Love Beyond the Mask

Chapter 139

Whitney’s breath hitched as the man’s brooding exhalation traveled across the phone line. He didn’t

hung up which meant he’d give her a few seconds to explain

“Listen, this is the last time I went to see him Whitney rushed to explain. “I needed to retrieve a family

heirloom from him, something of my grandpa’s. Then I have to track down my uncle. He’s all the family

I have left. And I’ve got it now, so can you please not get all jealous?”

The man on the other end paused, his voice still frosty. “Looking for family? Fine, I’ll forgive you. Now

get yourself home!

“I’m on my way,” she muttered, driving with a mixture of irritation and resignation. “You’re being

paranoid. Everyone has some secrets, and you’ve already dug into mine. But you…” NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Whitney trailed off, her thoughts suddenly snagging on something Elaine had said before leaving–

something utterly baffling

She’d hinted that ‘L‘ was harboring a secret about someone who had once saved his life.

Whitney pursed her lips, blurting out without thinking, “And speaking of the past, what about you? Do

you harbor someone in your heart?”

Silence came from the other end of the line.

Then the flight attendant’s announcement filtered through.

Felix reminded him that it was time to board his plane.

His response to Whitney was clipped. “Enough talk. I’m off on a business trip. While I’m gone, stay out

of

trouble.”

And with that, he hung up.

Whitney stared at her phone, her delicate brows knitting together. Did he react to her question, or was

he hiding something?

Could there really be such a saviour in his life? Or maybe Elaine was just stirring the pot? Whitney let

out a sigh, realizing there was no point in clinging to his past.

Resolved, she pressed down harder on the gas pedal, her spirits lifting as she drove.

Back at the villa, Whitney pulled out the small, well–worn contact book from her bag, cradling it like a

precious relic. She stroked its cover, her eyes welling up with tears.

Looking at it was like seeing her grandpa and mother in person again.

They had died in a terrible accident when Whitney was sent abroad for middle school. By the time she

returned, a year had passed,

She was just 13 when she found that all of her grandpa and mother’s belongings had disappeared.

She’d secretly been searching for her grandpa’s personal assistant, Torin, but to no avail. But it was

Simon who had found her grandpa’s contact book.

Her grandpa had been a well–known businessman in Banyan City, with a reputation that preceded him

and extensive properties. Not adept with computers, he relied on this contact book.

Whitney inhaled deeply and slowly opened it.

It was indeed in her grandpa’s handwriting. Her eyes burnt with fresh tears.

The contact book was thin, with several pages clearly torn out.

Frowning, she wondered if her grandpa had ripped them out or if someone else had.

She went straight to look for her uncle’s contact number

On the third page, there was a name “Keegan“. Below it was a sequence of letters,

Whitney remembered playing letter puzzles with her grandpa as a child, and quickly decoded the

letters into phone number

Her hands trembled as the numbers came to life on the pa

page.

Why had her grandpa hidden it? Was he protecting her uncle from someone?

Without hesitation, Whitney dialed the number.

She held her breath as the call connected, and a voice spoke through the veil of time, “Is that you,

Whitney?”

It was her uncle’s voice!

Whitney’s tears flowed freely, and she nodded vigorously, “Uncle Keegan, is it really you?”

“It’s me…” His voice was laced with joy and sorrow, almost quivering. “Whitney, you finally called. Do

you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for you? Ten years.”

Wait, her uncle had been waiting for her all this time?

Confusion swirled in Whitney’s mind as her uncle choked up, “Before he died, my dad told me to go

into hiding abroad. He said when you grew up, if you could find this number, it would mean you were

ready to stand by me and fight with me. Whitney, our family has a heavy score to settle.”

A jolt hit Whitney’s brain.

Did her uncle know the reason behind her grandpa and mother’s deaths? Were they killed by the

Valentine family?

“Uncle, I’ve found you now. When are you coming back?” Whitney asked urgently.

“Soon, my girl. I need another half month of treatment, but I’ll make it back for your mother and

grandpa’s anniversary,” her uncle replied with a mix of excitement and a hint of a cold laugh. “Ten

years… It’s finally the time I came back to claim justice.”

Whitney was shaken. She knew nothing of the past. “Uncle, what happened to you? Is it related to the

accident?”

“Yes, you have no idea what I’ve been through these years. But now that I’ve found you, I’ll explain

everything to you when I return. Wait for me, Whitney.”

Elated yet filled with anticipation, Whitney ended the call, still unsure of her uncle’s condition.

He seemed reluctant to elaborate, but she had finally connected with her only remaining relative.

Saving her uncle’s number to her phone, Whitney continued to flip through the contact book. Her

grandpa had recorded various business contacts and memos.

At the end, one name kept cropping up: Ludwik

On one page, her grandpa had circled the name ‘Ludwik‘ in red ink with such force that the pen had

nearly torn through the paper.

What did it mean?

Ludwik would have been in his early twenties ten years ago. Had he been involved with her grandpa

back then? Whitney recalled elders from Skye Gem Ltd. mentioning that Imperial Gem Corporation and

Skye Gem Ltd. had been rivals in their parents‘ generation. That’s why she always provoked Imperial

Gem Corporation back then.

Could it be something more than just business rivalry?

Was there bad blood between Ludwik and her grandpa?

Thinking of Ludwik, the elusive CEO of Imperial Gem Corporation, Whitney hadn’t seen the man in

ages

She frowned, considering whether to corner him at the Imperial Gem Corporation headquarters to get

some

answers.

The next day. Whitney made a detour to the Imperial Gem Corporation building, only to be informed

that the CEO was away on business and not in the office.

What a coincidence. Whitney suddenly thought of L, who was also away on a business trip.

She had to let the thought go and reminded herself that her uncle was due back soon. She could

simply ask him about the contact book.

With that resolve, Whitney comfortably settled into her role at United Realty Corporation, acting as L’s

deputy director and personal secretary. She was getting more and more familiar with the real estate

business by the day.

She certainly didn’t neglect the affairs of Skye Gem Ltd., patiently awaiting her uncle’s return.

Whitney received a call from her uncle two weeks later, informing her of his flight number. He would be

arriving in Banyan City by noon.

A burst of joy lit up Whitney’s face as she dashed from the deputy director’s office to the president’s

suite. The man was busily sifting through paperwork, but he looked up at the sound of her approach.

“L, my uncle’s coming back! I’m going to pick him up, and you…”

The happiness on Whitney’s face did not escape Ludwik’s notice, nor did her clever attempt to gauge

his reaction.

The man set down his pen and glanced at his watch, his lips curving slightly. “Let’s have lunch together.

He’s your family, and it would be my pleasure to welcome him.”