The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 17

He withdrew his gaze and offered a slight bow. "I will leave you to your rest, ma'am."

With that, he turned on his heel to leave.

But right as he reached the door, he paused, as if suddenly remembering a minor detail. He glanced over his shoulder and added a final remark. It was delivered so casually, it almost sounded like an afterthought.

"Mrs. Lehman also mentioned that Madam Clarissa hasn't been feeling well lately. Her spirits are quite low. She asks that you show her some care and attention once you return to the estate."

Without waiting for a response, he opened the door and vanished down the hall, his two assistants trailing soundlessly behind him.

Unable to hold back any longer, Harriet rushed over to the bed, lowering her voice as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Ma'am! You absolutely cannot give them those shares! Mr. Sargent practically gave his life to secure that final safety net for you! If you sign those away, you will have absolutely nothing left in that house!"

Harriet gripped Annelise's hand, trembling uncontrollably.

Annelise turned her hand over, gently clasping the older woman's freezing fingers, and gave them a reassuring squeeze.

"I know."

Her voice was still soft, but those two words carried an immense, grounding weight that instantly put Harriet at ease.

Of course she knew she couldn't sign them away. She was far more focused on Felix's parting words.

Madam Clarissa.

Within the rigid hierarchy of the Lehman Estate, no one earned that title unless they were practically the lady of the house.

Felix was the oldest, most traditional butler they had. He was a master at reading the room and adhering strictly to rank. Yet even he had started openly using such a deferential title to refer to Elias's widow. What did that mean?

It meant that in the eyes of the entire Lehman household—especially with Barnum and Lizzie's explicit approval—Clarissa's status was so untouchable that she was practically running the show.

They were even using her to put Annelise, the actual wife of the second son, in her place.

Why would a grieving widow hold that much power?

Unless, she was about to step into a new role.

Say, as Hackett's wife.

Annelise's mind had never been clearer.

The Lehmans were desperate to strip her of her shares.

Hackett was desperate to terminate her pregnancy and clear the path for a divorce.

But the message itself was just six simple words. As Annelise read them, her pupils violently contracted.

*Safe password changed. Watch your back.*

She stared at the screen, paralyzed for a full minute. Her heart slammed against her ribs in a sudden, uncontrollable frenzy.

Who was this? Who could possibly know she was planning to open that safe? And who would take such a massive risk to send her a warning at a time like this?

Faces flashed through her mind at lightning speed.

The nurse, Josie? The anesthesiologist, Dr. Lewis? Or maybe...

No! None of them knew about her plan. The only two people in the world who knew were her and Harriet.

And whoever this sender was, they didn't just know her plan; they also knew exactly what Hackett was doing to counter it.

The passcode was changed. Hackett's paranoia was far worse than she had calculated. And as for the person who sent this text...

Annelise gripped the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. Slowly, methodically, she deleted the message and blocked the burner number.

Regardless of who this person was, friend or foe, one thing was now an undeniable fact. Inside the seemingly impenetrable fortress she was trapped in, she wasn't just surrounded by predators and enemies. There was someone else operating in the shadows, a completely unknown player hiding on the board.