The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 79

"I simply cannot let her continue to suffer without the proper title and recognition she deserves."

"This wedding is not just to make up for past regrets, but to officially and formally announce Clarissa and Manuel's status to everyone. It is to solidify that she and her son belong in the Lehman family, official and undeniable."

Her speech was bulletproof, dripping with nostalgic grief for her deceased son and a desperate desire to compensate the daughter-in-law who had sacrificed everything.

Clarissa sat beside Lizzie, her head bowed. Her face displayed the perfect blend of being deeply moved yet terrified of overstepping, her mouth issuing a stream of humble refusals.

"Mom, you don't have to do this, really. I don't care about titles..."

Annelise sat quietly at the far end of the table, holding a small silver spoon, methodically sipping her warm soup.

When she heard the announcement, her hand paused for only a fraction of a second.

Then, she smoothly carried the warm broth to her lips.

A belated wedding ceremony.

She knew this was the direct result of Clarissa panicking and forcing Lizzie's hand.

Clarissa was using Lizzie to permanently cement her status as the "Eldest Lehman Widow" before her pregnancy began to show.

She wanted to put on the ultimate performance for Cresthaven's elite—a grand spectacle of the deeply devoted widow carrying on her dead husband's legacy.

Once this wedding took place, Clarissa would be permanently welded to the untouchable halo of "the Lehman family's heroic widow."

No one would ever be able to challenge her.

In Annelise's mind, the revenge board she had been carefully setting up had to rapidly accelerate to accommodate this sudden twist.

If this wedding was truly going to happen...

If every single Lehman family member and every powerful figure in Cresthaven's high society were going to be gathered in one room...

Wouldn't that be the absolute most perfect, explosive moment to trap them all at once?

It was the ultimate stage to rip away their masks and expose every drop of their filthy, repulsive secrets to the public eye.

A faint, icy smirk slowly curled the corners of Annelise's mouth.

On that day, she would personally deliver them a "wedding" gift they would remember for the rest of their lives.

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