Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 653

Hugh felt as if Whitney's words had stripped him bare, exposing his true self. His teeth chattered, his volatile temper no longer containable as he sneered venomously, "You wretch, do you have any proof of your accusations? I've always held my brother in the highest esteem, how dare you slander me with just a few sentences?

A faked paternity test, that's all it is. Dad, don't believe her. You've seen her manipulations. She wants to see the Sheldon family fall apart, to destabilize the company!

As far as I know, she's never even come close to Florence. How could she possibly get her hands on Florence's hair for this test?"

Florence, tears streaming down her face, stood up, "Grandma, Grandpa, she never got my hair, yet she presents this test to smear my name. I demand my innocence be restored!"

Emma, who had always been fond of her, though doubtful, said softly, "Florence..."

Whitney, with a cold glare, scoffed, "I never got your hair? Think hard, Florence... We met two months ago.

I had everything prepared much earlier than you think."

Two months back? Florence's mind raced. Damn it, that was the only time she met Whitney, threatening her to marry Bryce Lutz.

That wretch, she had taken her hair then, without her noticing!

"As for the paternity test, that's easy to solve! The truth can't be faked, and since you deny the father-daughter relationship, why don't we just take your hair now and have Grandpa send it for a test, shall we?"

Whitney crossed her arms, her gaze challenging Hugh as if to say: Did you really think I'd invite Florence here for no reason?

Not just Florence, even Hugh went pale at that.

Jared, his emotions a whirlwind of fury teetering on the edge of collapse, demanded, "Hugh, I want you to tell me, to my face, that you have not had an affair with Holly, and that Florence is not your child. Otherwise, I'm taking hair from both of you right now to clear your brother's name!" Hugh panicked, "Dad..."

"Holly, you know the truth better than anyone. Tell me, whose daughter is Florence, Hudson's or Hugh's?"

Jared was livid, feeling played by this woman, seeing his family manipulated.

glared at Whitney, wishing her gaze could be lethal. Yet, her only move now was to shield Florence, preventing anyone from

onto the table, exclaimed, "This is outrageous! Holly,

me... were you led astray by this

nothing of the sort! Mom, Dad, my brother's death was an accident, wasn't

the Sheldon Group's inheritance. Don't let her fool you

then, Cody burst in, pointing at Hugh with a stern

and Holly are linked to the chairman's

from the cemetery and he called me, intending to transfer all his shares

as the agreement was being prepared for his signature upon his return, he

this, cruelly sought to

that your so-called evidence?

I'm framing you, you'll see after

and behind him, several former shareholders whom

spread them out, "The so-called resolution of Hugh's shooting incident... the perpetrator found wasn't

getting her brother, Hank Walker,

I've traced the connections!

relationship with Holly, if you need more concrete proof,

Rufus, after Hugh fired you and you confronted

several photos onto the table with disdain, "The day after Hugh fired me, I went to his villa, hoping for justice, only

daughter, we need to silence Hudson

Rufus to be a man

ashen, fought back, "Mr. Rufus, firing you was procedural. To think you'd fabricate

at death's door, you're still

but adulterers. I feel so

weren't for Whitney reaching out with the evidence, waiting for the right

indignantly, then turned to Jared,

sake, murdered his own brother, an unforgivable act, and had a child with