The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 96

"I promised you that I would spend the rest of my life protecting everything you left behind. And I have kept that promise."

"Our son, Manuel, is healthy and so incredibly sweet. He looks more and more like you every single day. He will grow up knowing that his father was the greatest hero in the world."

As she spoke, she placed her free hand delicately over her stomach—still flat, but cleverly accentuated by the empire waist of her custom gown.

Two perfect trails of happy, deeply moved tears slipped down her flawlessly powdered cheeks.

"And, Elias... I have one more piece of wonderful news to share with you."

"Our second child is on the way."

"Rest in peace, my love. I promise you, I will take our children, I will honor your parents, and I will protect this family until my dying breath."

The moment the words left her mouth, thunderous applause erupted across the banquet hall.

Every single person in the room was cheering for this incredibly "devoted" woman, this "fierce and resilient" mother.

Hackett was standing right at the front of the stage, in the most visible spot possible.

He was the first to start clapping, clapping harder than anyone else.

His handsome face was twisted into a deep, complex expression of a man fiercely proud of his older brother and profoundly moved by his widowed sister-in-law.

From two tables away, Annelise watched his flawless profile, and only one phrase violently forced its way into her mind.

Flawless execution.

The synergy between this despicable pair was absolutely flawless.

One stood under the spotlight, playing the part of the fiercely loyal, tragic widow.

The other stood in the shadows, playing the deeply supportive, grieving brother.

They had successfully fooled every single person in this room.

If it hadn't been for that one catastrophic medical complication.

If she hadn't accidentally woken up on that freezing, sterile operating table for those few, fatal minutes.

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