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

brushed against her hair, hovering just

of breath, her face blushing furiously

noticed her rising temperature and arched

felt like a

triumphant, his eyes revealing

Whitney refused to be outdone. She straightened

movements, she leaned toward the man’s chiseled jaw,

as she drew near, she did not kiss him,

heard his breathing deepen into a

provocatively challenging him, “So, Sir,

he seized her chin with his large hand, his gaze burning, breath heavy. His chest heaved with a dangerous edge. “Quite the quick

control of her chin and brought his lips down to

0 F S G B F 3 ±

went

over hers,

eternity before he finally released her. Now, his eyes were tinged with red,

sound of running

realized that he had taken the time to set her down before

crimson face, her head

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

Could it be…

flushed even

both times, she had been

game a

stars he had not entered

next day, Whitney woke up with heavy

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tie, Madein?”

wondered, “Has he gone blind

to

towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, 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 have

the sight, and Whitney’s face turned even

out to her, inviting her down for

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

in the car,

her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a

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

He did not refuse.

drove off

tightened on the drapes, the previous tenderness on her face cooling into a straight,

Unlikely, a secretary would not

Who was she?

also felt

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

it not normal for him to have

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

thought, but her

he flirt with her last night if that was the

was he just an expert in the game,

doused with

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

despair men had given her been enough? After experiencing all that despair,

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

but was caught in the act. He curved his lips and said,

your own business,

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

Whitney wondered, “Has he gone

His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice soft.

untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, “I have to travel

was nearby, blushed at the sight, and Whitney’s face turned

her down

the curtains to see

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

seat, a mass of curly hair obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably