Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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hapter 99
The sting at the core of her chest was impossible to suppress.
Elaine nudged the brawny arm of the man beside her, “Bro, look who’s here–Whitney!”
Ludwik’s face stiffened, his deep–set eyes quickly turning cold and eager as they swept over the diminutive figure approaching
them.
“JE IS
His gaze narrowed slightly, a flicker of astonishment passing through.
Whitney had not dressed up, simply wearing a black V–neck evening gown, no high heels, her hair soft and cascading down her
shoulders. She stood there like a fairy, her delicate features stunningly beautiful, her skin smooth and almost translucent. A
subtle pink blush adorned her cheeks, probably from her blusher.
Just standing there, she had already drawn the attention of numerous men.
Ludwik’s expression turned to ice. He had not seen her for days, and the image of her had thinned considerably.
Taryn mentioned she had not been eating well.
Seeing Ludwik transfixed, Elaine swallowed hard, her hand tightening into a fist.
“Bro, did Whitney come to see you? I’ll go check on her,” Elaine offered with a conspiratorial wink, suggesting she would help
him gauge Whitney’s mood.
Ludwik’s approval was evident in his satisfied nod.
Elaine quickly approached Whitney, concern lacing her voice as she said, “Whitney, you finally made it. I was starting to worry
about you and Bro. What’s going on?”
Whitney’s brows knitted in concern, but a hidden triumph gleamed in her eyes–she had not missed a thing.
Moving closer, Elaine continued, “Don’t worry, Bro’s been working these past few days with me. That night, he got drunk; it was
me who took care of him all night. No other woman took advantage of him!”

Elaine’s playful smile was sharp, her eyes gleaming.
Whitney could hardly miss the hostility. Elaine was finally dropping her harmless facade, her provocations becoming more overt.
Whitney glanced at the cold man in the distance. She would not be fooled. Elaine was trying to incite a fight.
Her eyes narrowed into a chilly smile as she said, “With you taking care of him, I’m quite at ease. After all, L himself told me I
needn’t be jealous of anyone, especially you. He sees you as a sister. Besides, you might look after him for a day, but I’m the
one who’ll be caring for him for a lifetime. We have endless moments of

affection to count.”
Elaine’s face tightened, but she maintained a placid smile. “That’s wonderful, Whitney. No misunderstanding, then. Bro’s over
there; shall I take you to him?”
Her offer seemed kind but was laced with insinuation–‘take her to him.‘ Whitney locked eyes with Elaine, a cold laugh bubbling
inside her. “Couples meet when they wish; no need to trouble you, Ms. Elaine.”
Elaine got the message loud and clear.
She walked away with a smile, her fists clenched. Whitney was proving challenging to provoke. If Whitney had just slapped her,
Ludwik would definitely give her hell tonight.
Nevertheless, Elaine had other plans. Returning to Ludwik, she urged with feigned concern, “Bro, Whitney seems upset,
unwilling to talk to me. Maybe you should go and charm her?”
At the suggestion, Ludwik’s gaze snapped to Whitney’s solitary figure. His face turned stormy, a cold laugh escaping him. “Am I
out of my mind? That kind of fickle woman is better off gone!”

Chapter 99
Pride and possessiveness burned fiercely in him, especially for someone of his standing with an ego so formidable.
He could not tolerate any hint of flirtation or deceit.
Elaine’s spirits lifted at his response, her eyes shifting to Hannah, signaling her with a glance.
Hannah immediately slipped into the crowd, intent on Ludwik, having also spotted Whitney. Elaine whispered slyly, “Hannah, I’m
only Big Bro’s date tonight to keep an eye out for you, but Whitney’s here, and his heart seems preoccupied with her. So, you
might want to...”
Hannah’s fists clenched. She had waited so long for an event Ludwik would attend, and now Whitney was in the way!
“Watch how I deal with her!” Hannah sneered, rallying her clique of socialites.
Elaine crossed her arms, watching the scene unfold. Whitney might not fall for her tricks, but Hannah was a loose cannon.
Whitney stood in a quiet corner, debating whether to approach L. Tiana had advised her not to play hard to get, and she was
ready to soften up.
Suddenly, someone shoved her from behind, spilling her drink onto the dress of a nearby socialite.
“Oh my goodness, who did this?” The woman turned sharply.
Whitney, struggling to regain her balance, stumbled into the socialite. “What’s your problem? Looking for trouble, I see. Oh,
you’re that disgraced Valentine heiress, aren’t you?” The woman’s displeasure was evident as she recognized Whitney.

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Whitney murmured an apology, “I’m sorry, someone pushed me.”
She turned to identify the culprit and, spotting Hannah, understood immediately. Her eyes darkened with realization.

“Ms. Valentine, are you trying to get Mrs. Wendt out of the way to cozy up to her husband?” Another socialite said. Whitney
recognized her – Scarlett, one of Hannah’s posse.
This was most certainly done on purpose.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wendt glared at Whitney, her husband’s attempts to calm her futile. Convinced of the rumors about
Whitney’s scandal, her jealousy was triggered by the beauty standing before her.
In a fit of rage, Mrs. Wendt shoved Whitney, “Ms. Valentine, still trying to seduce my husband? Oh, I’ve got plenty of stores under
my family’s name, and I’ve heard you’re back at Skye Gem. Trying to trade favors for contracts, how shameless! Who let such a
beaten socialite in here? Someone, get her out of here!”
Hannah could not contain her glee, stepping forward. “Ms. Valentine, it’s understandable you want to talk business, but it’s quite
indecent to eye someone else’s husband. You might as well leave and save yourself the embarrassment.”
Hannah had not forgotten how Whitney humiliated her in the club, and Ludwik’s protection of Whitney fueled her jealousy.
Whitney scoffed at their antics, alone and unabashed, her gaze instinctively seeking out L.
The man noticed the commotion at the party, but he was still chatting away with his buddy, cool as a
cucumber.
Whitney’s brows furrowed with hurt, and with a cold glance towards Hannah, she grabbed a couple of glasses of wine from a
passing waiter. Without wasting words, she doused Mrs. Wendt, Hannah, and Scarlett in succession, their elegant gowns now
soaked.
Silence fell upon the immediate vicinity, which was promptly broken by Hannah’s shrill scream, “Whitney! Have you lost your
mind? How dare you splash us like that!”
2/3
Chapter 99

Whitney cracked a smile, her eyes flashing with reckless danger. “Right, I’ve gone mad, haven’t you heard? Kidnapped and left
with a mental scar messed me up. I’m sharp in business but not so much in playing nice, especially when faced with
provocations from two–faced sirens. I meet one, and I fight one; if they come in twos, I’ll take them on together.”
With that, Whitney reached out and grabbed a handful of Hannah’s hair.
Hannah was stunned, her strapless gown restricting her movements, making her easy to topple.
Elaine watched the drama unfold from afar, her ears catching every word. Whitney’s takedown of Hannah seemed like a stern
warning to the rest.
Hannah was her pawn, and clearly, Whitney knew it. This was a slap to Elaine’s face, her lips pressing in a cold smirk.
But then she saw Mrs. Wendt and Scarlett jump into the fray, yanking at Whitney’s hair.
It looked like a brawl was about to break out when Whitney looked towards L with an icy stare. He turned
around...
Suddenly, a surge of strength emerged beside her, and Bryce’s refined hand pulled her to safety. “What in the world is going on
here? Ms. Valentine, are you alright?” Bryce asked with concern.
He immediately positioned her behind him, shielding her.