Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 274

Brian's face went pale, memories of that chaotic day at the hospital flooding his mind.

Back then, Claire had been desperate to prove her innocence, her emotions spiraling out of control, eyes brimming with despair and helplessness.

But Brian had looked the other way, stubbornly blocking Irene from naming Vanessa as the culprit.

Now, recalling how it all unfolded, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt-the ache for Claire only deepened inside him.

He spoke at last, voice heavy with remorse, every word weighted with regret. "No... it wasn't Claire."

"Then who was it?" Karin demanded, eyes locked on Brian, her voice trembling with fury. "Who could be so cruel? Who pushed Irene down the stairs? If she hadn't been lucky, she'd be dead."

Brian fell silent once more.

He and Karin had grown up with Vanessa; if anyone knew what Vanessa was really like, it was him.

Even if Claire hadn't done it five years ago, Brian was certain Vanessa would never have hurt Irene on purpose. Maybe Vanessa had accidentally bumped into Irene, who'd lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs.

Besides, Irene was Vanessa's closest friend. Vanessa had no reason to harm her.

sitting or standing properly.

quiet, she wouldn't have spent five years in prison,

himself it was as simple as that, conveniently forgetting that Claire never even had the

on the stand. Adah had wiped the security footage. Vincent, the defense attorney, twisted the truth,

the ones to shove her into the abyss. Now, Brian found himself blaming Claire for not proving her innocence,

with emotion as she shouted

the tip of his tongue. His stubborn silence-protecting the real culprit-finally pushed Jarrod and Karin

darling of the entire Cole family. As the heiress to Cole

in a coma, and even with the best care, her body was frail-skin and bones, barely clinging to

amount of punishment for Claire could erase the pain the Coles felt. That's why they'd paid people to torment her in

told they'd taken revenge on the

own son was protecting the real

hand through the bars, grabbed Brian by the collar, his

clamped his mouth shut, refusing

five years, wasting away despite the nurses' best

fool! Have you ever cared

any idea how much your mother and I

just to get you