The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 26

It was 9:00 PM by the time they returned to the Lehman Estate.

Claiming she wasn't feeling well and needed to rest, Annelise declined Lizzie's "gracious" offer to join her for a late-night snack and went straight up to the guest room.

The moment she walked in, she locked the door behind her.

Harriet followed her, watching her swaying figure with red, teary eyes.

"Ms. Sargent, today... you suffered so much."

Annelise didn't speak.

She walked over and collapsed into the plush sofa, sinking deeply into the cushions.

She stayed completely silent, so long that Harriet thought she had fallen asleep.

Then, Annelise's eyes snapped open.

There was no grievance or sorrow in them—only a dead expanse of burnt-out ash, and beneath it, a relentless spark that refused to die.

"Harriet."

She spoke. Her voice was hoarse but unnervingly calm.

"My head is a mess right now."

"Help me list out exactly what we know. Everything."

Harriet paused for a second before understanding what she meant.

They were taking inventory of the pitifully few chips they had in this game.

"Right." Harriet steadied her nerves and began listing them one by one.

"One. Four years ago, Mr. Hackett used your appendectomy as a cover to tie your tubes."

"Two. Mr. Hackett and Clarissa have a child together out there. Manuel. He's about two."

"Three. Barnum and Lizzie likely know all about this, but they've chosen to cover it up."

Annelise nodded and added one more.

"Four. There's someone secretly feeding me information."

She remembered the anonymous text warning her about the safe's passcode being changed.

After establishing these four points, a long silence stretched between the two women.

Any single one of these facts was enough to trigger an earthquake in high society.

"18 Havenwood Avenue, Building B." Annelise enunciated the address burned into her memory.

"Don't go up. Just find a spot near the apartment building and wait. I need you to confirm with your own eyes if Clarissa and the boy are still living there. If you can get a photo, even better."

Harriet gave a firm nod.

"Second," Annelise pulled a stack of cash from her purse and handed it over. "Buy me a new phone and a new SIM card. Get an old, cheap burner phone. The simpler the better—no internet, no GPS tracking."

She needed an absolutely secure line of communication that couldn't be monitored by anyone.

"I've got it, Ms. Sargent."

"Once you're done, come straight back," Annelise instructed. "Remember, be extremely careful. Don't let anyone notice you."

After Harriet left, Annelise was alone in the room again.

From the hidden compartment of her suitcase, she pulled out a manila envelope.

Inside were all the medical records from her four years of marriage to Hackett.

She laid the reports out flat on the bed, one by one.

Her eyes locked onto the discharge summary from her "appendectomy" four years ago.