Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Inside the dimly lit bar, Tiana had drowned herself in alcohol to the point of staggering inebriation. Her mood hadn’t been sour at first.

But after two phone calls both ended in arguments, it was clear that Gunner was on the other line.

Clinging to her friend, Tiana vented, “That jerk! He’s asked for my hand in marriage, and yet he says he’s in Grace City closing deals when I ask him to pick me up. He’s paying less and less attention to me. Is he really that busy?”

Whitney flicked through her phone to catch up on Stella’s latest news.

Turns out, Stella was filming in Grace City. What kind of ‘deals‘ would he be closing at this hour? Whitney’s face hardened as she looked at Tiana’s dejected expression. Her heart was aching with a mix of pity for Tiana and loathing for that unfaithful pair.

But how to bring it up? How could she minimize the damage for Tiana?

“Whitney, let’s go get a room and have some fun!” Tiana hollered, clearly gone off the deep end. Whitney steadied her.

The bar was a scene of drunken collapses, but there was one sober college guy called Cooper that Whitney barely knew. He mentioned he had returned from studying abroad and ran a diamond import business. Whitney’s eyes gleamed – they were in the same line of work. Skye Gem Ltd. covered everything from jewelry design to production.

“Whitney, perhaps we’ll cooperate in business someday,” Cooper said, handing her his business card with an impressed look.

Whitney took the card with a smile, struggling to support Tiana. Cooper offered a hand to help.

Suddenly, an icy pressure descended upon them.

“Oh, getting a room? Planning a threesome?” came a familiar, mocking voice tinged with chill.

Whitney’s head snapped up to see her husband, shock written across her face.

Then it hit her – what did he just imply with that comment? Feeling awkward when she glanced at Cooper, she asked with a semblance of calm, “What are you doing here?”

–

Oh, the tone of her voice as if he didn’t have the right to show up?

Ludwik’s aura turned even colder.

presence. He offered a nervous

Whitney said in a low voice, too quick to let

do you need to

immediately clammed up, though she felt her analogy wasn’t

to the college guy, “It’s getting late, maybe you

tension, Cooper excused himself

fell into an

threesome? I’m totally down for

her friend would

12:00

turk, who coldly sidestepped her and let her

around her waist. His gaze

“How would

he murmured, his eyes hinting

he so proud of? She

passed out on

and at a loss, Whitney looked to Ludwik and muttered reluctantly,

a laborer to you?” he

Whitney batted her eyes, tugging at his shirt in gentle touch, her

knew how to

his eyes, Ludwik loosened his

picking up the drunken Tiana, Ludwik held

upstairs. Tiana kept saying she wanted to sleep,” Whitney said,

of trash. It irritated Whitney, who complained to the assistant, “is your boss always this fastidious? Would

‘Sir generally doesn’t like women

added with a smile, “Except for you, young mistress. I believe sir quite enjoys

not to hear. Her cheeks warmed at the thought, but dismissed it at once. Her husband’s interest was surely

bed. Whitney covered her with a blanket and fetched a damp cloth to

That’s for cleaning her

get her another? Am I less important than her?” his dissatisfaction was

thought indignantly. Her gaze lingered on his long flawless hands.