Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 37

Claire stared intently at Irene. "Irene, it's me, Claire," she said softly.

"You despise me so much, I'm sure you can recognize my voice, right?"

"I've heard that some people in a coma can have some level of awareness. I wonder if you can hear me now."

"If you can, when will you finally wake up?"

Claire rambled on, her words filling the air, but the person lying in the bed showed no sign of response.

The antiseptic smell permeated the hospital room, mingling with the stark whiteness of the walls and bedsheets, which only accentuated Irene's frail, skeletal frame.

Claire slowly sat down by the bedside, her eyes never leaving Irene's pale face.

was the one who hurt you, but I'm

and in that time, I took Vanessa's

jabbed me with needles, beat me with sticks, and even took

the curtains, casting dappled patterns on the floor, unable

as she continued, "I remember the first time I met you. You smiled so brightly, like a princess. I envied you then- your loving family, your affluent life, your many friends. And here I was, finally back with the Linwood family, but

more than a

who hurt you,

over her, and Claire's tears began

her eyes, not noticing that Irene's eyes had flickered ever

stood up. "Irene, you need to get better soon. I'll come back to see you when I

Claire left the room, she found herself staring into a pair

a sharply tailored black suit, his tall and imposing figure exuding an air of authority. His features were chiseled and handsome, yet hard and unyielding-thick eyebrows arched toward his temples, and his deep-set eyes were as inscrutable as a dark abyss. Below his high- bridged nose, his lips were set in a firm

shivers down Claire's spine. Her legs grew weak, and every muscle in her body tensed with