Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 83

Whitney blinked away the tears the

Mad gathered in the corners of her eyes, a wry smile etched across her tiny face Misunderstood? I was vorniting my guts out in the bathroom, and Simon was just there to hold my hair back. Even if he misunderstood, he should’ve checked on me at the very least, or how I was feeling, right?

Not only did he not help me, but he didn’t even ask if I was hurt. Heck, he even called me cheap and said I was just fine. Tiana, my heart’s turned to ice. He doesn’t care about me at all. Maybe after I agreed to date him, he just lost interest…”

She could not help the bitter thoughts swirling in her head.

Tiana immediately interjected, “Don’t think like that. L seems so polished and poised; it’s not like him to lose control. Maybe something else ticked him off? You said he didn’t help you?”

“Simon said he was the one who saved me. I was knocked out cold, and it was indeed Simon who helped me to the hospital from the police station.”

Tiana mused, puzzled. “This case has ticked off Hunter. I know a bit about his temper. Could Simon really persuade them? Don’t be too quick to give up on L,”

Whitney blinked, her heart heavy with sorrow. “Maybe I just don’t understand him at all. When things are easy, he teases me, but when it gets tough, he just leaves me high and dry. Maybe that’s just the nature of a mature man in the business world. And his sister, Elaine, always at his side, that’s a little too cozy.”

“Elaine? You’ve noticed something?”

Whitney’s eyes narrowed, her voice chilling by an octave. “She’s a cunning chameleon, hard for even women to spot, let alone men. If they aren’t blood–related, then this sister of his becomes a lot more interesting.”

Tiana could hear the cold edge in Whitney’s voice, and her face set into a frown, “I almost believed she was kind–hearted and naive that day. You need to watch out for that woman.”

Whitney felt despondent. What was there to watch out now? “After all that’s happened, there might not even be a future,” She said.

Tiana sighed, trying to rationalize, “You just started dating, and you don’t really know each other. You both have strong personalities. At the end of the day, it’s just a lack of trust. You resent him, and he’s mad, that’s all. Just cool off, and things will get better. Who knows, maybe he’ll come around in a couple of days, anxious to apologize to you and the baby.”

At that moment, Tjana’s assistant brought over her laptop.

You really got into hot water. The Lutz family dropping their lawsuit is the least of it. If it

ཛྭ ཧུདྷནཾ

her assistant to close the door, her voice a frigid whisper. “I’ve given it some thought, and this doesn’t feel like Monica’s

“Are you saying that the powerful man behind

was his idea. Did

to tell you,” Tiana opened her laptop. “After Yvonne had that blow–up with Preston, she spent the night with Kyler. Sure, he’s a big shot in Emperor City, but that’s just in terms of wealth. You think he has the pull to sway international judges,

“You didn’t find any connection

of my reach. Too many big fish, too

the trail) going cold, she said, “Now we can

business case could go either way. Skye Gem had

had already planned her escape, pinning the purchase of fake gemstones on the procurement manager while only

out of her grasp with the help of

a miscarriage in the holding cell, Whitney was determined

Tiana’s prediction

not even a glimpse

took good care of her,

Whitney hid in the bathroom to apply it to her skin. The bruising was

reputation hanging by a thread, Whitney knew she had to make amends first with Claire. Offending one of the

more days of recovery, Whitney gathered a few high–ranking executives

waited from morning until evening until the hospital finally opened its

hurried into the luxurious ward, and her smile strained as she turned to the venerable matriarch, “Claire, I’m so terribly sorry. I’m Whitney, the general manager of

mere trouble? My husband gifted me a diamond the size of a pigeon’s egg, and it turned out to be a fake! Do you have any idea how many dignitaries laughed at me? A mere diamond. I appreciated your

velvet boxes they were holding. She said, “This is entirely Skye Gem’s fault. Madam, these pieces are my designs, limited editions,

you think my family’s honor can

a loss, unable to gauge Claire’s

voice called out,

head, her face softening into a smile, “Bryce,

to see a tall figure approaching, a man in the prime of life with strikingly