Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 457

The Celestial Aerie was the only seven-star hotel in all of Northcrest City.

To celebrate Claire's birthday, the Tempest family had reserved the entire place- every glimmering suite, every chandelier-lit ballroom, all for her.

Today, Mrs. Tempest had taken it upon herself to dress Claire up for the occasion. The little girl wore a powder-pink, hand-tailored princess dress that billowed around her like spun sugar. With her fair skin and cherubic features, she looked every bit the porcelain doll.

The Tempests arrived together, a picture-perfect family of four, stepping into The Celestial Aerie's grand entrance.

Mr. Tempest crouched down to meet Claire at eye level and couldn't resist ruffling her soft hair.

"Sweetheart, there are a lot of important guests outside waiting for me," he told her gently. "I won't be able to stay with you right now, but I promise I'll check in as soon as I can."

All the city's movers and shakers had been invited tonight, and as the head of the family, Mr. Tempest was expected to greet them personally.

Claire, in her previous life, had never celebrated her own birthday she'd only ever watched from the sidelines as the Linwoods threw lavish parties for Vanessa. Still, she'd seen it all enough times to know exactly how these things worked.

She nodded obediently. "It's okay, Daddy. Go ahead."

Her maturity tugged at Mr. Tempest's heartstrings, filling him with both pride and a bittersweet ache.

To outsiders, Mr. Tempest was always reserved and imposing. But in front of his sweet, delicate daughter, he melted.

He gave her a comically forlorn look. "Don't you even miss me a little, Claire? I can't bear to be away from my precious girl, not even for a minute!"

a tear, putting on a

help but stifle a laugh. Her father's affection could be a bit

her small hands, exaggerating her childlike innocence as she

grown-up now," she said solemnly. "You can't cry like a little kid, or you won't look

how about a great big hug to cheer

winning with him. Ever

her parents

with endless

Claire wondered if, were she any bigger, they'd

piggyback rides

dutifully threw her arms around her father

the cheek

go greet the

his daughter's affection, Mr. Tempest straightened

Claire

he'd gone,

to a pair of magnificent double doors. "When

walk you through those

be waiting for you, and our darling Claire will be the star of the

something very different to Claire than

past life, she'd dreamed countless times that the