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Chapter 44
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2025-08-08 10:53:57
Latest chapter
Love in Deceit Chapter 44
Ayala POVThe envelope sat on her desk like it had a life of its own.Unassuming. Cream-colored. Embossed with the familiar monogram—V.I. It was unmistakably from Vladimir.Ayala had stared at it for a full twenty minutes before daring to touch it. And even now, with it opened and the neatly folded letter inside laying before her, she couldn’t bring herself to read the words again.Her fingers trembled as she reached for it, then recoiled as if the paper had burned her.Everything about Vladimir had always been intense—his eyes, his presence, his control. Even his handwriting bled with precision and restraint. No mess. No emotion unless calculated.So why did this letter feel… different?She had read it once. Only once. But the words refused to leave her mind.“Ayala,I never learned how to say sorry without sounding like a man who’s used to being forgiven.So this isn’t an apology. It’s a confession.I watched you that morning. At the studio. You didn’t see me — at least, I don’t thi
Love in Deceit Chapter 43
VLADIMIR POVThere was something insulting about sunlight when your soul was dragging behind you like a war-torn flag.The sky outside his floor-to-ceiling windows had bled into a weak gold — the kind that looked like hope from a distance but felt more like judgment up close. Vladimir Lancaster stood barefoot on the cold marble, a scotch glass in one hand and silence coiled in the other.His shirt was wrinkled. Hair unkempt. The man reflected in the window was barely the version of himself he liked to parade around boardrooms and balconies. He looked tired. Human. Possibly a little haunted.He would’ve called himself a fool if there were anyone left around to argue with him.Andrei had dropped the letter off yesterday. No fanfare. No tracking number. Just a sealed envelope, cream paper, black ink, his handwriting — careful, brutal honesty in cursive. It had taken him three false starts, two crumpled drafts, and one very loud curse in Russian that had startled a maid before he’d manage
Love in Deceit Chapter 42
VLADIMIR POVFLASHBACKVladimir’s Private Library – After MidnightThe city had gone quiet by then. New York’s usual hum had settled into something softer — like the moment between breaths. In his penthouse library, the only sound came from the low crackling of the fireplace and the gentle rustle of pages turning. Ayala sat curled on the corner of the leather chaise, her legs tucked beneath her, barefoot, wearing one of his oversized shirts that swallowed her frame in the best way.Vladimir had watched her for over five minutes without saying a word.He didn’t know why this particular night felt heavier — maybe because the world outside had paused, and for once, so had they. No meetings. No rivals. No Irina. No Alexei. Just her. Her and that damn book she barely seemed to read because her mind kept wandering.“Are you bored?” he asked finally, his voice low.She didn’t look up. “No.”“You’ve been on the same page for ten minutes.”She smiled, the kind of smile that tugged more at his
Love in Deceit Chapter 41
AYALA POVThe sound came just as I stepped back from the canvas to evaluate the color balance—three soft knocks on the studio door. Not forceful. Not hesitant. Just… measured.My heart jumped.I wiped my hands on a paint-stained rag, my pulse already quickening. Part of me whispered Vladimir. But it was too soon, wasn’t it?I crossed the room slowly, peeking through the window first.It wasn’t him.A man stood on the stoop. Mid-thirties, maybe older, in a sharply cut gray coat and dark trousers. His hair was cleanly trimmed, his jawline angular. Hands behind his back like he’d been waiting a while.And he wasn’t alone.Behind him, parked across the street, was a black town car. Not flashy. Just… expensive in the way quiet power always was.I opened the door a crack.“Can I help you?”The man nodded politely, his voice low and smooth. “Miss Shomer?”“Yes,” I said cautiously.“I represent the foundation that awarded your grant. I was asked to deliver a personal letter—along with a few c
Love in Deceit Chapter 40
Vladimir POV – Two Days After the GalaI watched her from the sidelines.Not literally, no. Ayala had vanished from my physical world the moment she ran out those gallery doors, the hem of her navy silk dress fluttering like a war flag in the wind. But I watched her everywhere else — the headlines, the interviews she ignored, the photos flooding my inbox from agencies trying to capitalize on the scene. And what a scene we had made.I had never felt so ashamed in my life.Alexei and I, raised like two branches from the same cursed tree, had brought our feud to the altar of her career. We turned her moment into a battlefield — two egos jousting for dominance in front of a crowd that only wanted to watch her shine. I had wanted to protect her. And instead, I humiliated her.I could still see the betrayal in her eyes when she looked at me. Not anger — not rage. That would have been easier. What she gave me was worse: disappointment. As if she expected better of me. As if some part of her
Love in Deceit Chapter 39
Ayala – Two Days LaterI was followed by Alexie and a stranger, not Vladimir. It made my heart ache, and I expected more.“Ayala! Hold up” Alexie screamed for me.“Just leave me alone “ I scream back, and he did. I was grateful for that.The gala led to a spiral of headlines and hashtags. The conflict between the two Igor cousins had led to a media crisis. The internet was buzzing with speculations and thoughts on it and once again, I was once again the center of the feud. Once again, they are placing me in thesame terrain of confusion and social media scandals.I was embarrassed they could think that adding the monetary value to my paintings could buy me over, like I was all for their money. They made me feel like cheap items at Walmart that one could easily buy. The only good that came out of it was the worth attached to my paintings. I loved the afterward worth of my paintings after the gala.By Monday morning, my inbox was overflowing. Art blogs, social curators, youth magazines
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