Love beyond the mask (Whitney)



Lenny cracked a cold, heartless smile. "Your future or your daughter, you're going to have to choose." "I just heard something. I'm about to make a move. You grab Sammy and bring him to me when I do." "Don't worry about losing your life. As long as my son is here, you and your daughter can stay alive." Ryan stared at him, shivering. This guy was a devil incarnate!

Before Ryan could react, Lenny and his bodyguard charged into the dense shrubbery mid-slope.

A whiff of smoke reached him. Just moments ago, the air carried it from the direction of the bushes.novelbin

Being a smoker himself, Ryan could tell someone was there.

Wherever they were taking Sammy, they had to pass through these bushes.

Ryan, squinting behind his glasses, could barely see a thing. The moonlight, slender as a crescent, was completely blocked by the branches.

He had no choice but to follow the path made by Lenny's rushed passage through the bent grass, desperately trying to catch up.

Finally catching up, Ryan heard the sounds of a fierce struggle.

He smartly stopped in his tracks, still desperately trying not to expose himself. He wanted to save his daughter, and at this moment, he somewhat wanted to save Sammy too.

The sounds of the fight grew more intense...

Ryan circled around, taking a wide detour from the side.

He planned to encircle them from behind. While everyone was busy dealing with Lenny, he could successfully rescue Sammy.

And soon enough, Ryan got his wish.

Because out of the darkness, a child's voice called out to him, "Ryan?"

Ryan pushed through the bushes, following the sound, a bit excited. "How did you know it was me?"

Sammy, with a disdainful frown, said, "You smell like you haven't showered in days. It's easy to smell you in the fresh mountain air."

Ryan, annoyed, grimaced and grabbed the kid's arm, hoisting him up.

"Why are you here?" Sammy asked sharply. "Is something wrong? Where are you taking me?"

"You little troublemaker, didn't I hint that you should take the chance to run away when the people from Florence were moving you? That way, you could've escaped this hellhole and found your way back to your family. But no worries, your dear dad has now threatened me with my daughter's life!"

Ryan's voice was grim, wishing he could give Sammy a piece of his mind right then and there.

But Sammy wasn't scared.

Hearing his dad was coming for him, Sammy tensed up on Ryan's shoulder.

"Are you excited, happy? You'll see your dad soon!" Ryan never intended to harm Sammy. His stance on this matter was always at odds with Florence's.

If Sammy could leave, although Ryan would miss the brilliance of the kid, it would also be a relief.

Otherwise, he was caught between goodness and evil, a tough spot to be in.

They moved towards the bushes in the middle, a few meters ahead.

Suddenly, Sammy lit a lighter above Ryan's head.

Ryan, nearly scared to death, exclaimed, "Kid! Your dad asked me to sneak you out. I can't be exposed. Do you want to get me killed?"

But it was too late.

Sammy's action quickly drew the attention of Lenny's and Florence's bodyguards.

The light from the lighter was faint, but Lenny, even from a distance of a few meters, clearly saw the small figure on Ryan's shoulder! Sammy!

It was Sammy...

His son.

Though he had never seen Sammy's face clearly, Lenny's heart stopped at the sight.

Lenny's baton dropped as he muttered, "Sammy, is that you?"

He started running over, almost mockingly.

"Take the kid away now!" The other

group also charged towards Sammy, responsible for moving the

child. Any mistake, and they'd have a hard time explaining to Ms. O

Florence!

"Sammy, run to me, quick! Daddy's here to pick you up, son. I'm your daddy, you know me, you've seen me..."

Lenny's voice was a desperate growl.

Sammy, so smart and quick-witted, should've understood the situation and run towards him.

But Sammy didn't.

Instead of following Ryan, he jumped down from his shoulder and stood still.

Away from Ryan's protection, his eyes, unfamiliar and cold under the light of the lighter, struck a nerve in Lenny.

"Don't come any closer!" Sammy's crisp voice stopped him.

Lenny was stunned.

"Who are you?" Sammy eyed Lenny warily, his voice filled with caution against a stranger. Clinging to Ryan, he asked, "Dr. Ryan, who is he? Ms. Florence told me I'm an orphan. Is this man trying to trick me?"

Lenny's heart skipped a beat, his stride faltering.

Sammy screamed in panic, glaring at Lenny, "There's a bad guy here to get me, and you idiots aren't protecting me? Didn't Ms. Florence say she was moving me to a new home? Come over here! Ken, Ken!

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Get this man away from me, I want todeave now, take me to my new

home!"

Lenny's eyes plummeted into an icy abyss as he grasped the small hand before him, "Sammy! It's me, your dad.

You have a mom, you have a family. Your mom's name is Whitney!

You need to come home, to a place where Whitney and Danny are waiting. Don't you remember?

Follow me, I've come to save you, kiddo."

"Who are you? I don't need saving, I'm doing just fine!

I don't have a mom, I only know Ms. Florence and Dr. Ryan. Dr. Ryan, I don't want to go with this man!"

Ryan's mind was a whirlwind of confusion.

A chill settled in Lenny's heart as he realized something was terribly wrong with Sammy.

It was unclear what the issue was, but it seemed Sammy had lost his memory? His words were shocking, blurring the lines between friend and foe!

Lenny's initial excitement was doused with a splash of cold water, morphing into anxiety. His eyes grew colder as he stepped forward, determined to snatch Sammy away.

Unexpectedly, Sammy lashed out viciously, sinking his teeth into Lenny's neck—