The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 122

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The moment Annelise walked out the banquet hall doors, the heavy, carved oak doors were shut behind her by two rushing security guards.

The doors cut off all lines of sight. But they couldn't cut off the increasingly violent, chaotic sounds coming from inside.

She heard Lizzie's completely out-of-control shrieks mingling with the harrowing wail of an approaching ambulance siren. The pampered Mrs. Lehman, having suffered the double blow of her son "returning from the dead" and being deceived by her "venomous daughter-in-law," had completely suffered a mental breakdown.

She heard a few of the wealthy wives, who normally loved to gossip, surrounding a paralyzed, devastated Clarissa, interrogating her all at once.

"Clarissa, tell us the truth, what else is fake besides the kid?"

"That emerald necklace around your neck, is that a fake too?"

"You told us you came from a family of scholars and your dad was a college professor, did you make that up too?"

She also heard Barnum's furious roars and Elias's cold, emotionless questioning as a fierce argument broke out right in front of everyone.

"You ungrateful bastard! Get out! The Lehmans don't have a son like you!"

"Dad, until I find out who wanted me dead three years ago, I'm not going anywhere."

But none of this mattered to Annelise anymore. Harriet supported her down the long, red-carpeted hallway.

They didn't take the main entrance. Instead, they looped around to the west side of the estate, to the most inconspicuous back door usually reserved for the staff.