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.

but she was still hopeful about their

mistaken, or maybe Gunner was

options before making her

was in high spirits, laughing. “Dear Whitney, your husband came home to sleep

L come home last night? She thought he was off chasing some

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

there were still things to do. The breakthrough in her plagiarism case hinged on Stella confessing she had given Whitney’s manuscript

Monica but had instead focused on dragging

פוד

evidence, the outcome was in the hands

be at the Golden Hue Bar tonight before leaving town for a

Monica’s taunting

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 family. Oh, and Simon’s

replied, dismissing

to find Stella, tonight was her only

Whitney arrived at the

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 integration into the Perlman’s

illegitimate son Simon

mother as Troy, was determined

steered clear of these

suite where young men were carousing. There was Troy, and Faith, stern–faced,

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

like it,

Gunner?

Tiana’s fiancé!

this scumbag was

rising, Whitney marched over and yanked the

paused their heated encounter

palpable when she

panic flashed but turned into a cold

friend, Gunner tried to push Stella

“Fancy seeing you

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

to