Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 438

"No means no."

"Then we're not leaving." York and Zachary had made up their minds: they wouldn't leave until they saw Claire. They dug in their heels at the Tempest estate, refusing to budge no matter how many times they were shooed away.

Orion watched the two of them like a hawk, determined not to let them slip past. But he hardly spared a glance for Sean.

Sean gave the trio of troublemakers a cool, disinterested look, then turned and walked out of the mansion without another word.

The grounds behind the house were sprawling and serene-a perfect place to be alone. Sean liked the quiet, so he wandered toward the backyard, his small figure walking with a straight back and a calm, measured pace, as if the noise of the world simply didn't touch him.

Meanwhile, in the garden-

Claire was crouched among the flowers, waiting...and waiting. Half an hour went by, but Orion never came.

Her legs were numb from sitting in the same position for so long.

Did Orion forget about her?

Whatever. She needed to get up and stretch her legs.

long; her legs prickled with pins and needles. As soon as she tried to straighten up, her knees buckled, sending her stumbling forward a few steps-until she landed flat on the ground with a soft thud. When she looked

Orion, so she put on her most pitiful voice and complained, "What took you so long, big brother? I've been waiting for

she spoke, Claire tipped her head

moment she saw who it

wasn't Orion

as stars, but cold and distant,

still a child, it was clear he'd grow into someone who'd turn a thousand heads

over his

down at her, his

their eyes locked. The icy look in his eyes softened ever

for a long moment. Then he reached out his

couldn't hear anything anymore-she could only see the boy standing in

times. She just never imagined it would

didn't look exactly like the tall, striking, stoic

one who had broken into her life like a ray of light at her darkest hour, pulling her

Mr. Foster-Sean, just ten years

was still a child,

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