Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Chapter 498

But Claire couldn't give Irene what she wanted.

She owed a debt only to Irene-she didn't owe the rest of the Cole family a thing.

Claire gave Irene a gentle smile. "That's a privilege you have. As for him..." She turned her gaze to Brian.

Brian was watching her with open anticipation, hope written all over his face. Inside, Claire scoffed. "No."

The word landed like a stone. The hope in Brian's eyes shattered in an instant, and his whole demeanor crumpled. He stared at Claire, as if searching her eyes for a hint of warmth, and what he found instead was unmistakable dislike.

But why? He couldn't understand it. This was the first time they'd ever met-why would she dislike him so much?

The question gnawed at him, but he could do nothing except swallow the pain.

Even Irene was stunned. She could feel that Claire meant her no harm, but it was just as clear that Claire had no fondness for her brother.

Claire didn't care about Brian's feelings. In her previous life, she and Brian had been so close. But it had only taken a few careless words from Vanessa for Brian to turn on her without hesitation, always choosing to believe Vanessa's lies and never trusting her.

People like that she wanted nothing more than to keep them at arm's length. How could she ever consider being friends with him again?

"Let's go," Claire said.

around her as she slowly

the end of it, that she could finally go home. But as they stepped outside, she was caught off guard by the crowd of reporters

close in, security stepped in

wink. "I figured this might happen, so I

you, Orion,"

your brother. It's my job

a moment, Claire felt a lump in her throat. Ethan-her biological brother-had never once tried to protect her. All he'd ever given her

a brother who would stand up for

family, Claire climbed

back to Northcrest City now?"

hand. "Not just yet. We need to thank the person who

savior?" Claire

Adah

she'd known that Nathan, Sophia and Vanessa wouldn't let her go so easily.

time, they'd framed her and sent her to prison. This time, she was determined to turn the tables and make

to Adah beforehand, arranging for her to call

wasn't it Adah who called

head. "No, the police said it was a young man who