Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 415

After all, during those three years, not a single member of the family had shown Claire even a shred of care-only three years of relentless hurt.

Now, after reading her diary, the memories crashed over Ethan like tidal waves. He saw it all play out in his mind: every bitter argument, every cruel punishment, every time the family lashed out at Claire—either with words or worse.

Scene after scene replayed themselves, each one more painful than the last. Over those years, the ways they'd hurt her, sometimes intentionally, sometimes without even realizing it, must have numbered in the hundreds. Nearly every week, Claire had been humiliated or punished for one reason or another.

Those images tormented Ethan, leaving him in utter agony. His head felt like it might explode, pain and guilt pounding until it seemed his mind might shatter under the weight.

"Claire," he choked out, "I'm so sorry. I promise you, I'll spend the rest of my life making this up to you."

He slid the diary back into the drawer, stumbling from the room as if the floor were tilting beneath him.

He had to find Claire. He had to get down on his knees before her and beg for forgiveness.

With his hair disheveled and tear tracks streaking his face, Ethan dashed straight for the front door.

Every person he saw, he stopped and grabbed. "Have you seen my sister?"

"Your sister? Who's your sister?"

seen

shook their heads. "Sorry, don't

from one person to the next, growing more frantic

shake of the head, a raised

the

ten years. Claire, why aren't you home? Where did you go? I know

"

find her. I need to

did you go?" Ethan muttered the words over and over, almost in

his eyes

right-ten years ago, Claire left with Sean. She

a lifeline. Without a second thought, Ethan took off running toward the

if each step could

heart thudded with a mixture of hope and dread-hope that he'd finally see Claire, fear that she would

he arrived in front of the

glinted coldly in the sunlight, imposing

pounding on the gates with both fists. "Please, let me in! I need to see

trembled with years of suppressed guilt and

see you. Are you in there? If you are, please just come out for a minute. I'm so sorry I came here just to