Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom novel Chapter 439

He stood frozen in disbelief, eyes wide with confusion—and an odd flicker of heartbreak. His arms hung stiffly in the air, as if unsure what to do.

“Orion’s little sister?” he echoed, incredulous.

Claire lifted her head from his chest. Her eyes and nose were crimson from crying, and her face was streaked with tears. She looked heartbreakingly small and vulnerable.

She gazed up at Sean’s young face, almost hungrily, as if she was trying to memorize every detail, to etch his features into her heart forever.

In her past life, it had all been her fault. She’d insisted on going into the mountains to witness Vanessa’s tragedy for herself, and because of that, Mr. Foster’s legs were crushed by falling rocks. She’d died too soon, never living to see him walk again.

If Mr. Foster’s legs could never heal because of her, that pain would be worse than death itself.

Mr. Foster had always treated her with such kindness. She couldn’t even bear to imagine how devastated he must have been when he’d found her lifeless body.

The thought made Claire sob even harder. Through her tears, she choked out, “Mr. Foster, I missed you so much… I really, really missed you…”

Her grief overwhelmed her, and she clung to Sean’s waist with desperate strength, as if letting go would make him vanish before her eyes.

Sean, who was always so stoic and reserved, suddenly looked completely lost. “D-Don’t… don’t cry,” he stammered.

He awkwardly reached up with small hands to wipe her tears away.

It was the first time anyone had hugged him so tightly.

The first time a child had ever said they missed him.

She seemed to genuinely like him, but if so, why did seeing him make her cry so hard?

For once, Sean—usually so clever—was utterly confused.

He wiped away Claire’s tears, but more kept streaming down, no matter how many times he tried.

Between sobs, Claire gasped, “Mr. Foster, I won’t ever leave you again. I won’t let you get hurt ever again…”

York and Zachary exchanged confused looks with Sean.

Claire quickly struggled out of Orion’s embrace. “He didn’t do anything to me,” she said, her voice urgent.

Claire’s heart warmed at his unwavering protectiveness, but she couldn’t let Sean be misunderstood.

She shook her head vigorously. “Really, he didn’t.”

Orion didn’t buy it. “Then why are you crying so hard if he didn’t do anything?”

Those three words—‘I like him’—hit Orion like a bolt of lightning, leaving him utterly stunned.