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Kiss me, Then Hate me

Chapter 3 Scarlet Lipstick and War Paint

Word Count: 1123    |    Released on: 15/07/2025

The Cross

t walk into Damien

arri

ettos sharp enough to draw blood, and her signature scarlet lipstick painted like a warning

conversation. Even the glass seemed to hum under her heels. But s

them

lake & Bloom had chosen today of all days to sh

his wasn'

a decla

hed open the tall glass doors

, amused but

sleeves rolled, tie loosened. "You finally gave in t

"I came to remind you that las

tly. "And this outfit? That

war

ore that same lipstick the first time we kissed. Remember? Your 24th bi

hings," she said tightl

rcling the desk slowly

away from two years ago. I'm not some broken debutante begging for closure. I have an empire. I

ont of her i

around

tilting he

rmured, "do you k

hitched. Ju

s all h

art-stopping second, she thou

w much she w

lie to me, Ari. You're still the fire th

oved h

a

t getting i

aid with a crooked grin

-

egy Meeting, Joi

able, murmuring in cautious tones. A massive presentation screen loomed at the front,

r seat at the h

t directl

had buzzed for weeks - fashion meets tech. Elegance meets power. Two empires fused

e media

forward. "Sh

her assistant, who

llouts. Projections. Branding shifts. She absorbed

still buzzing f

gotten the memo that h

rie

blin

r. "Your thoughts on the

st

d. Pr

balizing resources. Paris and Berlin give us untapped brand equity, especially with the fashion-tech crossover. Focus on Mi

le

a slo

Dam

id," he

dly. "Try to k

-

y - Elevator

Ariella stepped into

, Damien

oors shut behind

e as the elevator be

ed strai

ared

humiliate me in ther

u did that al

be

ending this thing between

she

bli

mirked

end," she clarified. "We

e same

if you

a step

stif

softly. "You're just af

amien. I'm afraid it'll des

it," he sa

r dinged. D

ithout loo

-

- Damien'

ment. The skyline blinked with city lights. Inside, Damien p

ed at h

ld cal

uld s

e wou

t

d removed a faded photograph. Two k

Years before ev

aw cl

remember wh

re

she

o

-

Apartment

hadn't

. Her red lipstick had faded. Her hair was loose. The war paint had me

y

y

st

gh her glass of wine

mber: Open

fr

er me

er: I'm not

slowly, hea

kn

t o

. Qu

ened t

stood

inging to his chest. H

mie

't sleep,

hesi

ed insid

her

r cheek - gen

kissed her,

s sur

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1 Chapter 1 The Devil Wears a Signature Scent2 Chapter 2 Let the games Begin3 Chapter 3 Scarlet Lipstick and War Paint4 Chapter 4 Lies Between Sheets and Shadows5 Chapter 5 His Secrets, Her War6 Chapter 6 The Taste of Betrayal7 Chapter 7 Wolves Don't Cry8 Chapter 8 The girl in White Heels9 Chapter 9 Velvet and Violence10 Chapter 10 The Color of Vengeance11 Chapter 11 Ashes of desire12 Chapter 12 Shadows of silk and gunpowder13 Chapter 13 When Blood Remembers14 Chapter 14 The Anatomy of Betrayal15 Chapter 15 Ashes and Confessions16 Chapter 16 The Devil's first Strike17 Chapter 17 The Cost of Fire18 Chapter 18 The Weight of Fire19 Chapter 19 Serpents in the Smoke20 Chapter 20 The House of Serpents21 Chapter 21 Blood in the Pavement22 Chapter 22 In the Serpent's Lair23 Chapter 23 Hell Hath No Fury24 Chapter 24 The Gathering Storm25 Chapter 25 Inferno at the Docks26 Chapter 26 The Lion's Embrace27 Chapter 27 The Morning after Fire28 Chapter 28 Whispers in the Dark29 Chapter 29 The Man With Shadow in His Eyes30 Chapter 30 The Knife Between Us31 Chapter 31 The Silence Between Lies32 Chapter 32 Midnight at Pier 1733 Chapter 33 Ashes in The Veins34 Chapter 34 The Devil's Whisper35 Chapter 35 Shadows of Venice36 Chapter 36 The Wolve At The Door37 Chapter 37 A House of Glass38 Chapter 38 Ashes And Crowns39 Chapter 39 The Serpent's Den40 Chapter 40 Ashes of Trust41 Chapter 41 The Ruin of Fire and Flesh42 Chapter 42 Through Ashes, Into Darkness43 Chapter 43 Chains That Bleed44 Chapter 44 A Fire in Chains45 Chapter 45 The Devil's Choice46 Chapter 46 Blood on the Wind47 Chapter 47 Ashes Between us48 Chapter 48 The Seige of Shame49 Chapter 49 The Devil's Chains50 Chapter 50 The Devil's Cage51 Chapter 51 The Devil's Game52 Chapter 52 The Key That Cuts53 Chapter 53 The Mask of Shattered Glass54 Chapter 54 The Shot that Shattered55 Chapter 55 The Princess of Monsters56 Chapter 56 The Last Thread57 Chapter 57 Threads of Glass58 Chapter 58 The Poisoned Crown59 Chapter 59 The Crown of Ashes60 Chapter 60 The Last Step down61 Chapter 61 The Baptism of Fire62 Chapter 62 The Masks We Carve63 Chapter 63 Blood on Her Hands64 Chapter 64 The Long Game65 Chapter 65 The Foreshadow66 Chapter 66 Dominoes in Ashes67 Chapter 67 The Rotten Foundations68 Chapter 68 The City Watches69 Chapter 69 The Scandal That Wasn't70 Chapter 70 Velvet Masks71 Chapter 71 The Setup72 Chapter 72 The First Gate73 Chapter 73 Set in Stone74 Chapter 74 The Trap75 Chapter 75 The Labyrinth76 Chapter 76 Duel77 Chapter 77 The Heart of the Web78 Chapter 78 The Collapse79 Chapter 79 The Fall80 Chapter 80 The Truth81 Chapter 81 The Awakening of Ashes82 Chapter 82 The Masks Shatter83 Chapter 83 Fractured Silence84 Chapter 84 The Cage85 Chapter 85 The Puppet's Strings86 Chapter 86 The Veil of Compliance87 Chapter 87 The Mirror of Shadows88 Chapter 88 Silence is Power89 Chapter 89 Preparing the Stage90 Chapter 90 The Reunion91 Chapter 91 The Marionette's Smile92 Chapter 92 The Ghost of Mirabella93 Chapter 93 The Crown of Glass94 Chapter 94 Lessons of the Enemy95 Chapter 95 The Secret Pact96 Chapter 96 Cracks in the Empire97 Chapter 97 The Mask of Devotion98 Chapter 98 Checkmate Approaches99 Chapter 99 The Revelation100 Chapter 100 Kiss Me Then Hate Me