Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

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Chapter 133
Whitney glanced at him and chose a chair to sit down. “Castor, like you said, ‘used to‘. Are you just helping everyone to
remember that Elaine has already left the company?”
“You...” Castor’s face darkened, and then he added, “This booth is full, Whitney. Perhaps you should find another spot.”
Whitney looked up nonchalantly. “Since you claim it’s a booth reserved for the VP, and you’re not on that level, maybe you
should find another seat.”
Castor glared at Whitney, his face turning a shade of steel, and with a huff, he beckoned his entourage to another booth.
Whitney’s eyes swept over the remaining executives, noting who was in Castor’s inner circle.
In the next booth over, Castor’s secretary fumed. “Word on the street is Whitney’s the mistress who climbed to the top. She
elbowed Elaine out, and now she’s trying to overshadow Castor.”
Another employee, out of the loop, asked, “Mistress who climbed to the top?”
That was when Castor’s secretary filled them in. “Haven’t you heard about the scandal a few days ago? Elaine had been
engaged to the CEO for years, and Whitney just waltzed in and took her spot. Now she’s even trying to snatch Elaine’s job.”
“That’s outrageous.”
“Her? Trying to be the VP? She doesn’t have half of Elaine’s talent.”
As the employees started gossiping, Castor smirked from the sidelines.
The soundproofing between the booths was poor, and Whitney could hear every word from the other side.
Feeling awkward, her assistant, Harper, suggested, “Ms. Whitney, maybe we should go give them a piece of our mind?”
Whitney clenched her fists, coldly pocketed her voice recorder, and shook her head. “Patience, Harper.”
She ordered two light dishes.
But after waiting for half an hour, the food still had not arrived.

Harper went to inquire and came back fuming. “The restaurant manager said there was a mix–up–they served our food to
Castor’s booth.”
Whitney narrowed her eyes. “Such a precise mistake?”
“I bet Castor’s got the restaurant manager in his pocket, trying to make you look bad. With the CEO away, they’re...”
Whitney stood up and said coolly, “No matter, we can just order delivery.”
Back at her office, Whitney pored over Castor’s files and called Tiana, “Hey Tiana, could you dig up some dirt for me?”
That entire afternoon, not a single executive reported to Whitney.
Her office was eerily quiet, a clear sign that she was being sidelined, with no way to take on any work.
Harper was anxious, thinking, “What if the CEO asks about this tomorrow? Ms. Whitney hasn’t been able to integrate into the

workflow here at all.”
Whitney remained calm. After reviewing the five–star hotel project plans, she checked her schedule and asked, “Is it three
o’clock already? Isn’t it time for the new project meeting?”
“Yes, but Castor hasn’t notified you. He’s clearly not taking you seriously,” Harper said indignantly.
19-10
Whitney stood up, and Tiana’s ‘information‘ came through just then. She scanned it, and a sly smile curved her lips. “If Castor
won’t notify me, I’ll just attend the meeting myself. Which floor is it on?”

On the 48th floor, the meeting room was set for the five–star hotel project brainstorming session.
The executives took their seats.
Castor was in a secluded part of the hallway, on the phone, boasting, “Elaine, I’ve had Whitney on ice since this morning. She
was the laughingstock at lunch, and I’ve spread the news about her affair. Even if she stays at United Realty Corporation, no one
will work with her. As for the upcoming project meeting...”
Elaine’s cold laughter came through on the other end. “Make sure she doesn’t attend. Tell the CEO she’s clueless about real
estate. He won’t blame you. He’ll just see her as an obstacle. The worse her reputation at the company, the more incompetent
she appears, the sooner I can return. Go ahead and do it. I’ll promote you when I’m back.”
Boosted by her words, Castor felt a surge of gratification.
He returned to the meeting room. “Let’s start the hotel project meeting.”
One of the managers hesitated, “The hotel project is significant. Not inviting Whitney might...”
“What’s the point of inviting her if she doesn’t understand? A pregnant woman coming to listen to gibberish? We can’t let her
jeopardize a hundred–billion–dollar project!” Castor said with disdain.
The manager did not dare say another word.
Just then, the conference room door swung open, and a woman in sleek business attire walked in, her smile calm and collected.
“Has the meeting started? I hope I’m not late, Castor. I’m actually quite curious to hear your ‘gibberish.”
Castor was taken aback by Whitney’s presence, momentarily cowed by her commanding air, reminiscent of Mr. Lippert’s.

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But bolstered by Elaine’s support, he sneered. “Whitney, this is a major project the CEO cares deeply about. I hear you’re in the
jewelry business. Now, you’re trying to chair a real estate meeting? Doesn’t seem quite right, does it?”
The executives, unfamiliar with Whitney’s capabilities, nodded in agreement upon hearing that her expertise was unrelated to
real estate.
“It’s apples and oranges.”
“She wants to chair the meeting just for show, treating a huge project like child’s play!”
Castor looked at Whitney with mocking eyes, “It seems everyone disagrees with you joining the meeting. If you’re so keen on
staying, why don’t you just listen from the corner?”

Being put in the corner was akin to being relegated to the sidelines, and Harper clenched his fists in anger.
Whitney, unfazed, walked over to Castor’s seat, glanced at the nameplate, and said with a smile, “This is the VP’s seat. Castor,
get up.”
Without waiting for a response, she unceremoniously pushed Castor out of the chair!
“Whitney, you...” Castor, caught off guard and furious, scrambled up, ready to confront her.
“What were you planning to do to a pregnant woman?” Whitney’s cold gaze stopped him in his tracks.
Remembering the baby belonged to the CEO, Castor’s heart sank, and he sat down, his face a picture of discontent.
Whitney looked up and addressed the room, “Let’s proceed with the meeting. Continue your discussion.”
The executives exchanged looks, unsure of what to make of the situation.
2/3
19-10
Castor, now seated at the side, tried to provoke Whitney. We were discussing whether to go with a circular
design or a twin–tower structure for the hotel group. Since the land hasn’t been allocated, it might take up half the city’s area.
Perhaps you’d like to share your thoughtr.

Whitney arched an eyebrow and flipped open the project portfolio, confidently breaking the silence “A hotal empire that spans
half the city? Circular and twin–tower designs are just too restrictive Vidre talking about a luxury hotel district here–it needs to be
grand. Five–star accommodations demand a focus on both comig and spatial efficiency. We should really be taking a page from
the Sailsky Dubai Hotel playbook
Her words hung in the air, and the room fell silent.
The executives exchanged glances, their expressions shifting
This was not the talk of a novice, far from it.
The manager could not help but interject, “Whitney, you seem quite knowledgeable on the subject”
“Knowledgeable? Anyone can speak in generalities,” Castor interjected with a sneer. “If Whitney is so capable, let’s see her get
into the nitty–gritty on stage
Castor was convinced Whitney was out of her depth, just a jeweler with no real insight into their industry. He was waiting to catch
her in a mistake, eager to report her to the president for disrupting the meeting and wasting everyone’s time.
“Sure,” Whitney replied coolly, agreeing to the challenge. Standing up, she passed a USB drive to Harper, who caught Whitney’s
knowing glance and promptly left the room.
Striding to the podium, Whitney had not even reached the microphone when the giant screen displaying the hotel model
suddenly changed.
An explicit video began to play!
The mingled moans of a man and woman filled the solemn conference room, starkly contrasting the professional atmosphere.
Heads whipped up in shock, only to see that the man in the video was none other than Castor!
There he was, cavorting on a lounge sofa with two women, neither of whom was his wife.
Castor stood frozen, his face turning a sickly shade of pale. He scrambled forward. Turn it off! Who put this on? Turn it off!” He
shouted, panic edging his voice as he faced the scandal unfolding before his very peers.