Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 30

The message from Simon read, [I know you wouldn’t come out willingly, so I’ve got leverage. Whitney, I have your grandfather’s old phone book, the one he had before he passed away. Haven’t you been trying to dig into that accident for years now? Are you sure you don’t want it?]

Simon knew her too well, and he had found her Achilles‘ heel.

Her mom and grandfather had perished in a horrific accident, or so the story went, according to Preston.

She was too young at the time, and she was studying abroad. Upon her return, she was bluntly informed of their sudden deaths. After they were gone, it was as if a giant hand had wiped away all traces of their existence.

Whitney had never questioned it before. She just wanted to know what really caused the accident. Back when she and Simon were an item, she had asked him to track down her grandfather’s assistant and any leads. The phone book was probably what he had found.

But after being double–crossed by the Valentine family, she started suspecting their involvement in her mother’s and grandfather’s deaths.

On the day of the funeral, she had searched the Valentine Mansion to no avail; Preston had cleared out all of her mother’s and grandfather’s belongings.

The phone book could reveal who her grandfather had been in contact with. If she could get her hands on it, it would be her only lead.

Whitney decided to call him back.

Simon’s voice was smug with triumph. “So, Whitney, what have you decided?”

“Where’s the phone book?”

“Come meet me. Agree to my terms, and I’ll hand it over.”

Whitney’s eyes narrowed. With a sly edge to her voice, she spoke, “How do I know the phone book is real? Show me a video of it now, and then we’ll talk.”

Simon agreed, and about two minutes later, he sent her a video.

Whitney squinted at the footage. Aside from the yellowed pages of the phone book, she recognized the background–the furniture, the layout–it was his bachelor apartment.

En så « no s

Armed with the information she needed, Whitney did not hang up in a hurry.

said, “Meet me tomorrow night at Crystaline Bar’s private booth.

Whitney agreed. “Fine.”

stand me up!” Simon sounded genuinely

“Tiana, do we have enough time? Did you

Tiana before the call,

call from his bachelor apartment!”

shot in real–time and the phone book

what’s your plan?”

The following evening.

1/3

15.01

saying she

phone buzzed with a Facebook message from L, [What are you up to? Dare ignore

anything came up. She furrowed her brows, her fingertips hesitating over the

Whitney

out to

private booth, Simon stood tall before Whitney, gazing at

in and sit down,

stood her ground near the door, catching a whiff of alcohol on his breath. “What do you want

once been the object of many a young man’s affections in Banyan City, exuding

no man would want

thug’s?” Maybe it was the dim light, but Simon’s gaze was deep and fervent. Whitney pressed closer to the door. “That’s

was all supposed to be mine!”

settling in her heart. Her lips curled into a sneer. “In your heart, I can die, but I can’t carry another man’s child? Is

her finger with her seductions, you dropped me without

Simon’s facade in shambles, his pretenses ripped away. He seized her shoulders. “It

ever escape Monica’s seductions?” Whitney

but a fallen woman. If so many men can have

her a moment to regain her

a cold

me. I hate seeing you trade your body for leverage.

someone else, and now

phone vibrated again, and she glanced at it discreetly. Her expression eased, “Forget it. I don’t want the phone book

a show of naturally reaching for