Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom novel Chapter 5

Claire glanced up at him with a composed and distant expression. Her eyes were steady and unapologetic. "I don't have a gown."

Ethan's anger flared even more at her words. "No gown? Can't you just buy one?"

Claire took a deep breath. Ethan's prejudice against her ran too deep; he wouldn't believe anything she said. She had tried to explain before, but the more she explained, the more he accused her of hiding things, relentlessly blaming her. She felt exhausted and didn't want to explain anymore. So, she replied coldly, "I don't have any money."

Ethan's brows knitted tightly, and the fury roared in his chest, impossible to suppress. "For the three years you were with our family, you wanted for nothing. Every month, the company deposited half a million dollars into your account as an allowance. That adds up to eighteen million over three years! And yet, you dress in thrift store clothes, making it look like the Linwood family mistreats you."

"Claire, you can't be so selfish. We’ve compensated you enough. It's time to stop all this fuss."

"Anything more would just be overdramatic!"

Claire knew this would happen. No matter what she said, she would remain untrusted. She stared at him, unblinking. For some reason, her unwavering gaze made Ethan feel a momentary pang of guilt.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t say anything wrong."

Wrong? Ha! Claire chuckled inwardly. She hadn’t wanted to stir trouble, but Ethan’s aggressive stance fueled a spark of defiance in her. She noticed some people approaching from the corner of her eye. If there was going to be a scene, why not make it a big one? She had already lost face; she had nothing left to lose. But Ethan, who cared so much about appearances, might not handle public humiliation so well.

"I’ve never received any money from the company, let alone half a million. If Mr. Ethan wants to accuse me, at least find a better reason."

Ethan's eyes brimmed with even more disdain as he looked at Claire. "You really won’t cry until you see the coffin, Claire. You leave me no choice. Don’t blame me for not sparing your dignity."

With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed the company’s finance department, putting the call on speaker. "Check for me how much money has been transferred to Claire’s account each month."