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.

gently rocking a ragged old doll in her arms, cooing and

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

me, sweetheart. Mommy loves you

pressed a gentle kiss to the doll's cheek, as if she

the scorn in

all this

everything, Adah finally cherished what she'd

something inside Claire. She saw no reason to linger here.

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

she'd seen enough. It was time

Claire turned to leave, a wild-eyed figure suddenly lunged at Adah, snatching the doll from her arms and taking off at a

the tenderness vanished from Adah's face, replaced by panic and fury

she screamed, her voice

No matter how desperately

back! My baby-my Claire!" she wailed, her

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

crying! This is fun-so