Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 171

Ethan sat there, utterly devastated, tears streaming down his face as he stared at the family photo. His sorrow felt like a heavy weight, crushing his very soul.

Blood mixed with his tears, blurring Claire's face in the picture. In a frantic attempt to clean it, he only smeared it further, staining her image a deep crimson, as if mocking the tragic path her life had taken, always shadowed by suffering.

Even just the sight of the photograph brought a flood of painful memories, each more unbearable than the last. The ache in his heart was so intense he nearly fainted. He couldn't bear to open Claire's diary, instead shoving it into the drawer and slamming it shut with trembling hands.

Clutching the family photo tightly, Ethan tried to leave the storage room. But as he stood, the world spun around him, and he collapsed to the floor, blood spilling from his mouth again. His stomach felt as if it were being torn apart, the pain excruciating.

He lay there, struggling to rise, but his body refused to cooperate. With shaking hands, he fumbled for his phone and dialed Victor's number.

The call connected, and Victor's voice came through, tinged with confusion, "Ethan, what's going on? Why are you calling so late?"

despair. Only the harsh sounds of coughing and the sickening

Victor's voice grew urgent, "What's happening? Are you

choke out a few

seeming to be dredged up

sensed this was linked to Claire and urged, "Don't

"I saw her awards, her acceptance letter, and that

listened in silence, at a loss for comforting words, finally saying, "Stay calm. I'm

there, staring vacantly ahead. Memories of Claire, her presence in the household, and all the moments he had overlooked, the dreams he had crushed,

imagined Claire's eyes filled with despair and closed his own in agony. How could he ever make amends? What could he possibly do

...

roused from sleep by the commotion, were filled with a growing