Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 486

"Oh, right—she vanished eight years ago. No one's heard a word since. So what if she was a genius? So what if she aced every class? It never brought her a good life, did it? She was doomed from the start. She's probably dead already—a wretched little thing, gone before her time."

Adah's temper flared. She raised her hand, ready to slap him across the face.

Ethan, his face smeared with blood, stared back at her defiantly. He didn't even flinch.

"Go on. Hit me. You could beat me to death and I wouldn't care. Without Vanessa, there's no reason for me to stay in this house. I'd be better off dead."

"Your own daughter's gone. If you finish me off too, you'll have no one left. The family line ends with you."

"You-" Adah was shaking, so furious her whole body trembled.

Just then, a soft, melodic female voice echoed through the living room.

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, Mr. Ethan. I'm very much alive."

Adah's head snapped up. She saw Claire walking through the doorway.

The moment she saw Claire, tears streamed down her face-she simply couldn't hold them back.

"Claire? Is it really you?"

Adah remembered-yet, somehow,

Adah's and Nathan's best

Claire was nothing like the girl

had been pretty, yes, but so painfully thin and small, her collarbones jutting out

healthy figure, every inch the result

it painfully obvious how little the Linwood family had ever cared for her

the sofa and walked toward her,

is it really you? Have you finally come back to

stop herself, firing

calm,

her-something Claire had longed for

father, a mother, a brother who truly loved her. As for Adaband Ethan? They were nothing

hesitation, Claire shoved Adah

stumble back several steps; she nearly

looked at her, wounded. "Claire, you

of cold contempt. Adah

tried to

ssment, forcing a b

to her face.