Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 223

Ethan's legs gave way beneath him, and with a dull thud, his knees sank into the mud, the sound swallowed by a crack of thunder overhead.

The howling wind whipped around him, driving the rain in hard, stinging pellets against his skin. Yet, this physical pain paled in comparison to the turmoil inside him.

Rain streamed down his forehead and cheeks in a relentless flow, indistinguishable from tears of the heavens or the water of his own regret.

His screams were shredded by the gale, the metallic taste of blood mixing with rain as it filled his lungs.

Memories of how he'd hurt Claire, all the times he'd humiliated her for Vanessa, played over and over like barbs embedded in his mind, tearing at him with every blink.

Each scene magnified in his mind, looping endlessly, making him wish for anything but this unending torment.

"How could I have been such a bastard? How could I do this to her... Claire-"

Such raw, heartfelt repentance even moved Victor, who stood nearby, his brow furrowed with a mix of sympathy and disdain.

Victor felt pity, but he also believed Ethan deserved his anguish.

didn't he think of

now, it was nothing compared to the hell Claire

unjustly

five years in

torment she faced in those endless nights was beyond any

broken, Victor's heart softened, and he urged, "Ethan, Claire can't hear you. We should head

stayed on his knees, bowing repeatedly toward Claire's room on the

forehead hit the ground with a dull thud each time, soon swelling with a purple bruise, blood mingling

was stunned by his actions and hurried to stop

roaring, "Claire can't hear me, but

pouring rain couldn't hide his tears, which

I need to atone. I'll bow until

was filled with anguish as he

display,

window, unimpressed, seeing it all as just another

were nothing new, always followed