Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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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.
Whitney could not help frowning. “Valerie, you and Elaine, could you possibly be...
Valerie turned her head, nodding with a distant 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 the Fullers in Banyan City as a child...”
So, Valerie’s entanglement with Ashton was far more complicated than just an Elaine issue.
Ashton and Nolan were half–brothers. When Valerie was a child, her parents did business in Banyan City and were close with
the Fullers.
Valerie remembered her mother as kind and gentle, but one day, they claimed her mother and Ashton’s father had an affair,

which Ashton’s mother, Matilda, discovered. Convinced of their guilt, Matilda dragged Valerie’s parents to a confrontation...
That fateful car ride also carried Valerie’s younger brother, and it ended in a devastating crash. Valerie’s parents died, and her
brother went missing.
Matilda was left crippled.
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Ashton’s father, feeling guilty, took Valerie from Emperor City to the Fullers to raise her.
Young Valerie 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 towards her.

Rumors spread that Ashton had a sister who was always with him, like a little shadow.
Valerie thought that although she had lost her parents, at least she still had Ashton’s warmth.
That all changed when Elaine from Emperor City entered the picture.
On that icy day by the lake, young Valerie nearly lost her life saving a teenage Ashton, asking her distant sister. Blaine, to look
after him while she changed clothes.
But when she returned, she found a young Ashton blushing with gratitude towards Elaine.
The hero who saved Ashton had become Elaine.
As Elaine visited Banyan City yearly, Ashton’s warmth towards Valerie turned to disdain and misunderstanding. He fell into love,
blind to the malice and hypocrisy of a true manipulator.
Meanwhile, Nolan, who had always disliked her, became unexpectedly kinder.
As these memories surged, Valerie’s face twisted with pain and bitterness, her slender fingers clenching the glass, a wry laugh
escaping her lips.
Whitney, piecing things together, quickly pulled up a photo on her phone. “Valerie, the Bartels heiress in Emperor City, Elaine, is
this her?”
Valerie glanced at the photo, recognizing the saintly facade of Elaine. “I’d know her even if she turned to ashes. Do you know her
too?”
Tiana and Whitney exchanged a look.

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Almost blurting out, Whitney questioned, “Is she also the person Ashton invited international judges to help?” “Exactly,” Valerie
confirmed without a doubt. “He called Elaine after landing, mentioning that favor. There’s no one else he’d go out of his way for
like that.”
A realization struck Whitney’s heart, an answer falling into place.
It was Elaine who revived Monica in the competition, Elaine who was the powerful force behind Yvonne! Although Whitney had
suspicions, Valerie’s confirmation solidified the truth, a sharp chill sweeping through her.
Supporting Monica was undoubtedly a move against her, and Elaine had laid her plans far too early, long before Whitney had

any clue.
Whitney had suspected something was off when Monica framed her, leading to her wrongful imprisonment over counterfeit
gems. The scale of the 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. Perhaps the inmates who
had attacked her in jail were not acting on Monica’s orders after all.
From the moment Elaine showed up, she seemed hell–bent on causing Whitney to miscarry. Clenching her fists tightly, Whitney
braced herself for the storm ahead.
Tiana was seething with rage. “I can’t believe this bitch! Not only did she try to steal Whitney’s husband, but is she also after
Ashton, Valerie?“/
Valerie let out a lazy, scornful laugh. “No, I’m the one who snatched Ashton away from her, and now I’m reaping what I’ve sown.
My sister has always been an expert at playing the innocent while plotting behind the scenes. She loves to
Chapter 119
take what’s not hers, and her malice is beyond your wildest imagination and tough to tackle. Isn’t my decade–long
misunderstanding with Ashton proof enough? She doesn’t even love him but relishes having a string of admirers. The only man
in her heart is someone else, but karma’s a bitch- he doesn’t give a damn about her!”
Valerie’s words were tinged with relish, and Whitney suddenly understood–Elaine’s true affection was reserved for L.
As anger and thoughts of revenge surged in her heart, Whitney’s face remained calm, but her eyes glinted with icy resolve.

Leaving such a woman near L was like waiting for a disaster. If Elaine was willing to go to such lengths to harm her and her
unborn child, Whitney was more than ready to return the favor.
It was time to strike back.
After parting ways with Valerie, Whitney set out to gather evidence. Monica was the obvious starting point, especially since she
was staying at the same hospital as L. How convenient.
A smirk played on Whitney’s lips as she checked the date–the submission deadline for the jewelry competition semifinals was
just around the corner.
The timing was perfect.
She instructed Tiana, “Spread some rumors about the competition online, push it to trending topics. Say there’s insider news that
the Imperial Gem Corporation still intends to disqualify Monica from the semifinals.” Tiana hesitated for a moment but quickly
caught on. “You have effectively neutralized Monica’s shares in Skye Gem. Elaine claims she’s supporting Monica and Yvonne,
but it’s more like she’s using her influence to suppress them. I bet those two are having a rough time and are desperate, hoping
Monica will win the semifinals with the piece Elaine provided. Announcing her disqualification now will make Monica lose her
cool.”
And that was precisely Whitney’s intent.
If Monica panicked, she would slip up.
Since L was staying at this hospital and Elaine could not seem to stay away in her attempts to get close to him, Whitney’s plan
solidified. She had Tiana plant extra cameras at strategic points throughout the hospital.
Once the rumors hit the trending charts, Monica indeed became frantic.
Whitney timed her move perfectly, heading to Monica’s hospital room just as Elaine was due to arrive with some documents..