Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 369

Why did they both look so stiff?

Jack scrutinized the mother and son, noting how the boy's attire was vastly different from the upscale neighborhood they were in...

A thought suddenly flashed through Jack's mind. He and Linda had two sons, but one had died...

This realization startled Jack. He instinctively pulled Linda aside and blocked the boy, his deep gaze fixed intently on the 'son'.

"Hey, hey, Dad!" Sammy reacted quickly, his eyelashes twitching nervously, "It's me..."

"Who are you?" Jack demanded swiftly, deliberately not giving him time to think.

Linda's heart was pounding; she was terrified Sammy would accidentally reveal his real name.

"I'm...Danny," Sammy said, clutching the sleeves of his shirt, "Have you lost your mind? Not recognizing your own son?"

But Jack frowned at the answer, "But I left before you. How could you possibly get here so fast? And all by yourself, without even a driver..."

"Come on! He just wanted to sneak a peek at me; why are you getting mad at Danny?"

Linda quickly stepped forward, deftly changing the subject, "Danny, sweetie, didn't I tell you the code last time so you could sneak in and wait for mommy?" "Yeah, yeah, I wanted to surprise mom before dad got home!"

"Surprise indeed," Linda muttered to herself, feeling a mix of emotions.

Sammy didn't dare say more. He hadn't coordinated his story with Danny and didn't know what dad had told Danny before leaving!

Jack watched the exchange between mother and son, suspicious.

Danny's response clearly didn't match his behavior at the house; he had refused to come see Linda, and it seemed he hadn't planned on going out. Jack pondered, taking out his phone, ready to call the house phone.

Linda, quick as ever, saw him dialing and broke out in a cold sweat. If Danny picked up at home, their cover would be blown!

Sammy was also panicking. He glanced at his smartwatch, unable to coordinate their stories in front of Jack.

"Mom, weren't we going to watch a movie? Let's go!" Sammy loudly suggested, hinting at Linda.

"Oh, right!" Linda nodded vigorously, pulling Jack along, "You coming?"

"Huh?" Jack got distracted and turned to look at her.

Linda stared at his finger hovering over the 'call' button, "You coming to the movies or what?"

"Sure." Jack pocketed his phone, his long legs carrying him to the elevator, not giving Linda a chance to change her mind.

"Great," Linda thought, "If only I had said you can't stand at my doorstep. Leave."

She felt tricked.

What was supposed to be a movie outing with her son had now unwittingly included an unwanted guest. Linda shot Sammy a disgruntled look in the car.

Sammy blinked innocently back at her; he was just as helpless, now having to divert his dad's attention with a movie.

Sure enough, Jack seemed to forget all about verifying their story as he drove, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror but Linda wouldn't even spare him a glance. "Danny, what movie did you pick?" Jack asked.

"The Journey of King Arthur, animated."

Jack's mouth twitched, suspicious, "Haven't you always hated cartoons?"

Linda was caught off guard. Danny was too cool for cartoons.

Sammy, though mature for his age, still had the heart of a child and loved animated films.

She quickly intercepted, glaring at Jack, "It was my choice. Got a problem?"

Jack turned the steering wheel slightly, looking at Linda's stern face, his lips curving, "No, sounds like a great film."

Sammy couldn't help but roll his eyes at how quickly some people could change their tune.

Linda braced herself for his retort, but it was as soft as a marshmallow.

She remembered how charming Jack could be with his sweet nothings, even if it had been three years.

As they arrived at the cinema, Sammy suddenly remembered, "Mom, I got our tickets, but we didn't get one for dad... The show's sold out!"

"Perfect. He can't watch it then. Just as well he leaves," Linda said, already coordinating her and Sammy's story with Danny to ensure no slip-ups.

Jack, who had been eagerly looking at the snack combos, darkened.

"What are you talking about? You were the one who invited me to come along," Jack's pride was wounded.

"Well, it's not like I can do anything about it now. There are no tickets left," Linda replied with a helpless shrug.

Jack softened his gaze and asked gently, "What do you want then? Popcorn, fries, soda?"

"I'll have a soda and large fries!" Sammy was genuinely excited; he'd never been to the cinema with his mom before.

Seeing her son so happy, Linda's gaze softened, "I'll have the same as Danny."

Jack smiled and went to queue for snacks, standing out in the crowd with his model-like stature and effortlessly stylish posture, attracting admiring glances from many, including those who weren't single. Linda watched his distinguished figure, her mind drifting back to three years ago...

They had been to the cinema together then, but it was a trio outing.

Back then, Jack was completely smitten with Elaine, and at her behest, he made a heavily pregnant Linda accompany them to the movies.

That day in the cinema was filled with Linda's heartache and tears.

For the sake of their child, she had stayed by his side, begging for forgiveness, but he had been unkind.

Then there was the time they had hot pot, and she and Bryce were humiliated by him...

As Jack returned with two snack combos, he saw Linda's eyes, slightly red.

He paused; he hadn't forgotten about the movie night three years ago either.

The intricate tapestry of love and hate between them had embedded itself deeply in their memories.

"Linda..." The man's voice was deep, tinged with a hint of frustration.

Linda quickly dabbed at the corner of her eyes, her lips a faint shade of red. She turned, grabbing Sammy's hand, ignoring the man as they quickly walked into the cinema. They had picked prime seats, right in the middle.

However, as the movie started, they noticed no one else had come in.

It was only when Jack, with his graceful demeanor, took the seat next to Linda that she realized what had happened. She frowned deeply, "Did you scare everyone else away?" The man turned his head, his voice nonchalant, "What else? I don't like the noise."

"And I compensated them ten times the ticket price."

Linda was speechless. Only the wealthiest in the city could afford such a luxury, to rent out an entire cinema for the price of ten.

Jack handed her a bucket of popcorn, and as his large hand withdrew, it accidentally brushed the curve of her blouse.

"What are you doing?" Linda immediately turned, her face flushing with annoyance, under the impression that his intentions were not pure in the dim light.

"Sorry, it was an accident." Jack felt a moment of awkwardness too, the lingering sensation of her curves warm on his fingertips.

"It's just... you're in great shape." He offered innocently.