Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

“Who’s this nemesis of yours?” He took a sip.

“Imperial Gem Corporation’s obnoxious boss!”

His eyes darkened, “What beef does he have with you?”

“It’s an old family feud, a cutthroat business rivalry! You into business? If not, you wouldn’t understand,”

The assistant behind the boss stifled a laugh. The lady sure spoke her mind.

His eyes playful, L asked coldly, “Does your nemesis even take you seriously?”

“He said I have a small chest. That’s a grudge I won’t even let go!”

His gaze trailed down to the base of her neck. He frowned, failing to remember, and slowly said, “So he did, but haven’t you grown bigger?”

Whitney suddenly crossed her arms, her face turning red, “L, Whose side are you on?”

The assistant thought, “What an extremely interesting question.”

Elegantly taking a bite of spaghetti, he crossed his legs. “Don’t worry about the painting.”

“Why not?”

“Imperial Gem’s Mr. Lippert isn’t fond of landscape paintings.”

Whitney’s eyes sparkled. “You’re guessing? That’s what I thought, too! A man that handsome couldn’t possibly have such an old soul as to like landscape paintings, right? I’ll let you in on a secret. That creep likes young girls!”

The assistant twitched, glancing at the boss.

Noticing the man’s suddenly grim expression, Whitney was puzzled, “What’s the matter, Mr. L?”

He narrowed his cool eyes, “You could try a different approach to win him over.”

དེ་རི

Chapter 28

“How so?”

Your sign–in rewar. Come to claim your free coins.

“Come here.” He beckoned with a finger.

Suspicious, Whitney approached, her clean, soft nightgown revealing a slender waist as he pulled her into his

embrace.

She gasped, landing on his lap, his muscular physique solid and powerful.

Suddenly close in his arms, Whitney squirmed uncomfortably. He held down her struggling hands, his voice sinfully low, “There are a few ways a woman can please a man. Which do you think?”

Whitney caught on, her brows furrowed, “You mean I should seduce my nemesis? He can get lost; besides, I wouldn’t betray you.”

He raised an eyebrow. Whether he was pleased or cold was unknown. “You are quite loyal to me.”

“We have an agreement.”

“Shall we practice?” He suggested, seducing the young woman with his mature charm.

“Practice what?”

“Charm a man,” he murmured, his breath warming the delicate skin below her earlobe.

Whitney’s cheeks flushed a deep pink as his gaze darkened like ink, his large hand settling firmly on the small of her waist. He coached in a low voice, “To charm a man, you need to be soft–soft in your demeanor, tone, and movements.”

“How do I… be soft?” Whitney felt as if she were intoxicated, not by wine but by his intoxicating presence. How else could she explain following his lead so willingly?

The next moment, she felt weightless, gently lifted and placed on the tabletop.

Chapter 29

The plates were just beside her, and towering above was a man of statuesque stature.

a warmth that seemed to

to her ear. His cheek brushed against her hair, hovering just an inch from her lips, neither advancing nor retreating. He simply hooked

of breath, her face blushing

He noticed her rising temperature and arched

like a

looked triumphant, his eyes revealing his

her lip, embarrassed by his teasing, Whitney refused to be outdone. She straightened

movements, she leaned toward the man’s chiseled jaw, her lips brushing past his

she drew near, she did not kiss him, maintaining a tantalizing

and she heard his breathing

her red lips, her eyes provocatively challenging him, “So,

chest heaved

next moment, he took control of her chin and brought his

G B F 3 ±

went blank,

rolling his lips over hers, not letting

her. Now, his eyes were tinged with red, staring at her flushed face for a moment before he

after, Whitney heard the sound of running

realized that he had taken the time to

covered her crimson face, her

a kiss? She hurriedly began to clear the tableware, trying to calm herself, but her heartbeat was still skipping

Could it be…

flushed even

kissed her twice before, and both times, she had been too busy resisting. But

man’s flirting game a bit too

under her covers, thanking her lucky stars he had not entered her bedroom

woke up

1/2

15:01

tie, Madein?”

he gone blind at

to tie my

towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the

and headed downstairs, muttering, “I have to

blushed at the sight, and Whitney’s face turned even redder as she ducked back

to her, inviting her down

now that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to

Whitney’s eye in the

hair obscuring her face, but her

as the man approached, holding the tie Whitney had playfully knotted, the woman easily took it

He did not refuse.

drove off

the previous tenderness on her face cooling into

his secretary? Unlikely, a secretary would not act so

Who was she?

yet also felt ridiculous for

all, she and this man were married only by agreement because of

it not normal for him to have had

the deal was just for a year. Maybe

but

her last night if that was

an expert in the game, with

like she had been doused

she think he was a good person just because he had saved her twice?

given her been enough? After experiencing all that despair, she would

20/3

15:01

ran into the man, who was already dressed in a shirt, reaching for his tie. He glanced at her with an air

lips and said, “What do we have here? A little panda?

your own business, Whitney snapped

tie into her hands and standing tall before her, “Hanging around to tie

“Has he gone blind

His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around

headed downstairs, muttering, “I have to

blushed at the sight, and Whitney’s face turned even redder as

called out to her, inviting her down

growled, hunger striking quickly now that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to see if the man had left;

figure caught Whitney’s eye in the car, waiting for

passenger seat, a mass of curly hair obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a