Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 112

“Yep!” Tiana watched Whitney quickly regain her composure, returning to the familiar friend she knew and loved. “You think Elaine put Hannah up to framing you at the party? Let’s dig up some proof.”

“There’s more to it,” Whitney mused, sensing that Elaine’s preparedness meant her hostility ran deeper than it seemed. She was certain Elaine had designs on L, a possessive desire to steal him away.

“Oh, right, let me just butt in for a second.” Tiana, beaming, booted up her laptop. “Haven’t you been waiting for Valerie’s investigation? About how Monica got propped up by foreign Judges, and who’s the bigwig backing her? Valerie got in touch with me today. Just hang on…”

Tiana immediately connected with Valerie, who was halfway across the world.

Whitney frowned slightly, a thought from Tiana earlier that morning echoing in her head, “You’ve been like a trouble magnet lately!“.

Monica’s miraculous comeback in the competition, followed by the scheme framing her for buying fake gemstones and landing her in jail, seemed unrelated to her recent entanglements with L

But were they truly unrelated?

A bold idea sprouted in Whitney’s mind–if the person behind Monica was…

At that moment, the call connected, and Valerie’s voice came through. She was the epitome of sophistication, and even after a long absence, there was no excitement in her greeting, just a slight smile and pressed lips. “Whitney, long time no see.”

Among the three, Tiana was bubbly, Whitney mischievous, but Valerie was always the grounded one, like a glass of clear water with a few floating leaves–understated at first glance but with a lingering, mellow taste. If Whitney’s edge lay beneath the surface, Valerie’s was right out in the open.

Among the three of them, Valerie contacted the least, having been abroad for studies and only briefly reuniting with them when she returned home.

But that was how their friendship was–Stella, despite being in constant touch, turned out to be nothing more than a fair–weather friend.

“How’s the investigation into the judges going, Valerie?” Tiana asked eagerly.

“There was definitely someone pulling strings to get those foreign judges to boost Monica, Valerie said, taking a sip of water. A hint of amusement crossed her face.

find out who it was?” Whitney pressed, certain that this person was either Monica’s backer or

eyes, and she gave a thin smile. “It’s

“What?”

married?” Whitney and Tiana

lean face. “Sorry, it’s hardly what you’d call a marriage. I did not see

isn’t he the man you’ve always loved?” Despite Valerie’s private nature, Whitney remembered bits and pieces. “When did you

“A year ago.”

abroad? That’s not cool. But Ashton–he’s the

male hand appeared on Valerie’s screen before they

pulled Valerie up, and the laptop fell to the

Was that handsome hand Ashton’s, Banyan City’s second–most handsome man

stared at the black

the ocean, in the middle of the night, Valerie was lifted effortlessly. She was slender, with

bloodshot with drink. He was tall and Imposing, with sharp features and a cropped haircut that accented

onto the bed without a hint of

her fiercely, murmuring another woman’s

which had been distant, suddenly froze with pain, a pain that felt like a knife twisting in her

of the torment, she grabbed his sturdy neck, her face cold with rage. “Open your eyes, Ashton! I’m not her, not your first love. If you’re drunk, go find a hooker

deep loathing as he saw

a honeymoon, I ignore you, so you start digging into that judge’s affair, trying to get my attention

cut through her like a cold

as cold as her radiant, forced smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

I would’ve married you under duress? You’re just like your mother, all high

she had gone from a foolish hope that he might fall in love with her to

had manipulated the situation, forcing him away from his first love. No, that was not true. Valerie scoffed bitterly, enduring the pain

like I stole your love. Her heart was never with you; she was sweet on another man, and oh, that man happens to be your best friend. In the end, you’re just a pitiable

sharp slap across her face silenced