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.

that seemed

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

her? Whitney felt like she was running out of breath, her face blushing furiously as she clutched his chiseled arm,

noticed her rising temperature and arched an eyebrow

like a little

looked triumphant, his eyes

Whitney refused to be outdone. She straightened her back, deliberately

man’s chiseled jaw, her lips brushing past his

near, she did not kiss him, maintaining a tantalizing

heavier, and she heard his breathing deepen into

her eyes provocatively challenging him, “So, Sir, are you

with his large hand, his gaze burning, breath heavy. His chest heaved with a dangerous edge. “Quite the quick learner! Well,

took control of her

F S G B F 3 ± 2

mind went

smirked, rolling his lips over

eyes were tinged with red, staring

the sound of running

had taken the time to set her down

covered her crimson face,

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

Could it be…

flushed

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

game a

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

day, Whitney woke up with

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15:01

tie, Madein?”

he gone blind

to tie my

stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice soft. “Like this, Sir. Is this

downstairs, muttering, “I have to travel for work. I’ll deal with you when I

Whitney’s face turned even redder as

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

curtains to see if the man had left; she would head down to

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

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 both understated and

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

He did not refuse.

they drove

fingers tightened on the drapes, the previous tenderness on her face cooling

she his secretary? Unlikely, a secretary would not

Who was she?

pondered, yet also felt ridiculous for doing

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

him to

a year. Maybe when it ended, he

thought, but her heart

did he flirt with her last night

he just an expert in the game, with

like she had been doused with cold water and jolted

he was a

given her been 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 with

caught in the act. He curved his lips and said, “What

your own business, Whitney

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

“Has he gone blind

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

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

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

out to her, inviting her down for breakfast, but

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

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

obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a tight red dress