The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 91

Black ash drifted from her fingertips, swept away by the chilling autumn wind without leaving a single trace.

It was as if that slip of paper, bearing an earth-shattering secret, had never existed at all.

Annelise stood there for a long time, not moving until the very last trace of warmth on her fingertips was completely stolen by the frigid air.

She turned and walked back toward the brightly lit main house.

In three days, it would be the wedding.

She had exactly seventy-two hours left until she personally detonated the explosive truth beneath it all.

On the afternoon three days before the ceremony, Annelise was in her usual corner of the back gardens, quietly loosening the soil around a few newly planted rose bushes.

Harriet approached carrying a freshly brewed pot of hot tea, unable to hide the heavy anxiety etched across her face.

Over the past few days, the calmer Annelise appeared, the more terrified Harriet became.

It felt exactly like watching someone smile serenely as they walked, step by step, straight off the edge of a sheer cliff.

"Ms. Sargent, please have some hot tea. The wind is biting today."

Harriet offered her the cup.

Annelise took it, but didn't take a sip.

She glanced around the perimeter, confirming they were completely alone in this secluded section of the grounds.

Then, from the pocket of her gardening apron, she pulled out a thick, heavily sealed manila envelope and held it out to the older woman.

"Harriet."

Her voice was remarkably soft, yet carried an undeniable weight of absolute authority.

Looking at the thick envelope, Harriet's heart instantly sank.

"Inside here are the originals of all the evidence I asked you to help me gather, along with a signed power of attorney."

Annelise's gaze locked intently onto Harriet's eyes.

"Listen to me very carefully. On the day of the wedding, if anything happens to me—if they lock me up, or... if something worse occurs."

She paused, her tone remaining terrifyingly composed.

"I need you to take this envelope and leave the Lehman Estate immediately. Go straight to the law firm I gave you the address for, and hand this directly to Mr. Coleman."

"He will know exactly what to do next."

Harriet's hands shook violently as she took the envelope; the sheer, unspoken weight of it made it nearly impossible to hold.

"Wait for me to come back."

Wait for me to come back.

Those words struck Harriet's heart heavily, feeling like both a sacred promise and an unyielding command.

Looking into Annelise's clear, unshakeable eyes, Harriet knew there was absolutely no changing her mind.

Tears streaming down her face, she nodded emphatically and clutched the envelope—guarding it closer than her own life—tightly against her chest.

"Okay, I promise you."

"I will wait for you to come back."

For the next three days, Annelise lived in eerie, absolute silence.

She woke up on time, and she ate her meals on time.

She would sit with Lizzie for a while, listening to the older woman ramble on about how much she missed her eldest son, Elias, and how thrilled she was for the upcoming wedding.

She would stroll through the gardens with Clarissa, listening to her brag about the elite society wives attending the ceremony, and exactly how many thousands of dollars her custom haute couture gown cost.

She would visit the banquet hall on schedule, meticulously checking every single floral arrangement, ensuring that the sprawling sea of pure white blooms would be absolutely flawless—and perfectly ironic—when the day finally arrived.