Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 488

After awakening memories from her past life, Adah treated Vanessa with relentless cruelty. She would strike her, curse her, and often denied her food. Sometimes, she forced Vanessa to kneel outside in the rain or under the blazing sun; even in the dead of winter, Vanessa was made to roll on the icy ground, shivering until she was nearly numb.

Every torment Claire had suffered in her previous life, Vanessa endured in full measure now.

In this lifetime, Vanessa was nothing like the tall, graceful girl she had once been. Now she was scrawny and frail, her hair dull and her skin sallow.

Nathan seethed with helpless fury as he watched his beloved daughter wither under such abuse. But there was nothing he could do. After the Linwood Group went bankrupt, he was left a middle-aged man with no job and no home.

The bankruptcy hit Adah as well, but at least she had her own savings and assets from before the marriage. This very house was in her name. Even after the collapse, she could still live comfortably, her bank account untouched.

If she'd never met Nathan, that scoundrel, she could have built a life for herself. She was sharp-her father was a wealthy businessman in Cresthaven, after all. With a rich father and brains of her own, Adah could have gone far.

But she had let herself fall for Nathan's lies, nearly letting him take everything from her in the process.

Now, ever since her awakening, Adah hated Nathan with a passion. She'd long since made up her mind to divorce him and throw him out of the house. But Nathan was more stubborn than a mule, refusing to sign the papers and dragging things out as long as possible.

With no other choice, Adah filed for divorce, insisting Nathan leave without taking a single cent. Naturally, he refused, and the court battles dragged on. It wasn't until last year that the divorce finally went through-Nathan and Vanessa were kicked out, forced to fend for themselves.

supporting them in secret. When Adah

Adah's hand that her health was in ruins; her kidney disease had flared up

and Vanessa plotted on the staircase to steal my kidney. Given the kind of people they are, if they can't find a

fury. "Don't worry, Claire. I swear I won't let history repeat

answer was firm. "I want them to come after

at her, stunned. "Claire, why

myself. But now, things have changed. I'm one of the country's leading technology researchers, a

"Imagine what would happen if Nathan and Vanessa tried to hurt me, and the authorities found out? What kind of punishment do you think they'd

let the words hang

"Not to brag, but

holographic technology. My research has

critical breakthrough. Soon, all

will step into

artificial intelligence."

I

already a serious crime, but Claire wasn't