Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 119

Valene’s lips twisted into a wry smile, her gaze icy, “Nolan, who do you think Ashton is with right now? Isn’t it obvious?”

Nolan and Parker’s expressions darkened.

Whitney, ever perceptive, caught on that Ashton, Valerie’s husband, might be keeping company with another woman at this very moment..

And this woman might be someone Nolan and Parker both knew.

Was Valerie’s marriage unhappy?

Whitney pressed her lips slightly.

Furious, Nolan blurted out, “That bastard Ashton, I’ll take you to him.”

Valerie shook her head with a dark chuckle. “Forget it. I’m not in the mood to walk in on a steamy scene. That woman can turn it around on me even if I’m not involved. After all these years, if I can’t confront her, I can at least avoid her

Whitney’s head snapped towards Valerie.

Parker stood up, forcefully pulling Nolan with him. “Stop meddling in women’s affairs. It’s about time we brothers caught up.”

As Nolan left, his piercing gaze lingered on Valerie’s delicate face.

The three women sat down, and Tiana’s gossip–loving soul took over, staring at Valerie, “Valerie, I’ve noticed Nolan seems pretty concerned about you. Nolan and Ashton are brothers, right… Oh my God, I just remembered When I first met you, you said you had just moved out of the Fuller Mansion. You lived there for a decade, right? Jesus, the day you told me your husband was Ashton, it did not click in my dumb head. I was so surprised, but thinking about it now, you and Ashton, it was meant to be.”

Tiana’s eyes widened in shock, and so did Whitney’s. Valerie had such a connection with one of the top families, the Fullers?

Whitney knew Valerie even later than Tiana and was unfamiliar with her family background.

Suddenly, Whitney remembered something. Did Valerie just mention ‘Elaine?

A revelation hit her like a lightning bolt. The surname “Bartels‘ was not uncommon, but it had never occurred to her that Valerie and Elaine could share it.

could not help frowning. “Valerie, you and Elaine, could you possibly be…

heiress. I’m just from a

Valerie’s entanglement with Ashton was far more

and Nolan were half–brothers. When Valerie was a child, her parents did business in Banyan City and were close with the Fullers.

and Ashton’s father had an affair, which Ashton’s mother, Matilda, discovered. Convinced of their guilt, Matilda dragged

ended in

was left crippled.

Chapter 119

feeling guilty, took Valerie from Emperor City to the Fullers to

understood nothing, and Ashton back then was not the cold–hearted man he was now. He knew Valerie was innocent, so he pampered her as a sister, In contrast,

who was always with him, like a little

lost her parents,

Elaine from Emperor

life saving a teenage Ashton, asking her distant sister. Blaine,

young Ashton blushing with gratitude

saved Ashton had become Elaine.

City yearly, Ashton’s warmth towards Valerie turned to disdain and misunderstanding.

always disliked her, became unexpectedly kinder.

memories surged, Valerie’s face twisted with pain and bitterness, her slender fingers clenching the glass, a wry laugh

piecing things together, quickly pulled up a photo on her phone. “Valerie, the Bartels heiress in Emperor City, Elaine, is this

“I’d know her even if she turned to ashes. Do you know

and Whitney exchanged a

Valerie confirmed without a doubt. “He called Elaine after landing, mentioning that favor. There’s no one else he’d

realization struck Whitney’s heart, an answer

powerful force behind Yvonne! Although Whitney had suspicions, Valerie’s confirmation solidified

against her, and Elaine had laid her plans far too

framed her, leading to her wrongful imprisonment over counterfeit gems. The scale of the deceit suggested to Whitney that someone with clout bore a grudge against her, but she could not pinpoint who

hell–bent on causing Whitney to miscarry. Clenching her

did she try to steal Whitney’s husband, but is she also after Ashton, Valerie?“/