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

her with sinister grins. Whitney trembled with fear, unwilling to accept

fate.

going to be a pawn in

let it end like

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

large silhouette vague, but the

tension.

down the hill toward the

“Get lost.”

half–closed, his

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were

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

inadvertently brushed against the man’s

and the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed,

can’t!” She shook

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

her clothes and fled from the car in

precious. With a wretched wipe of her eyes, Whitney did not dare linger.

it back

endured hunger and cold,

fist. In ten days, she hadn’t seen a single piece of news about

said Dad never loved her. Recalling the injustices of her childhood, Whitney

so she returned to confront the

Whitney entered with a cold gaze. Before

can’t rest until we find the

sinister as she said, “Dad, if you’re worried about her haunting us, let’s arrange a ‘ghost marriage‘ for her! We’ll make a profit and bind

harsh?” That was her father,

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

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

from misfortune, a life cheaper than dirt! Besides, we know what happened to her mother. If Whitney’s still alive

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

will take over her company. Her grandfather’s

and devils

to keep from