Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 296

May had carried all these memories in her heart for years—every incident, every injustice—and now, finally, she had the chance to pour out everything she'd kept bottled up inside. As the words tumbled out, she felt a rush of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest.

Aberdeen and Grace had known Claire's life with the Linwood family was hard, but they'd never imagined her own mother could be so heartless. Disgust was written plainly on their faces as they turned to glare at Adah.

Jarrod and Karin listened in stunned disbelief. As parents themselves, with a daughter they doted on, they couldn't fathom such cruelty. It was this very love for their own child that had driven them to lash out at Claire, seeking revenge for Irene's tragedy. Now, learning what Claire had truly endured-the wrongful imprisonment, the pain they'd inflicted on her in ignorance-Jarrod and Karin were consumed with guilt and sorrow. When they looked at Adah, all they saw was a woman whose actions were beyond forgiveness.

Brian, collapsed on the floor, was overwhelmed with grief. He couldn't even bring himself to face Claire anymore.

Nathan, paralyzed and confined to his wheelchair, was crying too-tears of regret streaming down his face. For over twenty years, he'd been deceived. Vanessa wasn't even his daughter. And yet, for a child who was never truly his, he had beaten and berated his own flesh and blood.

for Vanessa's crimes, even gone so far as to steal her kidney for the girl he thought was his own. Had Vanessa been mocking him all along? Had Sophia and Garnett Brown-those conniving lovers-laughed behind

sorrow pressed down on Nathan like a mountain, suffocating him. He tried to speak, to beg for forgiveness, but

flashed before her eyes like a film she couldn't pause. Her gaze

the corner, watching Vanessa bask in everyone's affection-her face a mixture of envy and heartbreak. Adah had ignored it all, pouring every ounce of love and care into Vanessa, leaving Claire

shook violently. She wanted desperately to believe this was just a nightmare, that she could wake

her-how she had turned away, cold and indifferent. Now, that haunted gaze clung to

chest, Adah wished with everything in her that she could go back, that she could hold Claire close, buy her beautiful clothes, throw her lavish birthday parties, make her

damage she had done was carved into Claire's life and into her own

years. Her pride was gone; she