Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 364

Her eyes never left Claire-not even for a second. There was something familiar in them, a flicker of recognition, a searching uncertainty, and then, finally, a rare moment of clarity.

Tears spilled down her face in an instant, yet she was smiling.

She reached out a trembling hand. "Claire, you're my Claire. You finally came to see me, didn't you?"

Claire looked back at her with cold indifference, her gaze utterly unmoved, as if staring at a stranger.

Adah stumbled toward her, words tumbling out in a frantic rush. "Claire, Mom missed you so much. Stay with me, please. Don't leave me again."

Just as she neared, a pair of orderlies intercepted her, blocking her path and refusing to let her come any closer.

Adah fought wildly, screaming, "Let go of me! I want to hold my daughter-that's my daughter!"

She was shockingly strong, flailing her arms and clawing at the air in desperation. Claire simply stood there, watching it all unfold with icy detachment.

So it's true, she thought. Once you let go of your obsession, the love you once craved more than anything turns out to be meaningless after all.

Her voice was calm and distant.

turned to Jeffry.

in her madness, Adah understood every

head furiously. "No, don't go! I'll protect you, I can't lose

how her voice broke with anguish, Claire

hoarse from screaming, the sound

strong that it took several orderlies all their

pressed a needle into Adah's arm, and injected her with a

jerked, her consciousness slipping away, but her eyes never left Claire's retreating

her. "She's had another violent episode today. We should strap her down when she wakes-otherwise,

Adah away, showing no

Outside the psychiatric facility.

deep breath,

Linwood, where to

want to see Nathan and Vanessa Linwood. My kidney's been

to her room, each step weighted

drained. Her legs ached, and a bone-deep weariness filled her whole