Chapter 217: Flashback – The Serpent in Violet’s Skin

Author’s POV (23 Years Ago)

Meredith stood before the massive prison gates, her fingers interlaced tightly in a grip of pure nerves as she waited for the visiting hours to begin. When the guard finally signaled her through, she walked through the cold, echoing corridors, the suffocating smell of bleach and despair filling her lungs. She took her seat behind the glass, waiting for Stewart.

Stewart emerged in a faded blue prison uniform, looking pale and utterly spent. He sat across from her, separated by the thick glass that robbed them of touch. Meredith lifted the receiver with a trembling hand. "Hello, my love..." she said, her voice strained as she fought to keep it steady. "How are you?"

"I’m okay," he replied, his voice cracked and hollow. "How are you?"

"I missed you," she whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"I missed you too," he said, his eyes filled with a weary sadness.

She took a deep breath, leaning toward him. "You’re getting out of here soon."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"Someone is going to help you," she whispered with a sudden, sharp confidence.

He shook his head, his gaze falling to the floor. "I don’t think anyone can help me, Meredith."

"Don’t worry," she pressed the receiver closer to her ear. "I’m certain you’ll be out soon."

Stewart sighed, a look of defeat crossing his face. "The wedding... it’ll have to be postponed."

"Don’t worry about that. Just get out, and we’ll get married whenever you want," she promised.

He looked at her with a profound sincerity. "I love you."

Meredith felt a sharp pang in her heart. "I love you too."

Stewart raised a trembling hand to the glass, as if trying to cup her cheek.

Meredith mirrored the gesture, placing her hand exactly over his. She felt the chill of the barrier between them, giving him one last sorrowful look before walking away.

As soon as she stepped outside the prison walls, the weight of the world crashed down on her. She had to get him out before her lie collapsed. Suddenly, her phone vibrated a call from an unknown number. "Hello?" she answered cautiously.

"It’s Morgan," the deep, familiar voice rumbled.

Her expression shifted instantly, her eyes lighting up. "Oh, Morgan... how are you?"

"I’m fine," he replied with his usual coolness. "I have news. The lawyer is seeing Stewart today."

She gasped, a smile breaking across her face. "Really?"

"Yes," Morgan said, his tone dropping to a lower, more meaningful register. "Do you want to meet and talk?"

"Yes, of course," she replied without a second thought.

"Should I come and pick you up?"

Meredith glanced around at the prison surroundings. "I’m out right now. Just tell me where you are and I’ll come to you."

"I’m at home. Shall we go..."

"Send me the address," she interrupted with an excitement she couldn’t suppress. "I’m coming!"

There was a second of silence. Morgan sounded genuinely surprised. "You’re coming to my house?"

Realizing she had been too eager, she softened her tone. "If it’s not a good time, we can meet elsewhere."

"No, it’s fine," Morgan replied, and she could almost hear the smile in his voice. "I’ll send you the address."

Meredith hailed a taxi with a sharp wave. As soon as she slid into the backseat, she rattled off the address. She tore open her bag, pulling out a mirror and a makeup kit.

She began applying touches to her face with frantic precision, then reached up to pull the tie from her hair, letting the brown locks cascade freely over her shoulders.

She pulled out a bottle of cheap perfume and sprayed it generously until the scent filled the taxi. A diabolical plan was forming in her mind: if she couldn’t be the pure image of Violet, she would destroy that image entirely. It was reckless and dangerous, but the malice gnawing at her heart was louder than any voice of reason.

She arrived at a luxurious building inhabited only by the elite. Morgan lived on the fifth floor. She stepped into the elevator, checking her reflection one last time. When she reached his door, she knocked, her heart hammering against her chest.

Morgan opened the door. He looked devastatingly handsome in a crisp white shirt and blue trousers, a few stray locks of hair falling effortlessly over his forehead. Meredith froze, a shiver running down her spine. Those gray eyes made her forget everything her fiancé, her lie, her life.

"Come in," Morgan said softly.

Meredith stepped inside, her jaw nearly dropping as she took in the space. The apartment was vast and beautiful beyond anything she had seen, like something from a movie. She had never dreamed she would set foot in a place like this.

"Please, have a seat," Morgan said, gesturing toward a sofa.

She sat on the plush cushions, feeling the velvet-soft texture beneath her. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked. "Juice? Coffee?"

"Just water," she replied, trying to regain her composure.

As Morgan went to fetch the water, his mind was a storm of confusion and wonder. How was "Violet" coming to his home so easily? He felt a rush of joy tinged with a flicker of unease.

He returned and handed her the glass. As she reached for it, his sharp gaze caught her bare wrist. His eyes narrowed. "Did you take off your bracelet?"

"My bracelet..." she said with a forced indifference, glancing down at her bare skin. "It broke. That’s why I’m not wearing it."

Morgan nodded slowly. "I see."

He sat beside her on the sofa, close enough to catch the heavy scent of her perfume. "I hope I didn’t disturb you by calling while you were out."

"I wasn’t doing much, just walking," she said, adjusting her posture.

Morgan knit his brows. "Strange. I thought you’d be at university. You said you were a student."

Panic flared in her stomach. "No classes today," she said quickly.

"I see..." he said, watching her expressions intently. "And what is it you’re studying?"

"Medicine," she answered with absolute certainty.

"That’s impressive," he nodded. He leaned in slightly. "As I told you over the phone, the lawyer is seeing Stewart today. I’ve arranged for a man to take his place someone who will confess to the crime."

Meredith’s eyes widened, and she leaned back, staring at him in shock. "Who are you? A mobster?"

Morgan laughed with a touch of arrogance, his dimples flashing. "Yes... are you afraid?"

In that moment, a strange thrill surged through her. She never imagined she would meet a man with this kind of power a man who could manipulate the law with a single word. She looked into his gray eyes. "No... I’m not."

"Good," he rumbled. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Meredith moved closer, her trembling hand reaching out to rest softly on his shoulder. "You said you liked me," she whispered.

Morgan looked directly into her eyes, his heart racing. "Yes... I do like you."

Meredith didn’t stop there. she raised her other hand, cupping his face gently, then slid her body closer until she was pressed against him.

Morgan was visibly startled, his eyes widening as he leaned back slightly. "What are you doing, Violet?" he breathed.

She brought her lips so close that her hot, frantic breath brushed against his. "Show me..." she whispered with pure, calculated seduction. "Exactly how much you like me."

[I want to thank Shawnee and rockst3ady Thank you for your wonderful support, my beautiful girls, I love you so much ]