Love beyond the mask101-200

Novel Catalog

Chapter_157

Whitney’s world spun out of control as the chloroform took hold, her body growing heavy with each passing second. Panic gripped her mind, but her vision blurred, and her thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind. She could barely comprehend what was happening—her last clear memory was Keegan’s face, a mask of cold indifference, before everything went dark.

When she finally stirred, everything felt sluggish—her senses dulled, her limbs heavy, as though she were submerged in thick, warm water. A dull ache pulsed in her head, and when she tried to move, her body refused to obey. Panic clawed at her chest as she realized she was no longer in the car. The sharp, sterile scent of an unfamiliar room assaulted her senses.

The memories from earlier crashed into her all at once—Keegan, the car, the chloroform… What was he doing? Why was he doing this?

Her heart raced, panic surging through her as she forced her eyes open. The room slowly came into focus. It was dimly lit, the faint glow of a single overhead light casting long shadows that seemed to stretch across the walls. She lay on a narrow, hard bed, the air thick with tension. The sharp metallic scent clung to the space, reminding her of a place she’d rather not think about.

Then, she heard his voice—low, calm, and devoid of the warmth she had once trusted.

“I knew you’d figure it out eventually,” Keegan’s voice was steady, but the coldness in it sent a chill through her veins.

Whitney’s pulse quickened as she fought against the restraints binding her to the bed. “What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Her voice was hoarse, still groggy from the drug.

Keegan’s eyes were dark, unreadable, his expression tight with something she couldn’t place. He stepped into her line of sight, his face a mask of emotionless control. “You always did want to dig deeper, didn’t you? That’s the problem with you. You think you can fix everything. But some things—some things are beyond saving.”

Her mind raced, the fog beginning to lift as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. The name in the contact book, her grandfather, the Bartels family, and now, Keegan… She had seen the lies, the manipulation, the patterns, but never had she suspected him to be the one pulling the strings. The man she had trusted, the man who had always been her support, was now her captor.

“No,” Whitney gasped, shaking her head violently. “You didn’t—you didn’t hurt them. It wasn’t you!”

Keegan’s lips twitched into a grim, humorless smile. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone, Whitney. But sometimes, sacrifices have to be made. You don’t understand yet. You don’t see the bigger picture.” He stepped closer, his hand gently stroking her cheek in a way that made her skin crawl. “But soon, you will.”

Her stomach churned, and the full weight of her situation crashed down on her. She was trapped—alone—and the man she had once thought of as family was the one orchestrating it all.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “You—You think I’m going to help you with this? After everything you’ve done?”

Keegan’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze unwavering. “You don’t have a choice, my dear. I’ve already made sure of that.”

Terror surged within Whitney as the pieces fell into place. Her uncle’s strange behavior, the secrecy, the sudden shift in their world—it was all connected. And now, the consequences of that connection were closing in on her.

She couldn’t let herself break. She couldn’t let him win—not when Ludwik—her Ludwik—was still out there, waiting for her.

But what could she do? Her body was weak, her mind still muddled from the chloroform, and her uncle’s power too great to challenge head-on. She had to stay calm. Stay smart.

“I won’t let you get away with this,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. “You won’t win, Keegan. Ludwik will stop you. He’ll never let you do this.”

Keegan chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “You still don’t get it, do you, Whitney? Ludwik is a pawn in this game, just like you.”

Her heart stopped. Pawn? What did he mean? She tried to process his words, but the fog from the chloroform still clouded her thoughts.

Keegan turned away, retreating into the shadows. “Don’t worry. You’ll understand soon enough. But by then, it will be too late.”

As he disappeared from her sight, Whitney’s thoughts spun wildly. What was he planning? What was he going to do with her? And how could she stop him?

She had to get out of here. She had to warn Ludwik. Before it was too late.

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