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.

warmth that seemed to

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

out of breath, her face blushing furiously

He noticed her rising temperature and arched an eyebrow playfully,

like a little

his

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

man’s chiseled jaw, her lips brushing past

drew near, she did not kiss him, maintaining

she heard his breathing deepen into a

her eyes provocatively challenging him, “So, Sir, are you feeling a bit breathless?”

his gaze burning, breath heavy. His chest heaved with a dangerous edge. “Quite the quick learner! Well, I won’t hold

took control of her chin and brought his lips

G B F 3 ± 2 5 5

mind went blank,

lips over hers, not letting

eyes were tinged with red, staring at her flushed face for a moment before he turned irritably

heard the sound of running water in the

taken the time to set her down before

crimson face, her head

herself, but her heartbeat was still skipping beats, the air thick with innuendo. And then she wondered, why

Could it be…

face flushed

not sleep well that night, her mind replaying that kiss. The man had kissed her twice before, and both times, she had been

flirting game a bit

covers, thanking her lucky stars he had not entered her

Whitney woke

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15:01

tie, Madein?”

he gone blind at such a

around to

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

glanced down at the knot, effortlessly untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, “I have to travel for work. I’ll deal with you when I get

face turned even redder as she ducked back into

out to her, inviting her down for breakfast, but she refused to

now that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to see if the man had left; she would head down to eat

Whitney’s eye in

her face, but her silhouette was

the tie Whitney had playfully

He did not refuse.

drove off

the drapes, the previous tenderness on

she his secretary? Unlikely, a secretary

Who was she?

also felt ridiculous

because of the sudden arrival of the child, and he still suspected her of

normal for him to have had

was just for a year. Maybe when it ended, he would

was what Whitney thought, but her heart

her last night if that was

an expert in the game, with many women at his

felt like she had been doused with

last night? Or did she think he

enough? After experiencing all that despair, she would not

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15:01

already dressed in a shirt, reaching for his tie. He glanced at her

in the act. He curved his lips and

your own business, Whitney snapped

into her hands

gone blind at

and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice

glanced down at the knot, effortlessly untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, “I

Whitney’s face turned

her down for

that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to see

figure caught Whitney’s eye in the car, waiting

her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a tight red dress that was