Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom novel Chapter 465

“No, no—Claire, please, let me explain!”

But Mrs. Tempest cut her off sharply. “There’s nothing left to explain. You were ready to throw your own child into an orphanage. That alone proves you’re not fit to be a mother. Just look at those two children—the arrogance and conceit they display are evidence enough of your failures.”

She turned to address the gathering, her voice icy and commanding. “All of you, causing such a scene at my precious daughter’s birthday party—nearly ruining the celebration we planned for Claire. Don’t think this will be forgotten. When the party’s over, each and every one of you will answer for what you’ve done.”

With that, Mrs. Tempest swept Claire into her arms and strode away, not sparing a single glance behind her.

Adah could only watch, helpless, as their figures receded down the hall. Her voice broke as she screamed after them, “Give me back my daughter—give her back!”

But no matter how she cried, no one paid her any mind.

She wanted desperately to chase after them, but her whole body was trembling, her legs refusing to obey. Tears streamed down her cheeks, fiercer than ever—a mother’s fear of losing her child, raw and overwhelming.

“Claire, it’s all my fault,” she sobbed, her voice barely above a whisper. “In my last life, I was blind and foolish, always siding with Vanessa, and because of that, you were hurt—hurt so deeply you’ll suffer for a lifetime.”

“But this time—this time things will be different. God has given me a second chance, and I promise, I’ll protect you, Claire. I’ll never let anyone harm you again.”

“I know I was wrong,” she wept. “I regret it so much… If only I had come back sooner—maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe the disaster at the boutique could have been avoided.”

The memory stabbed at her: how she’d defended Vanessa without a second thought, scolding little Claire—just five years old—without ever asking what really happened. She could have slapped herself for her stupidity, for her blind favoritism.

Adah’s gaze turned cold and furious as she looked down at Vanessa, who lay motionless on the floor.

All of this—every bit of it—was this brat’s fault.

In her past life, Vanessa had known perfectly well she wasn’t Nathan’s child; she was the daughter of Sophia and Garnett Brown. And yet, she’d lied, deceiving everyone in the Linwood family. Because of her, they’d sacrificed their real daughter, leaving her broken and crippled.

But now that Adah was back, there was no way she’d let Vanessa off so easily.