Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 59

As Victor's words hung in the air, the hospital room remained silent, with no response from Claire.

Ethan hesitated at the door, unsure whether to enter, when Victor's voice reached his ears again.

"Your body is yours; you should cherish it."

Claire had stayed silent before, but this time she replied, her voice soft yet cold. "Nathan insists on hitting me. What good is cherishing my body?"

Victor was taken aback by her response. After a moment's thought, he said, "If he hits you, you can dodge. Standing still only gets you hurt."

Claire stared blankly at him, making Victor uncomfortable.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Claire remained silent.

It seemed Victor was concerned for her. In reality, he wasn't. It's like being sick- those who truly care take you to the doctor, get your medicine, and tend to you, not just tell you to drink plenty of fluids.

She could have ignored him, but Victor frowned, looking at her with an expression that said he was concerned, while she was ungrateful.

was weak. "How do you know I just stood there and let him hit me? It's hard for me to even walk fast. How

challenged, even though Claire was merely

privileged heir, disliked

him, why would he hit you? You should look for the reason in

she had to find the reason within herself for being beaten made

someone powerless, her resistance was

a woman at the bottom of the heap, oppressed and

one being hurt, she

an instant, unwilling to engage in any more meaningless arguments. "Get out,"

looked utterly shocked. "What did you

out." Claire's voice was still weak from illness, but her attitude was

dismissed. Anger flashed across

that, he turned

felt unsatisfied and turned back. "Your actions

were like a knife,

as though every

so hard that it bled, the metallic taste spreading in her mouth, yet