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.

Gunner, but she was still hopeful about their

or maybe

before making her choice

laughing. “Dear Whitney, your husband came home to sleep last night. When

last night? She thought

smile tugged at her lips, one she did not even notice, as she softly said, “I’ll come home after I finish

to do. The breakthrough in her plagiarism case hinged

why Whitney had not rushed to confront Monica but had instead focused

פוד

evidence, the outcome was in the hands of

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

Monica’s taunting

top prize. The media are all over me. Phebe praised my 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

Whitney replied,

find Stella,

of night, Whitney arrived at the Golden Hue

the entire bar for Monica’s celebration, and the Perlman family was well

Perlman. They were

a known playboy, otherwise, the illegitimate son Simon would not have caught Wyatt’s eye, bolstered

of the same mother as Troy, was determined to

these people, going

where young men were carousing. There was Troy,

the corridor, behind which

you like it, you

Gunner?

Tiana’s fiancé!

not lied; this scumbag was

rising, Whitney marched over and yanked

couple inside, caught off guard, paused

palpable when she saw the

turned into a

her as Tiana’s best friend, Gunner tried

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

earlier that day, sharing pictures of rings for her to choose

was itching to slap