Page 11 of Seeds of Sorrow

Hadina growled, standing and pushing her seat back. She felt Peyton’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t make herself look at her.This wasn’t about Peyton, Hadina told herself,but rather Zellie’s lack of respect in their family home. That wasallit was about.

“Get the fuck out,” Hadina said, her voice low and deadly calm. “Either apologize to ourguest, or leave. Those are your only two options.”

“Niñas, por favor—” Their father tried to interject but was cut off by Zellie pushing to her feet and facing off with Hadina.

“This isn’t your house, Hadina. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

Hadina looked to her father, imploring him to do something. “Papi, please.”

She tipped her head slightly towards Peyton, who was sitting motionless and silent, an innocent party in the game of power between the Adis sisters. It made Hadina a little sad that someone else had been dragged into their chaotic mess, not that she would admit it to anyone.

“Perhaps your sister is right, Zellie,” their father said, sounding defeated. “Maybe you should leave until you calm down. Peyton here doesn’t deserve the rudeness you’ve displayed.”

“Patética!” Zellie spat. “Papi, one of these days you’re going to grow a spine and stop letting Hadina run your life.”

It caught everyone off guard when Piper let out a frustrated scream, mimicking what she used to do as a child to stop her big sisters from bickering. If the air in the room weren’t so tense, Hadina was sure she would have burst out laughing.

“Enough already! This was supposed to be a family dinner, a chance for us to meet Peyton, and yet it turned into a whose-dick-is-bigger contest. I amso sickof your power-grabbing bullshit. Why can’t you just get along for once?”

The sadness in Piper’s voice made Hadina’s heart ache. For all the evil she saw and did, there would always be a part of her that remained pure and filled with love, a part that was reserved for the people closest to her. She only ever wanted to protect and provide for Piper, help guide her in the world and stop anyone from hurting her. It broke her to know she was one of the people causing her sister pain.

“Piper, I—”

Piper shook her head, holding her hand up to stop Zellie from continuing. “Just stop, Z. Please, just go.”

Zellie looked down at Piper with a warmth she reserved for her baby sister. The only time Zellie felt guilt over her actions was if they upset Piper. She looked like she wanted to say something but instead nodded, throwing one last glare at Hadina over her shoulder before storming from the room. Everyone held their breaths until they heard the front door slam, confirming Zellie’s exit.

“Well, that was awkward,” Peyton said matter-of-factly, right before she burst into tears where she sat.

Hadina was going to murder her big sister.

Chapter9

PEYTON

She letout a strangled laugh as a torrent of tears broke free. It was stupid to cry over something a stranger said to her, but it was the conviction in Zellie’s voice that hit Peyton so hard. She didn’t even know the Adis sibling, and yet this woman was dismissing her like she was nothing. It was beyond frustrating.

“Peyton, I am so sorry,” Don apologized, reaching out to take her hand in his. She could see the sadness in his eyes, which made her feel guilty—seeing as it was Zellie’s comments aboutherthat caused all the issues.

“It’s okay! I don’t even know why I’m crying.” Peyton sniffled, wiping her eyes with her napkin. “I really am fine.”

Piper got up from her chair, floated around to sit beside Peyton, and pulled her into a hug. “You don’t need to be brave for us, love. We know how hard Zellie can be to deal with.”

Shaking her head, Peyton offered Piper a shy smile. “It’s fine. It happened and we can move on now. She wasn’t wrong, anyway.”

Hadina stepped forward, reaching out a hand to touch Peyton’s shoulder before thinking better of it. “Shewaswrong, Miss Dimitra. Zelina has made many mistakes and is most definitelynotthe person to decide who is important in this family. Don’t take her words to heart.”

Had Hadina Adis really just implied that Peytonwasimportant to the family?

Peyton tried not to react, in case it made her boss retreat farther into her shell, but it made her chest beat a little faster all the same.

“Thank you,” Peyton whispered, looking between the three Adis family members. She hoped her eyes conveyed just how grateful she was. Unsure what to do next, she shrank back in her chair and wrapped her cardigan tighter around her stomach. She was grateful when Hadina cleared her throat, dragging attention from her.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll attend some business now that this dinner is over. Piper, would you mind coming with me so that we may discuss something?”

Piper nodded and the sisters sauntered from the room, confidence exuded in every step. Once they were gone, Peyton slumped in her seat and sighed, tilting her head to peek at Don. He looked so frustrated, which broke her heart. He didn’t deserve to be dealing with so much drama.

“Don’t give me those sad eyes,” he said, shaking his head. “This wasn’t the first argument they had and it won’t be the last. It’s a parent’s duty to put up with their children acting like fools.”

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