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.

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

kidnappers pressed down on her with sinister grins. Whitney

fate.

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

could not let

car parked strangely with its door ajar on

his large silhouette vague,

tension.

broke free from her captors and tumbled down the hill toward the car, desperately pleading, “Sir, could you please let me in to

“Get lost.”

half–closed, his

14-54

kidnappers were

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

the

and the man’s Adam’s

shook her

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

Whitney slowly came to, the man was still asleep;

and fled from

something precious. With a wretched wipe of

barely alive, finally made it back to the Valentine family in

her name, she endured hunger and cold, clinging

fist. In ten days, she hadn’t seen a

the injustices

believe it, so she returned to confront

Valentine Mansion, Whitney entered with a cold gaze. Before she could step further, she heard a dispute from

until we find the body!” Her stepmother,

let’s arrange a ‘ghost

That was her father,

expressionless face stripped bare by the cold,

to squeeze value out of her even in death, discussing

cheaper than dirt! Besides, we know

alive, I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave here today,” Preston’s voice

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

empty, and devils walked the

lip to