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.

might badmouth Gunner, but she was

was mistaken, or maybe Gunner was

several options before

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

night? She thought he was off

at her lips, one she did not even notice, as she softly said,

still things to do. The breakthrough in her plagiarism case

had not rushed to confront Monica but had instead focused on dragging Stella into

פוד

the outcome was in the hands of

the Golden Hue Bar

Monica’s taunting

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

Whitney replied,

to find Stella, tonight

night, Whitney arrived at the Golden Hue

the entire bar for Monica’s celebration, and

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

was a known playboy, otherwise, the illegitimate son Simon would

the same mother as Troy, was determined to support her

clear of these

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

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

it,

Gunner?

Tiana’s fiancé!

lied; this scumbag was

Whitney marched over and yanked the curtain

off guard, paused their heated encounter and looked up in

when

flashed but turned into

as Tiana’s best friend, Gunner tried to push Stella

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

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

to slap