Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 45

What was with that jerk? Just leaving like that was bad enough, but to send food? And then to insult her with

She was fumina

With a forced smile, she said through gritted teeth, “Thanks for making the trip, Parker. But… has my friend Tiana left siready?”

“No idea,” he replied nonchalantly.

A bit embarrassed, Whitney asked, “She’s a girl on her own. Would you mind giving her a lift, Parker, if it’s not too much trouble?”

“No trouble,” Parker said almost too easily.

Before leaving, he paused at the door, his eyes behind the gold–rimmed glasses betraying a lazy indifference. He dropped a bombshell. Is Tiana’s fiancé Gunner Lutz, the one from the Lutz family?”

Whitney was taken aback, but Parker added with a hint of mischief before she could respond, “Ran into Gunner at the hotel last week playing with some celebrity.”

Being a man, the implications of ‘playing‘ were clear.

Whitney was shocked. Was Tiana’s fiancé cheating on her?

Parker had mentioned it casually, not really concerned with the lesser–known Tiana’s family, but the Lutz clan was among the top four wealthiest families. He had seen Gunner before–a notorious playboy.

The next day, Whitney received a Facebook message from Tiana telling her to ignore the news.

Whitney guessed that her reputation must be boiling over by now. No doubt Monica had bought a legion of trolls to drag her name through the mud.

This debacle was Monica’s golden ticket to fame and fortune.

To distract Whitney, Tiana sent over several pictures of engagement rings.

Bashfully, she said, “That bastard Gunner proposed to me. I didn’t want to say yes, but our parents are pushing it. Whitney, can you help me choose? Or better yet, design a rock so big it makes him really pay!”

Whitney suddenly remembered Parker’s reminder.

she was still hopeful

hoped Parker was mistaken, or maybe Gunner was just

considered several options before making

Natalie. Natalie was in high spirits, laughing. “Dear Whitney,

L come home last night?

she did not even notice, as she softly said, “I’ll come

to do. The breakthrough in her plagiarism case hinged

confront Monica but had instead focused on dragging Stella into

פוד

the outcome was

out Stella would be at the Golden Hue Bar tonight before leaving town for

Monica’s taunting call

talents today. She’s over your little games, you wretch. Once the prize is mine, it’ll be time for my engagement to the Perlman family. Oh, and Simon’s throwing a celebration for me tonight at

interested,” Whitney replied,

find Stella, tonight was her only

the cloak of night, Whitney arrived at the Golden

had booked out the entire bar for Monica’s celebration, and the Perlman family

daughter of the family, Falth Perlman. They were clearly there to pave the way for Monica’s

illegitimate son Simon would not have caught Wyatt’s eye, bolstered by

the same mother as Troy, was

these people, going straight for

private suite where young men were carousing. There was

in the corridor, behind which muffled voices could be heard, “Gunner,

like it,

Gunner?

Tiana’s fiancé!

had not lied; this scumbag was

rising, Whitney marched over and yanked the

guard, paused their heated encounter and

when she saw

turned into a

as Tiana’s best friend, Gunner tried

him, smirking provocatively at Whitney, “Fancy seeing you here. Who

of Tiana’s happiness earlier that day, sharing pictures of rings

to