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.

pins and needles. As soon as she tried to straighten up, her knees buckled, sending

put on her most pitiful voice and complained, "What took you so

she spoke, Claire tipped her head

she saw who

Orion standing

stars, but cold and distant, as if he kept

was clear he'd grow into someone who'd turn a thousand heads

fell over his forehead, fluttering in the

down at her,

look in his eyes softened

stared at the girl who'd just fallen at his feet, saying nothing for a long

anymore-she could only see the boy

She just never imagined it would happen so soon, so

didn't look exactly like the tall, striking, stoic man she remembered...but she recognized him

a ray of light at

Foster-Sean, just ten years

a child, with the

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