Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 298

Atonement?

She scoffed. She didn't need any of it.

All of this-apologies, promises, pleas-were nothing more than desperate attempts for comfort, a way for them to cling to some shred of hope after losing everything, after finally facing the consequences of their actions.

If Nathan had any better option left, he would never have come crawling to her.

All the suffering she'd endured in the first half of her life had been a gift from the man standing before her.

Why should she forgive the person who had hurt her the most?

Not only did she refuse to forgive him, but she also believed Nathan's punishment was far from enough.

Her hatred ran deep-for Nathan, for Ethan, for Vanessa, for Adah, for Sophia, for Garnett Brown, and for Vincent and Brian.

Every single one of them had chosen to hurt her, all for Vanessa's sake. They were her executioners, one and all.

As for Jarrod and Karin, she couldn't quite say she hated them, but there was no affection in her heart, either. Their cruelty hadn't been for Vanessa-it had been for Irene, for vengeance.

Claire's gaze swept slowly, deliberately, across each face in the room.

her eyes. Shame weighed down their heads, one

one.

may have betrayed me, but I won't stoop to your level. Go on-go back to where you

widened

What did she mean?

she really going to send him back to

he couldn't go

Now, he was nothing but a beaten-down stray. If he went back now, he'd become the laughingstock

voice cracking.

curled into a

Father?

her,

wouldn't dream of

her whole body shaking with

rolling hills

never get out. Worse, she might fall prey to some lonely, desperate local

to stream down her face.

husband cheated, your son's in prison,

had struck her. She stood rooted to the

but she wasn't insane. She'd