Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom novel Chapter 262

She stood alone in the dark, a chill creeping slowly through her heart. That feeling of being overlooked by her family, forgotten by the world—it was something Claire could never quite shake, no matter how much time had passed.

Later, it was May who left a light on for her, a small beacon of warmth in the darkness—a rare comfort in the Linwood household, where such kindness was in short supply.

Having once experienced that deep, bone-chilling loneliness of a home devoid of affection, Claire treasured the warmth she found with the Foster family all the more.

She wanted to wait for Mr. Foster to return, just as she once waited for her fifteen-year-old self to come home, braving the snow and wind alone.

Minute by minute, time ticked by.

The entire house was wrapped in silence, broken only by the steady ticking of the living room clock.

When Claire grew tired of sitting, she curled up on the sofa. Her health had always been frail; exhaustion came easily. As weariness washed over her, she let her eyes drift shut.

She pulled her knees close, cocooning herself in the smallest space possible, as if that could somehow make her feel safer.

That was how Sean found her when he came home: Claire—small and fragile—fast asleep on the couch.

His eyes swept the room. There was no sign of his grandmother or Nanny Grace; they must have already turned in for the night.

Had she left the light on for him? Was she waiting?

For a brief moment, the hard set of Sean's face softened, almost imperceptibly, when he saw her.

He moved quietly to her side, careful not to wake her. Then he leaned down, slipping one arm beneath her back and the other beneath her knees, lifting her gently into his arms.

With long strides, he carried her upstairs and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers up around her with painstaking care, so as not to disturb her sleep.

"Goodnight, Miss Linwood," Sean murmured into the quiet room, a tenderness in his voice he didn't quite recognize.

Without another word, he slipped from the room, closing the door softly behind him.