Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

hapter 1

On the eve of her wedding, Whitney Valentine and her younger stepsister were kidnapped, but her fiancé only

rescued her sister.

The kidnapper lunged at her with a sneer, tearing at her clothes with a vicious rip.

Still in disbelief. Whitney waited foolishly, yelling, “No! Please wait more… Simon Perlman said he’d pay the ransom.”

With a mocking laugh, the kidnapper dialed a number and barked, “Monica Valentine, your elder sister sure is a fool!”

Whitney froze.

Her sister’s mocking voice came through the phone. “You really believed that knight–in–shining–armor crap? Let me tell you the truth: I’m carrying Simon’s baby!”

Whitney’s face turned ashen. “When… When did you two get together?”

“Simon’s always loved me. He only used you to start his business! Now that he’s CEO, guess why you’re the one kidnapped?”

Chills crawled up Whitney’s arms as she shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. Put Simon on the phone!”

Then a man’s voice that came through was cold and remorseless. “Whitney, you’re no longer of any value to me. Take care on your ‘journey.”

Boom!

Whitney’s world collapsed into a pallor of despair.

Eight years of love, all just a ploy? He wanted her dead so he could take over the company!

Whitney’s tears fell down her cheeks.

Monica’s twisted laugh cut through. “He wanted to leave you a pretty corpse, but I’ll make sure you die ugly. Have your fun with her, then leave her to the wolves!”

“Monica, I treated you like my own sister. Why are you doing this? Mom and Dad won’t let you get away with

this!”

“Do you think Mom and Dad really loved you?” Monica sneered coldly.

Before

with sinister grins. Whitney trembled with fear, unwilling

fate.

pawn in Simon

not let

saw a car parked strangely with its door ajar on the dark

the back seat, his large silhouette vague, but the atmosphere was

tension.

captors and tumbled down the hill toward the car, desperately pleading, “Sir,

“Get lost.”

gaze half–closed, his breath heavy with

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kidnappers were

me, sir, please!” Whitney clung to his leg, crawling into the car and

the

opened wide, and the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, “You’re not

shook

you, since you’ve come,” the man’s voice was a dark, cold chuckle. “Don’t regret it.” In

to, the man was still asleep; dawn

picked up her clothes and fled

night, she lost something precious. With a wretched wipe of her eyes, Whitney did not dare linger. Ten

made it back to the

name, she endured hunger

clenched her fist. In ten days, she hadn’t seen a single piece of

loved her. Recalling the injustices of her childhood, Whitney bit

so she returned to confront

of the Valentine Mansion, Whitney entered with a cold gaze. Before she

until we find the body!” Her stepmother,

said, “Dad, if you’re worried about her haunting us, let’s arrange a ‘ghost marriage‘ for her!

a bit harsh?” That was her father, Preston Valentine, devoid of any paternal

the floor, her expressionless face stripped bare by the cold, and her fantasies of a

squeeze value out of her even in death, discussing using a

than dirt! Besides, we know what

she’s alive, I’ll make sure she doesn’t leave here today,” Preston’s voice was

over her company. Her grandfather’s legacy, her uncle… All will be

empty, and devils

to