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Chapter 16: First Official Kiss
publish date:
2026-05-29 22:30:45
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PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 39: An Apology
Inside the Langford triplex penthouse, the atmosphere felt peaceful. The long dining table was set elegantly, the soft glow of candlelight reflecting off crystal glasses and polished silverware. Dinner was served nearly fifteen minutes ago. The herb-crusted filet mignon rested neatly on Quentin's plate, accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and a rich mushroom cream sauce. Exactly the way Quentin liked it. He noticed it immediately. He also noticed that Verity had prepared his favorite dark chocolate soufflé for dessert. None of it was accidental. He knew that as well. Yet he didn't mention it. Instead, they ate quietly, exchanging only the occasional sentence. "How was work?" Verity asked softly. "Busy." "You looked exhausted this morning." "I was." She nodded before taking another bite of her dinner. "The board meetings?" She asked. "They ended the way I wanted." A small smile touched her lips. "I suppose that's why you're the boss." "I suppose so."
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 38: What The Heart Already Known
The office door closed softly behind Kingsley. For several long seconds, Quentin remained exactly where he was, his eyes fixed on the polished wooden door. Silence settled over the executive office. Only moments ago, his younger brother had walked in believing he could reclaim the woman he had once called his wife. Moments later, he had walked out carrying a truth he had never imagined. Quentin loved Verity, and not because of any contract or private arrangements. He simply loved her. And the realization shattered whatever hope Kingsley had walked into the office with. Quentin released a slow breath before turning back toward his desk. His attention immediately fell on the silver photo frame resting beside his laptop. It wasn't a formal wedding photograph. It was much simpler than that. Verity stood on the balcony of the New York triplex one quiet morning, wearing one of his white shirts while staring at the city below. She hadn't known he had taken the picture. Her hair was da
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 37: Too Late
The executive floor of Langford Global Headquarters had been very busy and barely slowed down despite the morning slipping into early afternoon. The honeymoon had ended sooner than Quentin intended, but business never waited for anyone. Especially not for him. By eleven o'clock, he had already concluded two board meetings, approved three international acquisitions, rejected a merger proposal worth hundreds of millions, and signed enough documents to fill an entire cabinet. Now he sat alone inside his corner office on the top floor, Manhattan stretching beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him. His suit jacket rested neatly over the back of his chair. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms. A stack of contracts sat open before him while another waited patiently beside his laptop. Yet every few minutes, his attention drifted toward his phone. Always thinking of receiving a call from Verity. He had also planned to call her after finishing the last report. He wondered if she
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 36: Just A Phone Call
They spent the next hour moving slowly through the space. Quentin did not rush her. He did not hover too closely either. He allowed her to stop wherever she wanted, to study brushwork, composition, texture, and emotion. Sometimes she asked questions, and to her surprise, he answered with depth. Not the shallow knowledge of a wealthy collector trying to sound cultured, but the understanding of a man who truly loved art. At one point, she stood in front of a large painting of a woman standing before a stormy sea. The brushstrokes were wild, almost violent, yet the woman’s posture was calm. Verity stared at it longer than the others. Quentin came to stand beside her. “You like this one.” “I do.” “Why?” She folded her arms gently. “Because she looks like she’s holding herself together while everything around her is falling apart.” Quentin said nothing for a moment. Then quietly, “That sounds familiar.” Verity’s chest tightened. She knew what he meant. But she chose not to answer.
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 35: A little Ease
Verity followed Quentin out of the bedroom, still trying to pretend she was not curious. It was annoying, really. A few minutes ago, she had been sure she wanted to return to New York. She was sure that remaining in Malibu would only make everything worse. Yet now, because Quentin had said he had a surprise for her, she found herself walking after him like a woman who had not just been hurt by his words. She hated that about him. He had a way of shifting the air around her without trying too hard. One moment she was angry, the next she was curious. One moment she wanted distance, the next she wanted to know what he was thinking. It made no sense, and the fact that it made no sense irritated her even more. Quentin glanced back at her as they descended the grand staircase of the Sapphire Coastline estate. “You’re frowning.” “I am not.” “You are.” “I’m thinking.” “You frown when you think.” Verity narrowed her eyes at his back. “Do you always have to notice everything?” “Yes.”
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 34: The Wrong Words
The sound of running water filled the spacious bathroom as Verity stood beneath the shower, her eyes closed as warm water cascaded down her body. She should have felt happy. Just an hour ago, she had been lying in Quentin's arms, sharing breakfast with him while the ocean stretched endlessly beyond the glass walls of their private Malibu estate. Everything should have been perfect. Instead, all she could hear was one sentence. “I have a girlfriend.” The words repeated themselves over and over until her chest felt tight. What was she even upset about? This marriage wasn't built on love. It was revenge. A contract. An arrangement. At least that was what she had been telling herself from the beginning. Then why did it hurt? Why did it feel as if someone had reached inside her chest and squeezed her heart? Verity turned off the water and wrapped herself in a robe. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. "You don't care," she told herself. The reflection looked unconvinced.
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 4: Writing Her Own Story
Verity barely remembered the drive from her parents’ house. The moment she got home, the tears she had held back finally broke free. She sat still in her car in the driveway, sobbing so hard her chest hurt. Her phone rang. It was Monica. “Vee? Where are you? I’ve been calling you for hours.” The
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 3: Ending Her Marriage
Verity pulled up to the grand Sinclair family home at Marpleton Drive in Bel Air just after sunset. The sprawling Mediterranean-style mansion glowed warmly under landscaped lights, but tonight it felt more like a battlefield than a sanctuary. She sat in the car for a long moment, gripping the steer
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 2: Caught In The Act
Verity didn’t sleep all through. She sat on the edge of the bed in the empty Central Park West penthouse until four in the morning, staring at the photo on her phone. Kingsley and Judith. Naked. Tangled together in the very sheets she had chosen herself. The image burned behind her eyelids every ti
PAINTED IN SIN Chapter 1: Losing All Hope
Verity Langford stood near the center of the gallery, smoothing down the front of her black silk dress for what felt like the hundredth time. Soft lighting illuminated her paintings on the white walls of West 24th Street in Chelsea. This was her first exhibition in two years, and the turnout had be
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