Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 49

"There's gotta be a reason for it!" Tiana rubbed her hands vigorously, her eyes alight with excitement. "Whitney, this sham marriage of yours is just too wild. I can't even begin to guess who he'll turn out to be when the mask comes off, or if you'll do a double-take in shock. But I've gotta say, L's move today was bold—I dig it. He fired his secretary without a second thought just to clear the air with you! I bet he'd spoil you rotten if there's real affection between you two."

Whitney felt her cheeks burn, and her heartbeat quickened at the thought of real affection with him.

"What are you on about, Tiana? That's just crazy talk. Him and me? We're worlds apart." Plus, she was not about to open her heart again just to get hurt.

Tiana knew Whitney's sore spots and changed the subject. "Let's talk about that jewelry competition. Have you asked L for help?"

"I haven't, and he hasn't offered."

Tiana's voice took on a sharp edge. "He knows you've been wronged, and yet he doesn't offer to grease some palms for you? What a jerk!"

Whitney defended him, albeit weakly, "I told him I wanted to keep things professional. Do you really think a guy like him would be so shameless as to offer help after I said something like that? I'm better off relying on myself."

Despite saying this to Tiana, Whitney's heart held different thoughts.

In the following days, L was rarely home and never brought up the sabotage during the preliminary round, nor did he offer any assistance.

Whitney could not help feeling a twinge of disappointment.

As the day of the preliminary awards ceremony drew near, the online vitriol against Whitney grew more frenzied, with many digging up her supposed sordid past—fabrications spun by Monica.

The internet trolls launched a vicious campaign against her, making her infamous throughout Banyan City as a plagiarist.

...

On the Monday of the awards ceremony, Whitney arrived at the Imperial Gem Corporation exhibition hall to a crowd of angry netizens who had camped out waiting for her. The moment she stepped out of the car, she was met with jeers and nearly pelted with eggs.

Thankfully, her driver and Tiana shielded her, sneaking Whitney safely into the awards hall.

"The die is cast, and that witch Monica has won. What are you even doing here?" Tiana's face was a picture of misery.

Whitney pulled out a voice recorder from her bag and played it.

Tiana listened, astonished. "You're a genius, Whitney! Exposing Stella at the Royal One Club wasn't enough; you even thought of recording it?"

Whitney frowned. "I just wish I'd thought of it sooner to start recording right after the competition when Monica first spoke to me."

"This is Monica's indirect confession! If we could just get it to the judges..."

Whitney was not optimistic. "Aaron's definitely in their pocket. I doubt we can get it to them. And this evidence will only cause a small ripple." She had Stella's testimony but could not risk Tiana getting hurt over Stella's leverage with Gunner.

Tiana understood. "A small ripple is enough to nauseate Monica, and that's why we're here! Even if we can't turn the tide, we've got to shake them up!"

Whitney nodded bleakly. "I plan to approach Aaron as soon as he arrives and beg for a chance to prove myself by sketching on the spot."

Tiana's eyes lit up. "That's the perfect way to showcase your talent!"

"What perfect way? Sis, you're here for the awards ceremony, too?" A familiar, mocking voice intruded.

Whitney turned to see Monica striding down the red carpet, flanked by a posse. To Whitney's dismay, Phebe was in attendance.

Phebe was schmoozing with Aaron, who lavished Monica with compliments. To Phebe, the more praise Monica received from the press as a "genius designer," the more she shone in her eyes.

Monica's face showed none of the defeat from that night at the Golden Hue Bar—she was the picture of triumph.