Love Beyond the Mask novel Chapter 83

Whitney blinked away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes, a wry smile etched across her tiny face. "Misunderstood? I was vomiting my guts out in the bathroom, and Simon was just there to hold my hair back. Even if he misunderstood, he should've checked on me at the very least, or how I was feeling, right?

Not only did he not help me, but he didn't even ask if I was hurt. Heck, he even called me cheap and said I was just fine. Tiana, my heart's turned to ice. He doesn't care about me at all. Maybe after I agreed to date him, he just lost interest..."

She could not help the bitter thoughts swirling in her head.

Tiana immediately interjected, "Don't think like that. L seems so polished and poised; it's not like him to lose control. Maybe something else ticked him off? You said he didn't help you?"

"Simon said he was the one who saved me. I was knocked out cold, and it was indeed Simon who helped me to the hospital from the police station."

Tiana mused, puzzled. "This case has ticked off Hunter. I know a bit about his temper. Could Simon really persuade them? Don't be too quick to give up on L,"

Whitney blinked, her heart heavy with sorrow. "Maybe I just don't understand him at all. When things are easy, he teases me, but when it gets tough, he just leaves me high and dry. Maybe that's just the nature of a mature man in the business world. And his sister, Elaine, always at his side, that's a little too cozy."

"Elaine? You've noticed something?"

Whitney's eyes narrowed, her voice chilling by an octave. "She’s a cunning chameleon, hard for even women to spot, let alone men. If they aren't blood-related, then this sister of his becomes a lot more interesting."

Tiana could hear the cold edge in Whitney’s voice, and her face set into a frown, "I almost believed she was kind-hearted and naive that day. You need to watch out for that woman."

Whitney felt despondent. What was there to watch out now? "After all that's happened, there might not even be a future," She said.

Tiana sighed, trying to rationalize, "You just started dating, and you don't really know each other. You both have strong personalities. At the end of the day, it's just a lack of trust. You resent him, and he's mad, that's all. Just cool off, and things will get better. Who knows, maybe he'll come around in a couple of days, anxious to apologize to you and the baby."

At that moment, Tiana's assistant brought over her laptop.

She quickly changed the subject. "Let's talk about tonight's mess. You really got into hot water. The Lutz family dropping their lawsuit is the least of it. If it hadn't been for that, you'd be looking at a serious business felony, enough to lock you up for a decade. Monica's truly malicious, ready to sacrifice Skye Gem.."

Whitney signaled her assistant to close the door, her voice a frigid whisper. "I've given it some thought, and this doesn't feel like Monica's handiwork. It's too grand. Since when does Monica have the clout to take on the Lutz family?"

Tiana jumped, startled. "Are you saying that the powerful man behind Yvonne and her daughter was the one who made the move?"

"At least it was his idea. Did you find anything?"

"Just about to tell you," Tiana opened her laptop. "After Yvonne had that blow-up with Preston, she spent the night with Kyler. Sure, he’s a big shot in Emperor City, but that's just in terms of wealth. You think he has the pull to sway international judges, buy design drafts for a high price, and play Hunter? I don't buy it."

Whitney frowned. "You didn't find any connection to someone bigger?"

"Nope. Emperor City's out of my reach. Too many big fish, too scary."

Whitney's brow furrowed. The person behind Yvonne was no small fry; Kyler was just a front. With the trail going cold, she said, "Now we can only wait for Valerie's report, see if she can dig up anything on the people behind the international judges."

...

The next day, the police visited the hospital for Whitney's statement. With the Lutz family's withdrawal, the business case could go either way. Skye Gem had suffered a blow to its reputation, but there was still a chance for damage control.

Whitney provided evidence implicating Monica, who had already planned her escape, pinning the purchase of fake gemstones on the procurement manager while only getting charged with lack of supervision. With the procurement manager's confession, the case was closed.

Whitney's expression was icy. Monica had slipped out of her grasp with the help of an expert.