puzzled.
“With Ludwik’s cunning and ruthlessness, what could you possibly see through him?” Keegan’s voice was edged with bitterness.
“He’s confident I don’t know the truth. A small partnership with me is nothing but a ripple to him.”.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

“Bring out your seal. He’s already agreed,” Keegan insisted.
Whitney’s face paled as she slowly produced the seal.
Keegan took the contract without letting her see it properly. She caught a glimpse, but it was for an overseas
company.
She frowned, sensing something amiss. “Uncle, didn’t you say your company had moved back home? But this is for an overseas
company. Is this gentleman’s? Who is he?”
The young man finally turned around, his features devilishly handsome, a playful smirk on his lips as he faced Whitney.
Whitney frowned. It was the man from the airport!
His aura was mischievous, and that face... Whitney felt an odd sense of familiarity but could not place it.

“So, Ms. Valentine, you’re still leaning towards Ludwik, huh? Are you doubting your uncle?” The man’s teasing laughter filled the
air. He was clearly enjoying the tension.
Keegan’s face turned cold as he snatched the seal from Whitney and pressed her hand down. “He’s here to help me. It’s none of
your concern who he is. The overseas company is a joint venture with him. This is just a minor collaboration with Ludwik–it won’t
be the end of him. But Whitney, you can’t let me down! And don’t waste my ten years of suffering!”
His voice trembled with pain, and he did not allow Whitney to refute.
The seal was pressed, and the young man immediately took the contracts away.
Whitney was unsure if there was anything wrong with the contract, but she hoped that since it was only the Vice President’s seal,
Ludwik’s trust in her and his gesture to appease her were enough..
Her heart ached, torn between loyalty and betrayal. She found herself caught in the middle, playing both sides, and she knew
she was bound to disappoint her uncle...
But Keegan pressed on. “Whitney, you need to get your priorities straight. You have to help me.
The biggest current project at United Realty is the five–star hotel chain, right? I heard the financing is already in

12:50 50
Chapter 146
the hundred billion, and everything’s ready–just waiting for the land bidding.
I want you to be involved in this project. You’ll go with Ludwik to the bidding, and when the time comes, we’ll work together from
the inside out...”
“Uncle! What the hell are you planning?” Whitney’s forehead beaded with sweat, her fingers turning pale from the grip on her
phone.
Keegan’s eyes glinted with a disturbing fervor, a twisted smirk on his lips. “Don’t question me. Just do as I say, sweet–talk
Ludwik, and get in on that bid with him.”
“Uncle, I don’t...” Whitney’s face was a ghostly pale, her struggle and resistance clear.
When Keegan heard her refusal, his eyes turned icy. He coldly unbuttoned his shirt collar and suddenly revealed a myriad of
scars crisscrossing his body.
With a gaze filled with pain and hatred, he said, “When you can’t bear to help me out, just look at what I’ve been through all
these years. Scars upon scars, five surgeries over a decade. Whitney, this is what he’s done to me, your mom, and your
grandpa. Think about it!”
Whitney clasped her hands over her head, no longer wanting to listen or see, the suffocating pain making it impossible for her to
speak.
In the face of such hurt, she could not say no to her uncle.
She looked into the abyss of her uncle’s eyes, where hatred had spawned a demon. Whitney felt powerless to stop Keegan’s
descent into madness.
The next moment, he pressed a knife into her hand. She was supposed to wield it against Ludwik, but was it truly him she was
striking, or was it her own heart?
“Tomorrow, you’ll head to United Realty Corporation to follow up on that hotel project. I’m tired. Go on, leave me be,” Keegan
instructed her gravely, his hand massaging his right leg as his face turned ashen with pain.