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.

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

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

fate.

really going to be a pawn in

let it end like

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

seat, his large silhouette

tension.

she broke free from her captors and tumbled down the hill toward the car, desperately pleading, “Sir, could you

“Get lost.”

gaze half–closed, his breath heavy with

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were closing

to kill me, sir, please!” Whitney clung to his leg, crawling into

the man’s slacks, but she was

and the man’s

shook her

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

to, the man was still

her clothes and

precious. With a wretched wipe of her

made it back to the Valentine

her name, she endured hunger and cold, clinging

a single

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

to believe it, so she returned

cold gaze. Before she

can’t rest until we find the body!” Her

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 her spirit. She won’t dare come after

her father, Preston

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

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

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

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

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

empty, and devils

bit her lip to keep from