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.

help frowning. “Valerie, you and Elaine, could you possibly

look, “The Bartels of Emperor City are my kin, but Elaine is the legitimate heiress. I’m just from a side branch, not closely related. I was fostered with

Ashton was far more complicated than just an Elaine issue.

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

day, they claimed her mother and Ashton’s father had an affair, which Ashton’s mother, Matilda, discovered.

in a devastating crash. Valerie’s parents died, and

was left

Chapter 119

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, Nolan was hostile

was always with him,

parents, at least she still had

when Elaine from Emperor

day by the lake, young Valerie nearly lost her life saving a teenage Ashton, asking her distant sister. Blaine, to look

a young Ashton

hero who saved Ashton had become

warmth towards Valerie turned to disdain and misunderstanding. He

Nolan, who had always disliked her, became

with pain and bitterness, her slender fingers

on her phone. “Valerie, the Bartels heiress in

the saintly facade of Elaine. “I’d know her

Whitney exchanged a

to help?” “Exactly,” Valerie confirmed without a doubt. “He called Elaine

heart, an

who was the powerful force behind Yvonne! Although Whitney had

and Elaine had laid her plans far too early,

deceit suggested to Whitney that someone with clout bore a grudge against her, but she could not pinpoint who it might be. Now, as recent events came together in her mind, a chill ran down her spine.

seemed hell–bent on causing Whitney to miscarry. Clenching her fists tightly, Whitney braced herself

only did she try to steal Whitney’s husband,