Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 295 Jack rushed off with Danny, not bothering to go back to the private dining room to tell her. Upon hearing this, Elaine felt her blood boiling, but she had to swallow her anger.

Feeling utterly wronged, she leaned into the man's arm, softly lamenting, "You leftat Christian Restaurant, and I couldn't even enjoy my meal. I heard from the bodyguard that Danny sneaked off to find you, got caught, and you shipped him off to preschool. I was worried about a clash between you two, so I cover to check." Ludwik still remembered Elaine's complaints at the restaurant vividly. Now, she was all gentle and tender again, looking down at Danny sweetly, "Daddy's so busy, we shouldn't hold him up. How about mommy takes you to school, okay?" Then, looking up at the man, she said virtuously, "Ludwik, you're not as familiar with the preschool classes as I am. Lettake Danny for the rest of the day. I'll hang around and pick him up after school." Ludwik appreciated her patience with the child. The minor displeasure at the restaurant was quickly forgotten. "Sure," he replied indifferently, turning to his son, "Need daddy to walk you in?" "No way, you'd just cause a traffic jam. Don't you have any self-awareness?" Sammy made a face at the group of hovering moms, his teasing clear as day.

"..." Ludwik was speechless, realizing he was actually being praised by the little guy. The usually aloof Danny was praising his old man? Ludwik was pleasantly surprised, feeling like the lively kid from a few days ago had returned. He bent down to pinch his son's cheek, retorting, "Then you be careful not to cause a jam among the girls." Sammy was quick-witted, smirking, "Could you be a bit more humble, dad? Bragging about your good genes in such a roundabout way?" "..." Such a sharp kid. Ludwik couldn't help but smile, a slight curve to his lips, "Enough with your sass! Your mom will take you in." "Then I'm in mommy's capable hands." Sammy turned back, only then giving his mom a perfunctory glance. Watching the harmonious father and son, Elaine felt left out. Their growing bond was definitely bad news for her place in the family and could impact her future children with Ludwik! The woman darkly contemplated, watching Ludwik's car drive away before taking Sammy into the preschool. Sammy was silent, mainly because he didn't know which class Danny was in and couldn't give himself away. But as they passed through the luxurious Harmonia International classes, Elaine didn't stop until they reached a plain, even outdated classroom at the end of the corridor.

Elaine called out, "Teacher, Daniel is here for class." The teacher hurried out, not greeting Sammy, but flattering Elaine, "Elaine, you brought him again. Danny, you've missed two days of class, cin with me." "Please take good care of Danny," Elaine said, slipping an envelope into the teacher's pocket. The teacher was taken aback, quickly accepting it and assuring Elaine with a meaningful look, "Of course, we'll take good care of him." But Sammy caught this exchange. The teacher's tone seemed odd to Sammy. And Elaine, with a cold look at 'Danny,' naturally thought the little brat couldn't understand the adults' covert conversation.

When Sammy entered the classroom, followed by a few other moms with their kids. One of the moms, with a particularly bratty and chubby kid, made a face at 'Danny' and dashed inside.

"Daniel, oh, your stepmom dropped you off for school again?" Sammy, normally harmless, frowned slightly, a chill seeping in. Elaine, standing outside the classroom, waited for the bratty kid's mom to leave, Elaine ominously said, "Gave your son his instructions? If he does well, your company will benefit." Jemima immediately nodded, "Elaine, don't worry. Your stepson won't be willing to cto school tomorrow!" The more trouble at hand the more annoying he is, the better for Elaine.

Elaine glanced at her fingertips, leisurely walking out. Just reaching the preschool gate, a text cin, "Elaine, what are you daydreaming about on the street? Need scomfort?" Jarvis. Elaine quickly looked around, spotting a luxury car under a tree nearby, Jarvis's wicked smile visible through the window. His gaze was like a hook, whistling at Elaine up and down. What was this man doing, haunting her in broad daylight? Elaine, slightly startled and annoyed, walked over. Before she could speak, Jarvis wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her into a fierce kiss. Pressed against the car window, she was thoroughly felt up before Jarvis let her go, "Your life's that boring now, chauffeuring Ludwik's son?" Elaine's lips tightened. Jarvis pointed to a luxury hotel nearby, "Why not sit withthere?" "What do you think you're doing in broad daylight?" Although Elaine asked, the thought of last night made her restless.

"Guess?" Jarvis smirked, "It's more thrilling during the day." Elaine blushed, half-pushed and half-willing, she was pulled into his car...

Back in the regular preschool class during playtime, Sammy stepped out, planning to find a quiet spot to contact Danny, explain the morning's events, and ask who had been bullying him...

"Hey, you motherless runt!" Following a disdainful curse, Sammy was suddenly kicked from behind. Caught off guard, he steadied himself on a railing. Turning around, he faced a bulky figure blocking his path.

"Hey, Daniel, we want to play a gof punch bag. How about coming with us to the back building and being our bag?" Adriel, belly protruding and standing tall, demanded with a domineering air.

Sammy glanced at Adriel's gang of no-goods behind him, narrowing his eyes. If it were Danny, how would he respond at this moment?

"Look at him, silent as a ghost again.

Danny, got your tongue or something?" Adriel pointed at om Sammy, bursting into laughter. The other kids joined in, "Adriel, just throw down right here. This mutt can't beat us anyway. Even if the teachers see, they won't say a thing. Danny's family isn't loaded like yours, and besides, he won't snitch!"

They circled around. Sammy squinted his dark eyes fiercely. He noticed a teacher stepping out into gout into the hallway, clearly seeing what was happening but instead of intervening, she headed straight for the office. Remembering how Elaine had slipped the teacher an envelope earlier, Sammy suddenly put two and two together. So this was how it was. Danny was being set up and bullied because of Elaine's scheming? His aloof and upright personality, a bit of an introvert, probably didn't mingle much with the other kids.

That made him a frequent target for Adriel's bullying. Danny, being the confrontational type, would have m But losing fought back directly directly B meant he often got hurt, got interrogated by the teachers, and since he kept silent, When he got home, Elaine would spin her tales, and their clueless dad would naturally think Danny was spoiled and antisocial. Dad's scolding would make Danny dread going to school. A vicious cycle, leading their dad to grow increasingly disappointed in Danny. And in the end, the one benefitting from all this was that wicked woman.

What a schto drive a wedge between them! Standing there, Sammy clenched and unclenched his fists, then suddenly let out a sly chuckle, gesturing to Adriel with a hooked finger, "Hey, tubby, ever been told you look like a pig's head, and not even a fresh one at that?"