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 been no gratitude,

returned to the storage room, it felt like a personal affront, a deliberate move to keep their relationship

Adah's face, annoyed by Claire's

as she was about to head to the storage room, Vanessa stopped her, "Mom, let me go.

couch, agreeing with Vanessa's reasoning. Claire was just a child; surely it

was becoming

Adah gestured for Vanessa to

her

to the storage room, not bothering to knock

of the day, how delightful, dear

want me to leave?

daughter doesn't mean you can lord it over me.

daughter, but you're still nothing

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

in check. If you could, Brian wouldn't be chasing me down to the storage room, nor forbidding