Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 87

Ethan couldn't help but raise his voice when he saw Claire's indifference. "Claire!"

But Claire acted as if she hadn't heard him. She walked straight to the dining table, picked up a fork, and began eating on her own.

Her blatant disregard for Nathan's condition left both Adah and Ethan feeling cold- hearted and disillusioned.

Tears streaming down her face, Adah implored, "Claire, have you no heart? Your father is in such a state, and you can still think about food?"

Claire picked up a piece of roast beef and chewed it slowly.

Delicious!

It was almost laughable. At twenty-three, it was the first time she had tasted such succulent roast beef.

Back at the orphanage, there was never roast beef to be had.

After returning to the Linwood family, meals consisted of leftovers and cold dishes.

The irony was that it wasn't until she was in prison that she tasted hot, freshly cooked meals. If it weren't for Brian's special arrangements for her in prison, she would have believed the life there was far better than at the orphanage or with the Linwoods.

she spoke slowly, "Haven't you already shattered my heart with your heartlessness? Why is it that when I treat you the

of high school. She had a high fever for three days and nights, bedridden in the storage room, but no one from the Linwood family so much as glanced her way. No one brought her water or food, leaving her to fend for

holiday that she found Claire barely clinging to life. Had May come back a day later, Claire might

died, the Linwood

feeling sorry for her, mentioned it to Nathan and Adah. And what did

tough; there's no way she'd die from a fever. She's just pretending to be sick for sympathy. I know her better

in

Adah had known all along that she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for

get some water when she overheard these words, and a chill spread through her body,

sobbing grew more intense. "Claire, when have we ever abandoned you? You can't just speak

didn't even

imply? It showed they had never really considered her a part of

worth less

recovered from her illness,

rushed the dog to the vet, spending over ten thousand dollars,

family was inconsolable, holding a

had lost a beloved