The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 20

That single question buried itself into Annelise's brain like a jagged shard of glass. She lay awake in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling until the sky outside her window turned a pale, washed-out gray.

At exactly 6:30 AM, the elegant analog clock on her nightstand chimed sharply.

Annelise turned it off and forced herself to sit up. Her body was still incredibly weak from the surgery. With every slight movement, a sharp, tearing pain radiated from her abdomen.

Harriet walked in holding a glass of warm water, her face etched with deep concern.

"Ma'am, why don't you sleep a little longer? Your body needs to rest..."

"I can't." Annelise shook her head, taking the glass. "Lizzie's rules. I can't break them."

Harriet let out a heavy sigh but didn't push it. She knew that in this house, the rules were absolute.

Lizzie's strictest mandate dictated that the entire family had to be seated in the formal dining room for breakfast at exactly 7:00 AM. No exceptions for age, status, or excuses. Being even one minute late meant standing in the corner for an hour.

During Annelise's first year of marriage, she had been five minutes late due to a severe migraine. Lizzie had forced her to stand by the dining room doors for an entire morning while the staff watched. She had never dared to be late again.

After getting dressed, she leaned on Harriet's arm and walked into the dining room at exactly 6:59 AM.

Only one person was seated at the massive mahogany table—Lizzie.

Wearing an elegant silk robe, she sat at the head of the table, slowly and methodically eating a delicate yogurt parfait with a small silver spoon.

When she saw Annelise enter, she barely lifted her eyes and didn't say a word.

Annelise walked over, pulled out the chair directly across from her, and sat down. "Good morning," she said quietly.

"Annelise." Lizzie dabbed the corners of her mouth with a linen napkin, her voice terrifyingly flat. "You've been married into this family for four years. And in those four years, there hasn't been a single sign of a child. I'm sure you know exactly what everyone in this house is thinking, even if no one says it to your face."

Her words were like a rusted blade, carving mercilessly into Annelise's chest.

Annelise kept her head down, her long eyelashes casting shadows that concealed the storm raging in her eyes.

"You finally manage to get pregnant, and what happens? It's an ectopic pregnancy."

It was impossible to tell if Lizzie's tone carried pity or sheer condemnation.

"I have to wonder if it's the Lehman family that's cursed with bad luck, or if it's just you..."

She left the sentence hanging, but the unspoken implication was infinitely more vicious than anything she could have said.