Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 436

"Sweetheart, I was worried you might be scared during the night, so I stayed with you. How did you sleep? Did you rest well?" Mrs. Tempest asked gently.

Claire had slept better than she could remember. The soft bed, the cozy room, crisp clean sheets-everything was just perfect. How could she possibly have had a bad night?

In fact, her sleep had been so deep and peaceful that she hadn't even noticed Mrs. Tempest slipping in beside her. By the time morning came, she barely remembered falling asleep.

Claire reached out her chubby little arms and hugged Mrs. Tempest around the neck. "Mom, thank you for being so good to me."

Mrs. Tempest embraced her daughter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Oh, sweetheart, I'm your mother. Taking care of you is what I'm supposed to do."

Of course! That's what moms are supposed to do. But in her previous life, her biological mother, Adah, had never seemed to understand that.

Adah always claimed to treat Claire and Vanessa the same, but she never failed to show favoritism toward Vanessa.

But that was a lifetime ago. Now, given a second chance, there was no point in clinging to old wounds.

"Claire, time to get up and get ready. Breakfast is waiting for you," Mrs. Tempest said softly, her voice full of affection.

toes sank into the plush carpet as she slipped

on slippers really such a

Tempest into the bathroom and discovered everything prepared for

picked up her toothbrush and

her excitement at the sight of

only five years old and she can brush her own teeth.

She's practically a

sweetie brush her own teeth, she can

two lifetimes, she'd never been praised

Tempest scooped Claire up in

"Ready for breakfast, darling?"

can walk by

teeth, washed your face, and put on your lotion all by yourself. You must

nestled into Mrs. Tempest's arms, deciding she might as well play along. As a reward, she gave her mother a big, smacking kiss on the

Tempest practically melted with

and