Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

The family I had longed for never once longed for me.

June 21, 2007. Monday. Drizzling.

Today, I got punished again.

The injustice and helplessness weighed so heavily on me, I started to wonder if this house had ever truly been my home.

Before I left for school this morning, I scribbled a note and left it on the kitchen table: If you don't want me here, maybe I should just go back to the orphanage.

If there's no love left, there's no point in torturing each other like this.

After all, I've gotten used to being alone. Loneliness is a lot easier to bear than the feeling of being looked down on every day.

With these tangled thoughts, I trudged to school, dragging my feet. All day, I couldn't focus-memories of everything that had happened at home kept looping in my mind.

So, when classes ended that evening, I biked straight back to the orphanage.

The rain kept coming down, cold and sharp, soaking through my clothes as I rode. But when the familiar gates of the orphanage finally came into view, I actually felt a sense of relief I hadn't felt in years.

But before I even had a chance to get off my bike, I saw the Linwood family's car parked right outside the entrance.

My father climbed out. He took one look at me, drenched and shivering, and without a word of concern, slapped me hard across the face.

The crack of his hand echoed through the drizzle, stinging my cheek, burning hot.

He jabbed a finger at me, his voice rising with fury: "Ungrateful brat! We've been searching for you all these years. We finally bring you home, and the first thing you do is cause trouble? Now you're running away to threaten us, is that it?"

His eyes were wild with anger, as if I'd committed some unthinkable crime.

Clutching my burning cheek, tears stung my eyes and I tried desperately to explain, “Dad, I'm not trying to threaten you, I just-I just don't want to be hit and yelled at all the time..."

But before I could finish, my mother cut me off.

She was crying, her voice shaking as she accused me, “You come back this late-where have you been? Are you running around with the wrong crowd? Girls your age are so easily led astray. If you end up pregnant, you'll disgrace this entire family!"

Her eyes were full of disappointment and anger, her tears a silent condemnation.

Then my brother strode over, his words like knives: "If you ever embarrass the Linwood family, I'll break your legs myself. I'd rather keep you locked up than let you make a fool of us."

In their words, in their eyes, I was nothing but a criminal. Any explanation I gave sounded hollow, pointless.

They dragged me back to the Linwood house by force.noveldrama

The moment we stepped inside, my brother turned to me coldly: "If you can't

behave, don't bother going to school anymore."

Studying-school-was the only chance I ever had to change my life. How could I possibly give that up?

Maybe the problem is that I just haven't tried hard enough. Maybe that's why they misunderstand me so deeply. From now on, I'll work even harder. Maybe then, they'll finally see me differently.

Even if all I've ever gotten from this house is pain, I still can't help but hope I'll find even a sliver of warmth here-a little piece of what a home is supposed to be.

Claire, don't give up.

Ethan stared at the words, as if he could see that lost, stubborn girl-Claire- struggling desperately beneath the weight of misunderstanding and blame.

His hands trembled so badly the diary nearly slipped from his grasp.

"How could I have been so blind, so cruel... God m such a fool. I have to find Claire. No matter the cost, I have to ask for her forgiveness." His voice shook with regret and anguish, tears blurring his vision and falling onto the yellowed pages.

Ethan couldn't bring himself to read any further. Even without seeing the rest, he

could guess all too well what Claire must have written next.