Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 421

Ethan struggled to rise, but his efforts were useless; it was as if every ounce of strength had been drained from his body.

He stared in despair at Claire's photograph on the headstone. The gentle eyes and soft smile that once brought him comfort now felt like a blade, sharp and merciless, cutting straight into his heart.

The pain was overwhelming.

Blood welled up in his mouth again and splattered across Claire's headstone.

Sean's expression tightened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

Amara, without a shred of sympathy, shoved the suffering Ethan aside. "Get away. You're making a mess of my mother's grave."

She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the blood from the marble, her small hands careful and reverent.

Though Amara was just a child, the look in her eyes as she gazed at the headstone was full of devotion and aching tenderness, as if she were tending to the most precious thing in the world-something sacred, untouchable.

Ethan lifted his head, anguish twisting his features. His eyes were bloodshot, as if tears could no longer contain all the pain inside him.

He glared at Sean, gritting his teeth. "Did you tell her everything about Claire?" Sean looked down at him, making no attempt to deny it. "I did."

Rage flared in Ethan's eyes. "Sean, why would you tell a child things like that? She's just a kid-how could she possibly handle it?"

into a cold half-smile. "How I

daughter can be kind, but she will never be naïve. We give her all the love we have, but she's not

you took advantage of her. But my daughter-when

finished cleaning the headstone and finally

the icy set of her features sent a chill down his spine. She looked so much like Claire, but the steely resolve in her eyes was

father's way of raising me. I can be kinder than any good person, and

that words so harsh could

"Amara, I know I was

sneered, an adult's

child's face.

too

tan uncle like you."

really feel sorry for what you did to her, then do us both a favor

Ethan like a thunderclap, leaving him hollow and

to touch the cold stone, but Amara slapped

"Don't touch my mother."

was barely

regret. "Is

if it means spending my life watching over her