Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 363

Claire stood some distance away, watching Adah in silence, her gaze clouded with a tangled mix of emotions.

Adah Jones Linwood, have you ever truly reflected on your choices? Just because you fell for a worthless man and rushed into marriage, you managed to drag your entire life into utter ruin.

Your son is behind bars, your daughter is crippled for life, and you yourself lost an

eye.

You should have had a brilliant future, but your narrow-mindedness and sheer stupidity have left you with nothing but regret.

You-of all people-deserve every bit of this.

A cold, mocking smile played on Claire's lips. Having a mother like Adah was the greatest shame of her life.

She hated Nathan Linwood, but she hated Adah even more.

Looking back on her two decades of misery, Claire knew Nathan was the root of it all, but Adah was hardly blameless.

Her expression hardened as she stared at Adah.

cooing and pretending to lull it to sleep. Then she started talking softly to

"Mommy will protect you. I won't let anyone

me, sweetheart. Mommy loves you so, so

as if she were holding her beloved, living

sight only deepened the scorn

was all

losing everything, Adah finally cherished what she'd taken for granted. But it was

Claire. She saw no reason to linger here. During

out of concern. She just wanted to see, with her own eyes, the miserable ruin of the woman

seen enough. It

as Claire turned to leave, a wild-eyed figure suddenly lunged at Adah, snatching the doll from her

an instant, the tenderness vanished from Adah's face, replaced

Stop! Give her back!" she screamed, her voice ragged, as she hurled

was too fast. No matter how desperately Adah chased him,

she wailed, her voice raw

on him. He stopped, turned, and—seeing Adah's tear-streaked, devastated face-he grinned, revealing a

This is