Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom novel Chapter 71

The unfamiliar man standing before Claire was strikingly handsome, even more so than Ethan and Brian, who were top-tier heartthrobs themselves. Claire was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained her composure.

She had only wanted to find a quiet spot to be alone for a while and hadn't expected anyone to be in the stairwell. She considered turning around to leave, but since she was already there, it seemed pointless.

It was just a stranger, after all—nothing to be concerned about. With that thought, Claire let go of her apprehension, and with heavy legs, she slowly descended the stairs.

As she passed by the man, the smoke from his cigarette wafted over to her, its strong scent invading her senses and causing a brief moment of dizziness.

Claire paused and looked at the man. Coincidentally, he was looking back at her. Noticing her slight frown, he politely said, "I'm sorry."

He moved to extinguish his cigarette, but Claire stopped him, "Do you have another one, sir? Could I have one?"

The man hesitated, a bit surprised by her request. The woman before him was pale, and her eyes were weary, clearly burdened with troubles.

Without a word, he took a cigarette from his pack and offered it to Claire.

"Thank you," she murmured, taking the cigarette and mimicking his actions by placing it between her lips.

She heard the striking of a lighter, and soon, a long, elegant hand appeared before her, the flame flickering in the dim stairwell, illuminating their faces.

Claire hesitated slightly, then leaned in to light her cigarette, taking a deep drag. The taste of nicotine spread through her lungs, almost causing her to cough. She quickly exhaled.

The man noticed she wasn't accustomed to smoking. His eyebrows arched slightly, but he said nothing, simply retracting his hand.

Claire sat on the steps, smoking in silence. She had seen many men turn to cigarettes when troubled, but now she understood that smoking did little to ease her own burdens.