Chapter 290

School had ended for the day and night had fallen.
Violet and her girls were gathered in the living room, huddled around Daisy as they watched the footage from Elsie’s bugged room playing on her laptop. Apparently, Elsie and the elites were throwing some kind of post-party celebration, likely in anticipation of what they already assumed would be tomorrow’s successful Legacy Luncheon.
It was happening right there in Elsie’s room and, as expected of a party, there was a lot of drinking. Except, unlike the cheap beer most kids sipped at parties, these girls were clinking crystal glasses filled with obviously expensive wine. They were really living the life most people dreamed of. If only they weren’t so damn vain, even Violet might’ve felt a tinge of envy.
And of course, as expected of a party, there were lots of conversations aka gossip. Not that any of it was useful to Violet. It was the usual shallow chatter about who slept with who, and yes, her name came up more times than she could count. And the things they said about her? Nasty didn’t even begin to cover it.
Not that Violet cared. In fact, she considered it an honor to be that famous as she practically took up sixty percent of their conversation. But gossip wasn’t what Violet wanted. She was hoping someone would say something incriminating about Elsie. Or even give her a hint of the big secret.
But no. No one exposed anything. Not while they were in her damn sanctum. They obviously had to keep face.
So instead, Violet turned her attention to Natalie Avax.
The girl smiled and made small talk whenever approached by the others, but she was clearly alone. Detached. And at one point, Violet could’ve sworn Natalie stared straight into the camera while sipping her wine calmly, like she knew exactly where it had been hidden.
“I don’t know about you, but this girl gives me the creeps. She’s too smart for my liking,” Daisy muttered, witnessing the same eerie moment.
“Or maybe,” Ivy said casually, “you’re just jealous she might be smarter than you.”
Daisy turned and glared so hard it could’ve peeled paint off the walls. If looks could kill, Ivy would have dropped dead.
Violet said nothing. Even if Natalie turned out to be a bigger obstacle in the future, for now, an enemy’s enemy was still a friend.
They watched as Natalie stood up and dropped her empty glass. Then she bid Elsie goodnight, even though the queen bee had been talking to another one of the elite girls. Elsie acknowledged it with a polite smile, and Natalie took her leave.
As soon as she vanished, the conversation turned against her at once.
“Just look at her, acting all high and mighty like she owns the school.” one of the girls sneered now Natalie was gone.
Sharon let out a mocking laugh. “Please. All she has going for her is Avax’s family name. Without it, she’d be nothing. And yet she thinks she’s better than us.”
She flipped her glossy hair like she was starring in her own shampoo commercial. “She’s not even that pretty.”
From her seat, Violet snorted. That was where they were dead wrong.
Natalie Avax was hot, and she knew it. The girl flaunted it with zero shame, walking like she knew every head would turn and didn’t care either way.
“I bet she had a nose job done. That nose can’t be real,” another girl chimed in, wrinkling her own nose like she could sniff out the cosmetic surgery.
“Or her boobs,” added another, clutching her drink.
“But her legs though. I love them. They’re perfect,” one girl sighed dreamily, causing the conversation to break off.
Two of the girls turned to her like she’d just announced she was switching sides mid-war.
Realizing her slip, the girl rushed to save herself. “I—I mean, I heard rumors she might even be gay. ”
“Damn,” Lila whispered beside Violet, eyes on the screen. “I’d never join that clique even if the invitation came with a free car. They’re so fake and toxic.”
Violet smiled slightly at Lila’s words, but then her phone beeped with a message.
She pulled it out absentmindedly, only for her eyes to widen at the name on the screen.
“Asher Fucking Nightshade.”
As she saved it.
Her head shot up in mild panic, scanning to see if anyone had seen it. But the girls were too engrossed in the digital cattiness unfolding on Daisy’s laptop.
“Be right back,” Violet murmured, already on her feet.
She stepped into the hallway and leaned against the cool wall before finally clicking the message open.
[Wish everyday could be like this.]
And attached to it was a file.
Violet tapped it, and the breath whooshed out of her lungs. It was a photo. One he’d clearly taken earlier that morning.
She was curled into him, fast asleep, her purple hair spread across them like silk, and Asher had the most peaceful, satisfied look on his face. Like for once, the world had stopped trying to break him.
The picture was stunning, intimate and beautiful. Violet stared at it, her lips forming a smile until she caught herself.
Damn it girl. She was so screwed.
And yet Violet typed right back to him :
[If this is how you look after one night with me, I can’t wait to see your face after two. Or three. Also, ten out of ten, your chest makes a great pillow.]
That was silly but whatever. She pressed the “send” button.
And it was not even up to a minute, Violet got a response from him immediately.
[Just say the word, baby girl and I’ll bring the body.]
Damn, Violet whistled. The guy was good.
Unfortunately, while it was nice to get lost in that warm, dizzying feeling that Asher’s message stirred inside her, Violet knew she had to rein herself back. She had a mission today and that meant no distractions. No matter how delicious the temptation was.
Violet returned to her girls. She didn’t sit back in her previous spot. Instead, she remained standing behind the sofa, arms crossed, her eyes trained on the laptop screen.
Daisy sighed and shook her head. “At this rate, we’re not gonna get anything substantial,” she then added with a rare softness, “It just isn’t working, V.” She used Violet’s nickname, a sign of how worried she was. “I’m afraid this might all be for nothing.”
Violet didn’t respond immediately. She knew Daisy was right, at least, based on what they had seen so far. The conversation had been surface-level trash talk and shallow drama, nothing actionable. Nothing useful.
But Violet couldn’t give up. She wouldn’t.
Then a wicked idea sparked in her brain.
Quietly, she picked up her phone and sent the photo Asher had sent her—the one of them wrapped up together in bed—to one person and one person only: Elsie Lancaster.
She didn’t have to wait long.
From the laptop screen, she saw it. Elsie was sipping from her wineglass, mid-laugh, when her phone buzzed. She picked it up, tapped the screen, and —bam!
Her expression fell. Just like that.
Violet’s lips curved into a pleased smirk.
One of the elites leaned in. “Are you okay?”
Elsie quickly angled the phone away, scowling at the girl. “I’m good,” she said flatly, brushing her off and detaching from the group entirely.
Violet had to give her credit. After that initial gut punch, Elsie bounced back fast. She partied harder, drinking more like a woman possessed. Must be good to be a werewolf with a fast metabolism. But even through the screen, Violet could see the cracks forming beneath her mask.
Still, the night dragged on.
Eventually, it became too much to watch. The party was loud, obnoxious, and going absolutely nowhere. Violet and her girls gave up, one by one, sprawling across different areas in the living room. But not Daisy.
Daisy stayed glued to the laptop, earphones in, brows furrowed with determination as she watched the video.
Just when Violet was beginning to doze off, a sharp intake of breath cut through the silence.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Daisy hissed.
In seconds, Violet was on her feet, rushing to her side with Ivy and Lila scrambling after her.
Violet closed the distance just as Daisy turned the screen toward them.
And the moment Violet’s eyes landed on what was playing, the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“What the fuck…”