Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 453

When Mrs. Tempest burst onto the scene, she looked every bit the fierce mother hen-so different from her usual gentle, graceful self that she was nearly

unrecognizable.

Claire blinked, taken aback. She'd never seen Mrs. Tempest like this before- radiating such ferocity, as if she might tear apart anyone who dared lay a finger on her precious daughter.

Mrs. Tempest rushed to Claire's side, her eyes full of worry as she checked her over from head to toe.

"Honey, are you hurt anywhere? Tell me, sweetheart," she urged.

Orion's usually charming face was twisted in anger. "Claire, tell me who did this to you? Who bullied you?"

But before Claire could answer, Vanessa cut in with a sneer, "It's her own fault for not letting me have the dress! She deserved what she got she was asking for it."

Ethan chimed in, backing his sister up. "Yeah! Picking a fight with my little sister over a dress? She's lucky that's all she got."

"All the prettiest dresses should be for my sister. No one else would look as good in them as she does."

Orion turned his gaze on Ethan and Vanessa, his eyes cold and sharp.

Adah, seeing Orion glare at her son and daughter with such ferocity despite being so young, snapped, "What's with that look? This is a huge boutique, and you two insist on grabbing every nice dress for yourselves. How selfish can you be?"

manners? I'd hate to see how your parents are raising

you're grown up. The world

back, her

was Adah's habit of always taking Vanessa's side, never caring about right or

because of Adah's blatant favoritism that Claire had suffered so much in the

it was just her, but now Adah was insulting her mother and brother too—that was something Claire absolutely

suddenly spoke up. "Let me show you

turned to Claire, pointing at Vanessa. "Sweetheart, was it her who tried to steal your dress

quite sure where

darling: if someone tries to take something from you, you take

you,

up

you have to. Don't be afraid. Your father, your brother, and I will always be

unwavering-a living example to Claire that as long as she believed in whatwas right, she could go for it without

welled

be believed in and supported by your mom,

of strength filling

firmly. "I understand,

she turned to face

her previous life, and now she was

settle the score