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 this outcome

it was

promising student at Prestige University, she was unjustly imprisoned, her record tarnished,

had suffered in those five years in prison, her hearing stolen, a leg broken, and a kidney taken

torment she faced in those endless nights was

Victor's heart softened, and he urged, "Ethan, Claire can't

madness, stayed on his knees, bowing

soon swelling with a purple bruise, blood mingling with the rain

actions and hurried to stop him, "Ethan,

shoved him aside, roaring, "Claire can't hear me, but she can

rain couldn't hide his

and I need to atone. I'll bow until she

anguish as he continued to bow over

stood by, watching Ethan's desperate display, at a loss for what

window, unimpressed, seeing it all as just

followed by renewed cruelty on