The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 102

She might walk away completely unscathed, but the deep, agonizing injustices she had endured would remain buried in the dark forever.

That thought lingered in her mind for less than a second.

Annelise was never the type to just stand by and watch.

She was going to light this match herself.

Her mind quickly mapped out the entire estate.

Instantly, a forgotten, highly discreet passageway popped into her head.

The back door to the kitchen.

There was a narrow alleyway strictly used for garbage disposal and ingredient deliveries.

Usually, delivery trucks buzzed in and out of it all day.

But today, because the catering supplies had all arrived the night before, the alley would be entirely deserted.

It was a completely unmonitored blind spot this afternoon.

Annelise immediately ducked into an empty utility closet and locked the door behind her.

She pulled her burner phone from a hidden pocket in her dress, her fingers flying as she selected that anonymous, scrambled number.

She typed out a message, keeping it as brief as humanly possible.

"Kitchen back door. Before 3 PM."

She hit send.

Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs.

She didn't know if he would receive it in time.

She didn't even know if he would trust a text from an unknown number.

But this was the last thing she could do.

The rest was up to fate.

She needed to make sure she was highly visible and seated comfortably among the guests before the clock struck three.

When the storm finally broke, no one could accuse her of orchestrating the chaos.

She had to look like the most innocent, shocked bystander in the room.

By the time she pushed open the heavy, carved wooden doors, the "Family Gratitude Ceremony" was already winding down.

She saw Clarissa holding Lizzie's hand in the center of the stage, offering an elegant, radiant wave to the crowd with a look of pure bliss on her face.

Annelise's gaze drifted toward the massive antique clock on the wall.

The hour and minute hands had just overlapped.

2:35 PM.

There were only twenty-five minutes left until the moment that would permanently rewrite the history of Cresthaven's elite.

The countdown had begun.