Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 1024

that terrible car crash. No ashes to speak of...

Keegan clutched his chest, a frown creasing his forehead. "It's the strangest thing, Whitney. I've dreamt about your grandfather these past two nights, but your mom... she's nowhere to be seen in them. They were buried together, even though there wasn't much left after In the dream, your granddad seemed worried, kept asking where your mom was. It freaked me out so much last night; I couldn't get back to sleep.

You said they passed away together, so why would he be asking about her?

Dreams shouldn't be taken as reality, I know, but it's unsettling. Makes me want to visit their graves, maybe leave some flowers."

Whitney's brow furrowed in thought. Uncle Keegan's life had been so peaceful lately; why these troubling dreams now?

She too found it odd. She'd dreamed of her granddad a few times but never her mom, despite them dying together.

Without Uncle Keegan mentioning it, Whitney wouldn't even realize he also couldn't dream of her mom.

It wasn't like them to believe in the supernatural, yet Whitney couldn't help but wonder. Her mom had been a beauty, cooler and more poised than she could ever hope to be, a sharp and capable woman who helped manage the family business... She never understood why her mom chose to live with Preston Valentine, of all people.

Only later did she find out it was her granddad's idea, a ruse to evade the Bartels family from Emperor City.

She had vague memories from their time in Banyan City. Her mom, despite being admired by many, remained melancholic, her heart shattered from being separated from dad, Hudson Sheldon.

If only she hadn't been sent abroad forcefully by Preston's machinations.

She would have seen her mom and granddad one last time, would have known how they died.

Even after Uncle Keegan returned and confronted the Valentines, the details of the crash remained blurred.

Their graves in Banyan City held no remains, just a place for Whitney and her uncle to mourn.

Whitney's gaze softened, trying to comfort her uncle. "Maybe you're just missing them, plus you've not been well. It's normal to dream about things on your mind. Let's plan a visit back."

But Keegan shook his head, asking, "Haven't you dreamt of them recently?"

"I rarely dream, Uncle. But when I do see Granddad, Mom's never there. It's strange."

"Exactly!" Keegan's voice grew fervent, his belief in the supernatural creeping in. "Your granddad must be watching over your mom, but why can't we dream of her? Dad even asked where his daughter was, as if she might still be alive. He looked so hopeful, like he wanted me to find her!"

The more Uncle Keegan spoke, the more bizarre it sounded.

Whitney shook her head, puzzled. "How could Mom still be alive?"

She felt a pang of sorrow. "Didn't you rush to the crash site after Granddad called, only to find him impaled by Ludwik's mask, mistaking him for the assailant? Did you... not see Mom's body?"

Keegan's gaze grew distant as he delved into that memory.

Eleven years, and the pain was still raw. He shook his head; the details were fuzzy. "I only got close for a few seconds before the explosion. I wanted to save Dad, but it was too late. All I remember is him yelling at me to flee the country, to preserve the Tennyson family legacy until you were old enough to contact me.

Maybe the Bartels family and Holly's people were already there!

I ran..."

That was Keegan's deepest regret. He'd witnessed his father and sister's demise, tears streaming down his face as he fled. If he hadn't, he'd have perished too.

His father's intention was clear: better to live and fight another day.

Sadly, even after all the twists and turns, Keegan had misidentified their enemy, wrongfully seeking revenge on Ludwik, fracturing his relationship with Whitney and causing her immense suffering during her three years abroad.

Remembering the events of the past year, Keegan's guilt resurfaced.

Whitney, lost in thought from her uncle's words, blurted out, "So, you don't remember if Mom was in the car?"

"She had to be. Her clothes were right next to Dad. But I was focused on him, then the explosion threw me back. I watched them turn to ash... How could she have survived?"

Keegan's eyes reddened as he pondered. "Besides, if she had escaped, why hasn't she come back all these years? It's impossible."

He dismissed the thought himself.

Whitney agreed; the explosion left no chance for survival.

But Uncle Keegan's dreams were indeed curious. Perhaps their shared longing for her mom and granddad to still be alive was the cause.

"Dreams are just dreams, Uncle. No need to overthink it. If you're feeling down, let's plan a trip to Banyan City to pay our respects. But with the current situation with the Lippert family and my kids facing threats from Bryce, plus the mess at Inko Group... With Ludwik back, things are hectic. I can't leave the kids."

"I understand. Your priorities are here, especially after reclaiming the Sheldon Group and dealing with Ludwik. Take care of things on this end first," Keegan said, his voice softening.

After a pause, he looked at Whitney, his voice earnest. "You've got to look after the kids, but don't forget about your own life. You can't live without love forever. Ludwik may have hurt you deeply, but..."

So, when you get down to it, the whole mess started because your uncle kidnapped you as a way of getting back at him, leading to the whole cascade of misunderstandings and hardships that tore you two apart. But it looks like all those knots that seemed impossible to untie are finally loosening.

So, if you're still holding a torch for him, if you think you can forgive him, then you really should give it some thought.

The guy's got integrity, a real stand-up kind of man, and that's something even your uncle has to admit.

All that stuff about family prestige and high social standing doesn't really matter in the end. What's important is that this man loves you, is willing to protect you, and is ready to sacrifice everything for you, even his life."

Keegan is the only family she has left, and he's been thinking about her future wellbeing.

Over these past few months, Keegan has been keeping a close eye on Ludwik, especially with how Ludwik went all out to help Whitney take back control of the Sheldon Group. Ludwik has shown he's got the brains and the brawn, and though his actions haven't always been perfect, if Whitney could fall for him again...

Keegan has made his stance clear; he won't stand in their way anymore.

Whitney was caught off guard by her uncle suddenly bringing up her love life, maybe something earlier sparked a bit of guilt in him.