Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 7

Whitney's heart throbbed as she sent Simon's third text to Monica without alteration.

Barely two seconds later, Monica's call came blasting in, her voice thunderous with fury, "You little tramp, I'm warning you to stay away from my brother-in-law! I'm carrying the Perlman family's heir, and you're already out of the picture!"

"So, you know he's your brother-in-law? Shut it, will ya? Don't yip at me like some rabid dog. Keep it up, and I might just charm Simon enough to leave you weeping through a sorrowful miscarriage."

The Perlman family heir? The thought of Monica, pregnant with Simon's child, hurt Whitney more than the elaborate kidnapping she had staged.

"You!"

With an icy glance, Whitney ended the call before Monica could say more.

Pulling up to the villa, she realized the car had been at a standstill for minutes.

A chilling silence filled the vehicle.

As Whitney unbuckled her seat belt, she noticed the man's deep eyes fixed on her trembling hands, struggling with the clasp.

He leaned over, his assistance accompanied by a stark warning. "Don't mention other men in front of me!"

“What’s this? Some kind of possessive quirk?" She thought silently.

In this transactional marriage, he sure demanded a lot.

On the surface, Whitney feigned submission, nodding. "Understood."

But then, his hand lifted her chin.

She looked up too quickly, and before she knew it, their lips met in an unexpected kiss.

His cool lips carried a faint hint of tobacco, sensual yet gentle.

Stunned, Whitney's mind blanked! It took her a moment to react, realizing he was deepening the kiss.

Her cheeks flared crimson as she pushed him away, "Sir? What are you doing!"

Anger simmered beneath her touch, covering her lips, her face pale with shock.

Her reaction was akin to a kitten puffing up, adorably awkward.

He paused, his gaze softening slightly as he licked his lips and asked, "First kiss?"

Speechless, Whitney almost wished to die.

As the city's top socialite, conservative to the core, she had hoped to save her first kiss for her wedding night. Perhaps that was why Simon had hastened to Monica's bed.

"Hm?" The man’s voice dropped lower as he leaned in close.

She felt like a cooked shrimp, trying to wriggle out from his strong embrace as he softly but seriously said, "My apologies. Shall I let you...kiss me back?"

Staring into his deep eyes, Whitney could not discern any hint of mockery.

But she sensed the change in his demeanor. Was he...pleased?

"Please conduct yourself with dignity, Sir!" She stormed out of the car, her annoyance shadowing her as she slipped into the villa.

During dinner, Whitney did not catch a glimpse of him.

Natalie pouted towards the upper floor, saying, "He locked himself in his study as soon as he got back, not even spending time with his new bride. Such a stiff and boring man. Let's eat, Whitney, and nourish the little treasure!"

"It seems like the mother and son don't exactly see eye to eye," Whitney thought.

"Aren't you unfamiliar with the place? Why don't you have one of the servants show you around after dinner?"

Whitney's eyes sparkled. "That sounds wonderful, Mother."

After dinner, she discovered the vastness of the estate—multiple detached houses, a pool, a tennis court—it was like a discreet manor!

Curious, she glanced at Xandra and asked, "Xandra, I've been married to your boss, and I don't even know his name. Can you tell me his full name?"

"Madam, I've been here half a year as a servant, and all I know is that the master's last name begins with L. We don't dare to ask more," Xandra replied honestly.

L again? It seemed like even the servants were kept in the dark.

Frowning, Whitney headed back. She would not get anything out of him if he wanted to hide his identity. Time to investigate herself!

Then, Natalie approached with a coffee, all smiles, "Back from your walk, Whitney? Dear, your husband's working hard. Why don't you take him this coffee, hmm?"

Natalie's eyes practically spelled 'matchmaker.'

Unaware of the faux marriage, Whitney played along with the charade, an important part of the agreement.

She could not help but resist, "Sir, we're only pretending. Besides, I was hoping to discuss something with you. I heard from the servant that Mother stays in a separate building on the estate. Apart from the times she visits and we must play the loving couple, can I stay away from home?"

"What do you think?"

Whitney could not withstand the intimidating aura that enveloped him.

"Some things might just be true," he said, his voice deep and suggestive, though his features remained stern and unyielding. "It seems like you don't have much of a choice in the matter!"

Whitney bit her lip in frustration, acutely aware of the tight spot she was in, not daring to resist too much. But she consoled herself with the thought that she still had three months – plenty of time to get her revenge and then kick him to the curb.

“Hmph.”

Returning to her room with a feeling of suffocation, Whitney saw that Tiana had bombarded her with calls.

She dialed back, and the concern was evident in Tiana's voice as soon as she picked up. "You finally answered, Whitney."

"I'm back. Got away from the Valentine family in one piece."

Tiana scoffed, "What did they try to pull on you this time?"

"Childish tricks, nothing sophisticated." Whitney recounted the events, explaining how she had suspected the soup and discreetly swallowed an antidote pill she had stashed away in her kit, one that neutralized the poison without harming the unborn child.

Tiana clapped her hands in approval. "Thank goodness your mother left you all those medicine recipes!"

Whitney had learned her medical skills from her mother and never understood why she was taught in secret. Now, with a pang of sadness, she thought that perhaps her mother had foreseen the need for such knowledge.

"It's not that impressive."

"Not impressive? Your acupuncture cured my irritable bowel syndrome, and I remember you once saved a man's life."

Whitney smiled at the memory. Indeed, she had saved a man's life once. It happened the year she was competing for a client against a rival company. On a business trip to a neighboring state, she encountered a man in the throes of a sleepwalking episode. She had administered acupuncture out of kindness – that was her first time treating a stranger.

Tiana brought her back to the present by saying, "Hey, I mainly wanted to ask about your mystery husband!"

Whitney thought of his impertinent demand earlier and felt a flush of annoyance. "I didn't find out much tonight, only that his last name starts with L."

"How big?"

Whitney was about to say she did not know his age when she suddenly caught on to Tiana's insinuation and snapped. "Tiana!"