Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

hapter 1

On the eve of her wedding, Whitney Valentine and her younger stepsister were kidnapped, but her fiancé only

rescued her sister.

The kidnapper lunged at her with a sneer, tearing at her clothes with a vicious rip.

Still in disbelief. Whitney waited foolishly, yelling, “No! Please wait more… Simon Perlman said he’d pay the ransom.”

With a mocking laugh, the kidnapper dialed a number and barked, “Monica Valentine, your elder sister sure is a fool!”

Whitney froze.

Her sister’s mocking voice came through the phone. “You really believed that knight–in–shining–armor crap? Let me tell you the truth: I’m carrying Simon’s baby!”

Whitney’s face turned ashen. “When… When did you two get together?”

“Simon’s always loved me. He only used you to start his business! Now that he’s CEO, guess why you’re the one kidnapped?”

Chills crawled up Whitney’s arms as she shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. Put Simon on the phone!”

Then a man’s voice that came through was cold and remorseless. “Whitney, you’re no longer of any value to me. Take care on your ‘journey.”

Boom!

Whitney’s world collapsed into a pallor of despair.

Eight years of love, all just a ploy? He wanted her dead so he could take over the company!

Whitney’s tears fell down her cheeks.

Monica’s twisted laugh cut through. “He wanted to leave you a pretty corpse, but I’ll make sure you die ugly. Have your fun with her, then leave her to the wolves!”

“Monica, I treated you like my own sister. Why are you doing this? Mom and Dad won’t let you get away with

this!”

“Do you think Mom and Dad really loved you?” Monica sneered coldly.

was stunned. What did Monica mean by that? Before she could ponder, she was dragged deeper into

her with sinister grins. Whitney trembled with fear,

fate.

going to be a pawn in Simon and Monica’s scheme, toyed with to

let it

with its door ajar on the dark roadside below

man sat in the back seat, his large silhouette vague, but the atmosphere was heavy with

tension.

an unknown strength, she broke free from her captors and tumbled down the hill toward the

“Get lost.”

man’s icy gaze half–closed, his breath heavy

14-54

were closing

sir, please!” Whitney clung to his leg, crawling into the car and slamming the door

trembling body inadvertently brushed against the man’s

suddenly opened wide, and the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, “You’re

shook her head frantically,

you’ve come,” the man’s voice was a dark, cold chuckle. “Don’t regret it.” In an instant, his powerful frame

slowly came to, the man was still asleep; dawn had not

up her clothes and fled from the

a wretched wipe of her eyes, Whitney did not dare

back to

she endured hunger and cold, clinging to

a single piece of news about her

injustices

it, so she returned to

back door of the Valentine Mansion, Whitney entered with a cold gaze.

rest until we find

you’re worried about her haunting us, let’s arrange a ‘ghost marriage‘ for her! We’ll make a profit and bind her spirit. She won’t

that a bit harsh?” That was her father, Preston Valentine, devoid of

floor, her expressionless face stripped bare by the cold, and her fantasies of a concerned and

squeeze value out of her even in death, discussing using a ‘ghost

Besides, we know what happened to her mother. If Whitney’s still alive and finds out your

I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave here today,” Preston’s voice was devoid of any fatherly

company. Her grandfather’s legacy, her uncle… All will be taken

and

to keep from