Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 2

"You still owe Vanessa an apology."

"Get in the car; I won't say it again."

Claire found those words bitterly ironic.

She had explained it countless times-it wasn't her who pushed Irene Cole; it was Vanessa. But no one believed her. They all chose to side with Vanessa.

Claire was the real daughter of the Linwood family, yet her entire family only trusted Vanessa's version of events.

She felt guilty, indeed-guilty for coming back, for yearning for a family affection that was never truly hers.

She realized her mistake. She would change.

She would walk away, far enough to never compete with Vanessa for her parents' and brother's love, never again be a thorn in their side.

But why was Ethan so displeased?

She subtly pulled her hand away from his, stepping back to put some distance between them.

Ethan, stirring memories of how she used to trail after him like a shadow, desperate

soften

as if she couldn't be bothered to look at

demeanor only

hadn't

about to explode, a soothing voice interrupted

"Claire."

body stiffened, and her previously

that voice instantly—it

polished shoes enter her line of sight, and the man's deep, resonant voice drifted down to

congratulations on your

anyone else said this, she would have graciously replied with a "thank you." But coming from Vincent, it felt like

friend, Vincent Lewis, now a renowned lawyer, had represented

"Claire, Vanessa has never suffered. She wouldn't survive prison. Can

it, but could

accustomed to hardship, did that mean she deserved to bear

of the Linwood family to prison had made him a star