All Chapters of Beneath The Mask: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

prince pov Ghost watches me, silent and unmoving, his gaze fixed on me in a way that makes me pause. “What?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I look back at him. He shrugs, a small, almost imperceptible motion. “Nothing.” “No,” I press, narrowing my eyes. “You’re staring at me. Why?” For a moment, he doesn’t answer, his lips twitching like he’s debating whether or not to say anything. Finally, he leans in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You looked so fucking happy,” he admits, his tone soft and raw. “Like before, when we used to meet in secret and didn’t know who we were. It felt… nice.” His words hit me like a punch to the gut. For a brief second, I’d almost forgotten all the shit we’re tangled in. But, of course, he had to go and remind me. I nod, not trusting myself to say anything, and he pulls away, grabbing a cup and filling it with coffee. He sits back down, sipping silently, while my thoughts churn. We’ve done what they wanted. We’ve fucked. They’ve got their video.

prince pov My blood runs cold as I realize where he’s going with this. “At some point, he’ll realize covering up this dirty little secret isn’t going to last,” I mutter. “And then what?” The man’s grin widens, as if he already knows the answer. I glance at him, my jaw clenching. “Then he’ll make sure there’s a body—mine or Ghost’s—and let the news spread that his family is clean again.” “Exactly,” he says, stepping back with a satisfied expression. “And the war between the two families will explode, leaving neither side standing.” He thinks he’s so clever, but he’s wrong. My father will know the truth. He’ll understand we were forced to do this—to save our sisters, to stop things from escalating further. If it were something we’d done willingly? Fine. But they forced us, and that changes everything. Their plan isn’t going to get the result they want. The man doesn’t say anything else. He just turns and walks out, the door clicking shut behind him. My mind spins wildly as I pace

Ghost’s POV The thought sends a chill down my spine. They wouldn’t. They couldn’t. He’s too old now for them to hide behind the pretense of “boarding school.” “You’re an adult,” I say firmly. “Not a fucking child.” “I’m the heir,” he counters, his voice steady but grim. “Who’s going to stand up to my father to stop it?” I know what he means. No one will defy his father—not his family, not his allies, not his staff. No one. Except me. “I will,” I say without hesitation, and he looks at me, his eyes widening in shock. “I won’t need to, though,” I add. “Because it’s not happening. It’s not fucking happening, Prince.” This has to end now. I can’t keep letting them push us like this. Yes, it means risking our sisters’ lives, but I won’t do it. I won’t keep playing along. I won’t agree to their demands for more videos. I turn to him, my voice firm. “We don’t agree to anything. No matter what they show us, no matter what they do, we don’t fucking agree. Do you hear me?” He stares at me,

Prince Pov My body burns with pain from being curled up in such a confined space for so long. Every muscle aches, stiff and uncooperative as I struggle to move. My legs feel like lead as I try to stand, and the moment I do, my head slams against the low ceiling. I bite back a cry of frustration, my hands instinctively going to the door, pounding, clawing, shoving. Anything to get it open. But the door doesn’t budge. I scream. My voice is hoarse, raw, and ragged from all the shouting I’ve already done. I don’t even know how long I’ve been in here—hours, maybe days. The passage of time has become meaningless in this pitch-black tomb. I scream until my throat feels like it’s been ripped apart, but no one comes. No one answers. It’s like I’ve been buried alive. The air feels heavier now, the walls pressing in on me like a living thing. My clothes cling to my body, damp with sweat and dirt. My hands are coated in grime, heavy and rough from the endless scratching and pounding against the

Ghost Pov I thought they’d give up when they realized I wasn’t going to break. But they haven’t. They’re relentless, and every second I hold out, they push him further into hell. “Fine!” I shout, my voice cracking as my fists slam into the wall. “I’ll agree. You win. Just stop!” The room is silent for a moment, then the speaker crackles to life. “We don’t let him out until you confirm—no more plans, no more schemes. You do as you’re told, when you’re told.” The words twist in my gut, but I have no choice. “Fine,” I grit out through clenched teeth. The word burns as it leaves my mouth. I don’t do what I’m told. Not ever. But for Prince, I’ll swallow my pride. “Face the wall,” the voice orders, cold and unfeeling. “If you so much as move when we open the door, he goes back in.” My jaw tightens as I nod, swallowing the bile rising in my throat. I turn and press my forehead against the wall, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails bite into my palms. Time drags on, each second str