Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

"Mr. Nelson went too far. He had Whitney kidnap me and locked me in a storage room. Then a few drunk guys barged in and-they-oh God, just thinking about last night's nightmare makes my whole body ache.

How could Mr. Nelson do this to me?

He's been seduced by Sandy—he's lost all sense of decency.

He could've just called off the engagement, but this? They didn't have to ruin my life just to cover up their own mess!

Grandma, Sandy is vicious. She set me up like this-you have to stand up for me. Please, I'm begging you. I can't take this kind of humiliation anymore!"

Sienna broke down, sobbing so hard her voice was raw, collapsing at the head of the bed. Blood spotted her lips.

Gary and Mrs. Nelson went pale at the sight.

"Sienna, honey, calm down..."

"Housekeeper! Go fetch Shane, that damned kid! Bring him here now!" Gary barked.

the old family maid, helped Sienna sit up, sighing in sympathy. "Mr. Nelson has gone way too far, Miss Sienna. You didn't hear? The

on you last night—he was

gossip?" Sienna looked up, dazed, as if she

just as stunned, grabbing the maid's arm. "I'm just an old woman, I don't follow the

nodded fervently. "I swear, I saw the photos myself-Shane was

Sandy's been a snake since she moved in-always scheming, always dreaming of marrying up. I've been too soft on her, and now look at

to Mrs. Nelson with desperate, pleading eyes. "Mr.

by Sandy

place. He's even willing to ruin the Nelson family's reputation with a scandal just to force you and Uncle Gary to

my innocence mean

should I be treated like

to stand up for

poor child, what have you done to deserve this?" Emma turned sharply to Mrs. Nelson. "This is your Shane's

do whatever you

women's voices rose and

Nelson and Gary