Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 301

"You stay away from my son!" Sophia Shaw's eyes blazed with fury. "He's never hurt you not once! He's innocent in all of this."

Claire Linwood's voice was icy, her words sharp as glass. "Not once, you say? Every meal your son ate overseas, every roof over his head, every privilege-who do you think paid for it all? The Linwood family did. If he's enjoyed the easy life your family gave him, he can bear the consequences of your crimes too."

"A son paying for his father's sins one kidney. That's all I'm asking. Hardly unreasonable." Claire's tone was measured, almost calm, but every word hit Sophia like a hammer, splintering her hope.

"No! You can't-if you want revenge, take it out on us. My son doesn't know anything," Sophia sobbed, her voice breaking.

For the first time, real terror overtook Sophia. She loved Garnett Brown too much —without him, she was nothing. To keep her alive, Garnett had swallowed his pride, endured her affair with Nathan Linwood, even shared her with him. Garnett's love was vast, forgiving beyond measure.

She could not let Garnett's bloodline end. Her son-nothing could happen to her

son.

herself and looked at Vanessa Linwood with a gaze

stared at her mother in disbelief, frozen to the spot as the truth dawned. She watched, speechless, as Sophia pleaded with Claire. "Claire, I accept your terms. If... if Vanessa dies, I'll sign the donation

you want to us, but spare my

daughter too!" Vanessa's scream was ragged, desperate. "If

of life, she'd never felt agony like this-the raw heartbreak of being abandoned by her own parents. It was as if her heart had

sobbed and thrashed, her anguish pitiful to see. But not a single person

Vanessa was suffering now,

had sacrificed Claire again and again for Vanessa, wounding her without mercy. Now, the tables had turned; the once cherished Vanessa was nothing but a pawn, discarded by the people

had longed for-the vengeance she

humbled herself again and again, hoping for affection that never came.

out of prison, she'd sworn to cut all ties with the Linwoods. Back then, she had no taste for revenge-no