Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 447

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you. I was wrong, Claire- will you forgive me?"

Even though Claire hadn't been burned, just picturing her-so small-in the kitchen cooking made Orion's eyes redden with guilt and heartache.

Claire had grown up in an orphanage, a place where life was rarely kind. No wonder she knew how to cook; she'd probably had to fend for herself more times than he could imagine.

But she was only five-a child, really.

The more Orion thought about it, the more it hurt. He bent down and gently blew on Claire's tiny hand.

"Does it hurt? Is it burned?"

Looking at Orion, whose eyes brimmed with tears for her sake, Claire felt a strange warmth in her heart.

In her previous life, when she was with the Linwood family, she'd given them everything—her loyalty, her affection, her trust. But no matter how hard she tried, she never got their love in return.

They never cared about her. They always acted as if everything she did was simply expected.

Now, though, she finally had a brother who truly worried about her.

It felt so good. She knew, deep down, that being adopted by the Tempest family was the best decision she'd ever made.

"Don't worry, Orion. I'm fine."

"Promise me you won't do that again. From now on, you're not allowed in the kitchen."

"Okay."

affection, the scene unfolding at the Foster estate was quite the opposite—a bloody

clenched in his fist, and pushed

scrolling through her phone, shot upright in terror the moment

"Wh-what are you doing?"

far cry from the innocent, gentle boy he'd been with Claire

tried to throw Claire down the

frantically, panic etched across her face. "No, no, you've got it all wrong,

against the wall, twirling the fruit knife between his fingers with a

face, making his childish features look suddenly dark

when he was like

he was capable of when crossed, and she knew

reckless he could be

to be picked up by grown-ups, don't they?

her a hug, that's all,

you think,

to God, every word I say is true. If there's a single lie, may lightning strike me where

I've been good these last five years you know that

Sean looked up, his dark eyes so cold and deep they seemed

made Yvonne's knees

going to do? I'm still your stepmother, you can't hurt me—" Sean moved closer, still holding the

learn your lesson. I

please—” Yvonne was so terrified she

to scramble away, but there was nowhere to run in