Page 8 of Seeds of Sorrow

The corner of Hadina’s mouth twitched as though she wanted to smile, and Peyton considered it a victory. As Hadina poured herself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, Peyton couldn’t help but stare in awe at the flawless outfit the other woman was wearing.

The black wrap dress hung perfectly on her figure, stopping short of her knees and giving everyone a view of her long legs. Hadina had left a few buttons undone at the breasts, the barest hint of cleavage on display. Then matched the blouse with a pair of leather ankle boots and a long black coat. If Peyton ever dared to wear something like that, everyone would think she was going to a funeral—but on Hadina? It just oozed badass boss lady. Looking down at her own plaid pencil skirt and maroon turtleneck, Peyton suddenly felt very insecure being in the same room as her employer.

Hadina took a long drink from her mug. “Do you two have any plans for today?”

Peyton blinked once. Twice. Was Hadina Adis trying to make small talk?

“I think Don mentioned something about wanting to work on the garden? I’m not sure, though. We’ll see if that’s still his plan when he wakes up.”

Nodding, Hadina gulped down the rest of her coffee, poured herself another one, and tapped her fingertips against the counter. “Well, I’ll be here most of the day, so if I’m needed, I’ll be in the office. Please tell my dad I’m here when he gets up. Have a pleasant day, Miss Dimitra.”

Peyton opened her mouth to reply but Hadina sauntered past, leaving her wide-eyed and open-mouthed in her wake.

What the fuck was happening?

Chapter6

HADINA

Hadina shruggedoff her jacket and collapsed into the chair, burying her head in her hands on the desk.Have a pleasant day, Miss Dimitra. Was she kidding? Small talk wasn’t her forte, and apparently she just sounded like a cold bitch even when she tried.

Not that she minded the icy persona she had adopted since taking over Adis & Co.—that was how you gained and kept the respect of your employees. But the earful she had gotten from her father after that absolutely disastrous dinner the previous week had made her promise to at least try not to be an ass to Peyton. She couldn’t fathom why he was so bothered or concerned with Peyton’s feelings, but she would do as he asked anyway.

However, she had to admit that annoying little ball of happiness had almost made her blush when her newest employee’s eyes raked over her body. It was strange for anyone to look at Hadina with anything but fear or contempt, and she found that she didn’t hate it. Not that a glance at an outfit meant anything—it couldn’t. Hadina had rules and she was going to follow them.

A normal life wasn’t something she thought about often, but sometimes it crossed her mind. She knew it was a waste of time, imagining her life being anything other than what it was, but the daydreams caught her off guard on occasion. In another life, she would settle down with a partner, work a boring nine-to-five job, and discuss the possibility of children. Hadina didn’t think any of that was even what shewanted, yet she pictured it all the same. It was easier for her to imagine a preconceived happily-ever-after carved by memories of childhood fairy tales, rather than try to envisage a future based in reality.

Nonetheless, Hadina knew that daydreams were just that—a fantasy designed to tempt her into abandoning her path. She had chosen to be who she was, and nothing would stand in her way of continuing the hidden legacy of Adis & Co.

Personal relationships in her line of work were doomed from the beginning, and she wasn’t going to get sucked in by fairy-tale thoughts and dreams of a better life. She knew what she signed up for when she agreed to lead the company, and she would never allow herself to regret the work, the importance of what she and her team were doing.

“Get it together, Hadina,” she groaned at herself.

Gulping down some more coffee, Hadina walked over to the bookcases lining the walls, removing two of the larger tomes. Tucked behind them was a thin folder concealing a list of names. She brought it over to the desk and opened it up with a sigh.

Jeffrey Masters

She scored through the tenth name on the list, a single line to acknowledge what she had done—what she had to do. Nobody knew about the physical list. Nobody would understand why she needed to keep it. A way to hold herself accountable, to always remember. Hadina never wanted to lose herself completely, and it was the only way that allowed her to keep those demons at bay.

A list of the scum on Adis’s radar.

A list of her victims.

Indirectly or not, the kill orders were signed off by Hadina. Those deaths, how ever well deserved, were her sins to bear. Ten black marks on her soul in exchange for the safety of so many innocent people. It was worth it. She knew it was worth it.

Crossing a name off her list was one of the few times Hadina ever allowed herself to cry, not for the sinner, but the victims. Sometimes she didn’t make it in time, and sometimes the survivors believed themselves broken beyond repair. It hurt her soul to know that there were people out there she couldn’t and had failed to save. It was forthatreason that Hadina had to wipe away the tears as she crossed out Jeffrey Masters’s name from her file.

Steeling herself and taking a steadying breath, Hadina washed away her emotions and looked at the next name in front of her. Then she quickly dialed a number and returned the folder to its spot on the shelves while the phone rang in her ear.

“Yes, boss?”

“Give me updates on the movements of Kierney and Jacobson. Let’s get these bastards.”

Chapter7

PEYTON

Peyton didn’t considerthat she would be thrown into a whole new family dynamic when she accepted her job. As she sat at the dining table and munched on a grilled cheese sandwich, watching as the melted Havarti and cheddar cheese mix oozed onto her plate, she listened to Don chatter idly about the family dinner he was hosting later in the evening. She assumed she wasn’t supposed to be part of it, but Don had announced at breakfast that she was expected to attend.

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