Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 369

Nathan's words came out slurred and broken, but his eyes were pleading— desperate, even.

Unlike Vanessa's wild madness or Adah's vacant confusion, Nathan, though left partially paralyzed by his stroke, still had full awareness. His mind was sharp; he just couldn't move like he used to.

Returning to these mountains had been a never-ending nightmare for him. The people here treated him with open hostility. His own father was the worst—if he wasn't beating or berating Nathan, he'd simply withhold food and water, leaving Nathan to lie helpless in his own filth, completely indifferent to the fact that this was his son.

Now, seeing Claire, it was as if Nathan had caught sight of his last lifeline. All pride forgotten, he begged her-begged her to have mercy on her father.

Claire lowered her gaze, meeting Nathan's desperate eyes. A cold, cruel smile spread across her face.

"Nathan, what makes you think I'd ever take you home?"

"Was it when you dumped me in an orphanage? Or maybe it was when you carved out one of my kidneys for Vanessa?"

Her voice grew icier with every word, each syllable a knife twisting in Nathan's chest.

monster-so cold-blooded and heartless you'd destroy your own wife and child. Whatever hell you're living now, you

nerve to beg me for help? Pathetic." As her words landed, Claire lashed out, kicking Nathan hard and sending him sprawling

seemed numb to the pain. He kept crawling after her, his mouth working desperately, still trying to beg-even

stood over him, unmoved, watching him writhe

"I came back just to see with my own eyes how you and Vanessa would end up. Now that

pupils shrank with

wanted out. He wanted to

longed to say: Claire, please forgive your father, won't you? It was all Sophia Shaw's fault-she and Garnett Brown tricked me. Everything was

he tried,

away from Nathan

like a stray dog dragged from a river-soaked, filthy, and snarling defensively

“Vanessa, my kidney's been in your body long enough. Don't you think

didn't matter. Meeting Claire's cold, merciless stare, she froze, then began

in her panic, until she tumbled right

in a corner, arms wrapped tight around