Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1193
"Holly, if you keep making a scene in the morgue, we'll have to escort you out," one of the cops said, clearly running out of
patience with Holly's hysterics.
"No, please! Don't cut open my daughter! Whitney, how could you be so cold..." Holly sobbed, her voice echoing off the sterile
walls.
Whitney didn't even glance back. She just waved at Sandy, signaling her not to stick around for the drama.
Sandy got the message. She walked over to Jared-who thankfully was still being reasonable—and gave him a polite nod before
following Whitney out into the hallway.
From the moment Sandy appeared, Shane's deep blue eyes had barely left her face.
Now, seeing her leave, Shane pressed his lips together and strode out as well, his long legs making quick work of the distance.
Sienna, watching him ignore her for the hundredth time, felt a fresh wave of anger tighten in her chest.

Her grandmother was in the next room, deep in conversation with Mrs. Nelson. If all went well, Sienna would soon be engaged to
Shane her dream come true. She'd wanted this forever.
But Shane never warmed up to her. Every time they ran into each other, he acted like she was a total stranger.
And lately, Sienna had noticed something else: Shane couldn't seem to stop staring at Sandy's plain face. That made Sienna
furious.
Sandy-the illegitimate daughter Shane's father brought home years ago-was awkward, stubborn, and had always been a
tagalong. She'd grown up with no status, no prospects, just a country bumpkin. Why should Shane care about her at all?
Sienna hurried after Shane's tall, broad-shouldered figure, calling out in a plaintive voice, "Shane! Wait up. Your mom invited me
over for dinner at the Nelsons' tonight. Since you're here, why don't we go together?"
Shane, ever the gentleman, tried to pretend he hadn't heard her.
But his cold shoulder only made Sienna more desperate.

She rushed forward, looping her arm through his, her voice sugary sweet as she gazed up at his handsome face. "Shane...
We're practically engaged. Why are you still so distant with me? You've known me since I was born! We grew up together..."

Shane's reply was calm, but every word landed like a slap. "Don't kid yourself. If I'm being polite, I think of you as a kid sister. But
to be honest, Sienna, I can't stand you. Haven't you noticed? I've never liked spoiled, selfish girls."
The words stung like ice. Sienna's eyes shimmered with tears, threatening to mess up her perfectly applied makeup. She
flushed, trembling—no one had ever dared talk to her like this. She'd always had Florence to back her up, and now her
grandmother doted on her. She was the darling of every country club party.
The Sheldon Group was stronger than ever, and half the eligible bachelors in town wanted to marry her.
But not Shane.
He actually just said he hated her.
Sienna dug her nails into his arm, her voice shrill and breathless. "You hate me? Oh, so who do you like, then? Sandy? I saw
you staring at her just now! Are you blind, Shane? Sandy's just a bastard go ask around, she's been nothing but trouble for me
and Florence since we were kids. She's got no pedigree, and she's always scheming. Even now, she's the Sheldon family's
embarrassment, just a charity case."
She narrowed her eyes, voice dripping poison. "I get it. Sandy must've been whispering lies about me behind my back. That's the
only way you'd suddenly think so badly of me. She probably overheard that we might be getting engaged and just couldn't stand
it!"
"Enough," Shane snapped, shaking her grip off his arm with a force that made her stumble back a step. He didn't even bother to
look at her. "I'm not blind. I know exactly who's good and who's not."
Sienna stared at him, stunned. "You mean Sandy's the good one and I'm not?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.