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 scorch

ear. His cheek brushed against her hair, hovering just an inch from her lips, neither advancing nor

this man flirting with her? Whitney felt like she was running out of breath, her face blushing furiously as

her rising temperature and arched

felt like a little

his eyes revealing his

to be outdone. She straightened her back, deliberately draping her hands

the man’s chiseled jaw, her lips brushing past

she did not kiss him, maintaining a

she heard his breathing deepen into

challenging him,

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

of her chin

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mind went blank, struggling

his lips over hers, not letting

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

Whitney heard the sound

realized that he had taken the time to

covered her crimson face, her

calm herself, but

Could it be…

face flushed even

night, her mind replaying that kiss. The man had kissed her twice before, and both times, she had been too busy resisting. But tonight, in addition to resistance, there seemed to be a bit

this man’s flirting game

lucky stars he had not entered her bedroom that

next day, Whitney woke up with

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tie, Madein?”

gone blind at such a young

around to

eyes widened as she walked over to him. His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice soft. “Like this, Sir. Is this

the knot, effortlessly untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, “I have to travel for work. I’ll deal with

Whitney’s face turned even redder as she ducked back into her

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

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

in the

obscuring her face, but her silhouette was

the man approached, holding the tie Whitney had playfully

He did not refuse.

drove

drapes, the previous tenderness on her face cooling into

Unlikely, a secretary

Who was she?

pondered, yet also felt ridiculous

this man were married only by agreement because of the sudden arrival of the child, and he still suspected her of having

him to have had a girlfriend

year. Maybe

thought, but her heart

with her last night if that

an expert in the game, with many

felt like she had been doused

think he was a good person just because he

given her been enough? After experiencing all that

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a shirt, reaching for his tie. He glanced at her with an air of

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

own business, Whitney

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

gone

widened as she walked over to him. His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his

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

Whitney’s face turned even redder

called out to her, inviting her down for breakfast,

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

Whitney’s eye in the

woman sat in the passenger seat, a mass of curly hair obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a tight red dress that was