Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1312

"The Fuller family and Nolan will take care of the kid's illness," Whitney assured. "You need to relax and focus on yourself for a few days. Joy is still so little-she really needs her mom right now."

"We just went upstairs to check on her," Tiana added gently.

Valerie's eyes, previously unfocused with exhaustion, sharpened with worry at the mention of her daughter. "Joy... How was she this morning? Did she cry at all?"

Tiana rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Of course she cried, Valerie. She misses her mom. That's why you need to put yourself back together for her sake."

"She's all I care about. My only reason to hold on," Valerie murmured, almost to herself.

Tiana shot Whitney a worried glance.

They stayed with Valerie for a long while, but she barely spoke after that, her silence heavy and unsettling.

"Valerie seems half here and half somewhere else... What really happened at the dam? I want to get Ashton to

her head. "Actually, Ashton saved Valerie

Ashton did that?" Tiana

when they're staring death in the face," Whitney said, glancing out the window at the bright, cloudless sky. "Valerie's been through years of torment because of Ashton, and her feud with Elaine

Elaine's gone, Valerie needs

into a depression," Tiana sighed. "We should give her

her time. Joy is the best medicine for her right now. And if Ashton knows what's good for him, he'll be paying

of her personally. Who knows,

ridiculous. Honestly, you're the real ray of sunshine around here. Maybe you should look after Valerie-maybe you'd annoy her back

Tiana laughed and gave Whitney a

trip to Banyan City had gone well

hand, she had witnessed Elaine's dramatic demise,

that toxic chapter, maybe things would