Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 272

"Hey, let's not get into that. Mom's got plenty of admirers. What's urgent is that I needed to talk to her about something important. I saw you at the mall earlier, quite unexpectedly. Is she around?"

Danny shook his head. "Mom had something important today, so she left me in the care of a friend."

Sammy chuckled. "Babysitting, huh? Looks like we've got to swap back then."

"Swap back already?" Danny pouted, reluctant to let go. He had just snuggled into Mom's embrace last night, while time with Ludwik was less cherished.

When would he see Mom again?

Seeing the longing look in his little brother's eyes, Sammy couldn't help but ask, "Got any troubles, Danny?"

"I don't want to go back to the mansion, to face Elaine. She forces me to go to preschool and deliberately put me in a class where I get bullied. When I get hit, she's pleased, then tells Dad it's all my fault for being mischievous, making Dad think I'm always causing trouble."

"Man, that's rough! Had I known, I'd have gone to preschool in your place today and taught those kids a lesson."

Sammy frowned, a flicker of anger in his otherwise calm and clever eyes. But he quickly smiled and said, "Don't rush. After I've spoken to Mom, we'll find a chance to swap back. Then I'll sort things out at school for you and expose that wicked woman's scheme!"

Even the usually stoic Danny couldn't help but chuckle at that, feeling a bit warmer inside. Having a brother was pretty awesome.

"Deal!" Danny said coolly. "I should go back and continue to annoy Ludwik."

The two shared a laugh.

Sammy pointed at their clothes, and they quickly swapped them back. Then, putting an arm around his little brother's shoulder, Sammy said, "Let's get you a smartwatch. Modify it a bit, and you can hide it. Then we can keep in touch secretly."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "I can modify it myself."

"Really? You don't look it, but maybe you're a hacking genius like me?"

"Mediocre," Danny modestly replied. His skills were something he never showed off, afraid Elaine would find out and target him even more.

"Who's older, you or me?" Danny asked.

Sammy laughed. "We'd have to ask Mom about that. But since she doesn't know yet, let's keep it a secret for now. Wouldn't want her to faint from the shock of seeing two of us."

"Right!"

After leaving, they grabbed masks from a dispenser. Then they bought matching smartwatches and pocketed them. Sammy told Danny he should hit the candy store. He himself sprinted towards the mall's train ride.

On that side—

Tiana, in a panic, held her daughter close, shouting, "Sammy! Where have you run off to?"

Damn it, the first day taking Whitney's little treasure out and she loses her! Her anxious voice attracted a crowd. Nearby, a stunning couple was about to enter a high-end French restaurant.

Suddenly, the man with sleek glasses glanced sideways. Endora Melford, trailing behind Parker Doonan, noticed Tiana holding her daughter, searching frantically.

Parker paused, his ear catching a familiar voice. "What's the commotion outside?"

His subordinate was clueless.

Parker glanced over the crowd, then instructed, "Go check it out..."

Tiana was genuinely taken aback, her eyebrows arching in surprise. She scrutinized the handsome Sammy carefully. If not for his familiar face and clothes, she could almost swear he was a different person. Had the icy Alaskan suddenly transformed into a warm-hearted Golden Retriever?

The three-and-a-half-year-old brother, lean and handsome, was clearly struggling a bit to hold his two-year-old chubby sister. Sammy looked down to see his sister staring up at him with wide eyes, drooling.

“What a cute little thing,” he murmured, gently touching her soft hair. “Sis, where do you wanna go next? Big bro’s here to hang with you.”

Cherry’s eyes sparkled as she cheered, “Big bro, you like me now? Mommy, mommy, big bro’s so cool, even cooler than his tough guy act earlier…”

“And when you grow up, would you wanna marry your big brother?”

Sammy’s lips curled in an innocent smile, these lines clearly picked up from TV shows, and he was nailing them. He was well aware of the trouble his cute face could attract.

Tiana was speechless.

She didn’t have hearing problems, did she? Watching Sammy’s warm smile, Tiana deeply empathized with Whitney’s predicament. This quick switch in personality was really something!

She hastily pulled out her phone, sending a hesitant text to Whitney. It was five in the afternoon, but no reply came from Whitney.

-

In the CEO’s office, as the workday neared its end. Ludwik closed the file in front of him, a sharp contour flashing across his face. This morning, Elaine had faced Whitney’s wrath again… He had to stand up for her.

The man frowned, standing up to grab his blazer, and instructed his driver through the intercom, “Bring the car around. I’m heading to Lanting Apartments!”

Lanting Apartments, that was where the woman lived.