He Bought Her Truth

fought with color and canvas. With a quiet grin, she moved between easels, correcting a kid's

wide eyes. "Let the paint breathe. Art is

ldn't quite sink in yet, he n

hing of her own in more tha

and rejection letters. Donors had withdrawn, citing the economic climate. Her landlord had stopped phoning back. Her part-time gall

h SoHo's artistic mayhem of traffic, street performers, and visitors seeking originali

he drying rack, her pho

FINAL NOTICE-TER

the closest stool, the studio's cold envelop

bers blurred, the message was obvious: thirty days. Thirty

led her. Kaya, one of the gall

he reported, "hand-delivere

gave him. Gold trim on heavy parchment. The so

e, on

Fund Annual Gala-a private artist's r

ble Fund three years ago. T

ited to their g

ard over. Writte

ention by an anonymous patron. B

ced. Anonymo

ne? Or another false h

he horizon behind her. Though she had given her best scrubbing, her fingers still had a l

like a frozen explosion overhead. Everyone gleamed in designe

oached. "You're on the list. Mr. Val

Va

, wealthy real estate developer, phantom of glossy magazin

woman into the

s presented champagne. Rowan's stomach turn

ed artists-were highlighted by a spotlight on the distant wall.

s woven in paint and thread define a mixe

ago, it

g, isn'

l, and threaded with power.

Dam

ly grinned if he wanted to control the space. His eyes w

aid, "You purchas

let. "You paint sorrow li

d him. "Perh

ind whether the artist behind that kind o

Is that what th

ting down his glas

osphere changed. Something between inter

nge you

her hands clenched at her s

it didn't sho

sal. And I believe you're

amien is about to make will flip all she b