Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 82

Her brother's affection belonged to her.

And so did Brian.

Claire, you shameless woman. You dared to covet what wasn't yours, and for that, you deserve nothing but disdain.

Vanessa's hatred for Claire burned intensely. In an instant, she devised a plan to deal with her.

She stomped down the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the house.

Seeing Vanessa alone, Adah couldn't help but ask, "Vanessa, where's your sister?"

Vanessa feigned disappointment, "She's not in Brian's room, she's probably retreated to her own space again."

Adah's expression froze, already aware that Claire's "room" was nothing more than a storage closet. When Ethan had shown her the small, damp, windowless space Claire had called home for three years, Adah's heart had nearly broken.

She couldn't fathom how Claire had managed in such a grim place. So when Ethan had decided to renovate his own room into a girlish, princess-themed surprise for Claire, Adah had supported him wholeheartedly, hoping it might mend their mother-daughter relationship.

Claire had woken up, there had

the storage room, it felt like a personal affront, a

and frustration mixed on Adah's face,

her, "Mom, let me go. We're closer in age, and maybe she'll listen

Vanessa's reasoning. Claire was just a child; surely it wasn't her place as the

becoming

thought, Adah gestured for Vanessa to

her expression hardened with

the storage room, not bothering to knock before barging

dear sister." Claire's

to leave? Who

eyes filled with disdain, "Just because you're our parents' biological daughter doesn't mean you can lord it over me. Who do you think

be the real daughter, but you're still nothing more than

chin, as if Claire were nothing but dirt, "Let me warn you, Brian is my man. He's not

calm, rising slowly from her makeshift bed to face Vanessa. "Your man? You can't even keep him in check. If you could, Brian wouldn't be chasing me down to the storage room, nor forbidding me from