Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 425

"Push, Mrs. Linwood, push! I can see the baby's head!"

The woman lying on the delivery table gritted her teeth and pushed, following the doctor's instructions.

A moment later, the sharp cry of a newborn filled the room-it was over. The baby had arrived.

"It's a girl! Congratulations, Mrs. Linwood. You have a beautiful daughter," the nurse announced, beaming.

The woman on the bed was utterly exhausted. Her blonde hair clung to her pale, sweat-soaked cheeks, but she barely seemed to notice her own weakness.

"Let me see her. Please, bring my baby over," she managed breathlessly, her voice trembling with urgency.

The doctor and nurses worked quickly, cleaning the baby and wrapping her in a soft, pastel blanket before placing her gently in her mother's arms.

As she gazed at her daughter's tiny, rosy face, a look of pure contentment spread across her features. "She's mine? She's really my daughter? Oh, thank goodness... You're the little heiress of the Linwood family now, you know that?"

Linwood family? Heiress?

Claire's consciousness snapped awake at that moment, those words echoing in her mind.

the first thing she saw was Adah's face—closer and younger than she remembered. Even disheveled, Adah was beautiful, barely looking

How could she possibly be

Adah look

mind buzzed, teetering on the edge of

the harsh scent of antiseptic hung in the air, nurses moved briskly through

It was real.

had been reborn-right at the very moment of her own

blankly at Adah, her thoughts a tangled

up with effort and leaned close, pressing a gentle kiss to her

it made Claire's eyes

Adah had kissed her?

dared dream of such love from her mother. She hadn't even hoped for a hug,

Claire finally realized she had been born into Adah's hope and

carried her, and at least once, she had truly

had eroded that love until there was

back to herself, she was already being

arms, with Adah right beside

when she saw Nathan-the man she'd