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.

that? Before she could

grins. Whitney trembled with fear, unwilling

fate.

in Simon and Monica’s scheme,

let it end like

a car parked strangely with its door ajar on the dark roadside below the

man sat in the back seat, his large silhouette vague, but

tension.

the hill toward the car, desperately pleading, “Sir, could

“Get lost.”

half–closed, his breath

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were closing

clung to his leg, crawling into the

inadvertently brushed against the

opened wide, and the man’s Adam’s apple

shook her head frantically,

man’s voice was a dark, cold

man was

picked up her clothes and fled

a wretched wipe of her eyes, Whitney did not

alive, finally made it back to

to her name, she endured hunger and cold, clinging

she hadn’t seen a single piece of news about

injustices of her childhood, Whitney bit her lip

so she

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

we find

worried about her haunting us, let’s arrange a ‘ghost marriage‘ for her!

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

bare by the cold, and her fantasies

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

Monica from misfortune, a life cheaper than dirt! Besides, we know what happened to her mother.

she doesn’t leave here today,” Preston’s voice was devoid of

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

and devils walked the

lip to keep from