What exactly did Zayden know? What were his intentions? Whose side was he on? Sadieâs gut told her something for certain; this man was a ticking time bomb!
Her face grew pallid, and she abruptly rose from her seat, declaring, âIâm afraid I must attend to something urgent.
I shall take my leave.
â
Before she could exit, Zaydenâs men blocked her path.
Zayden nonchalantly stood up, unhurried, and placed a reassuring hand on Sadieâs shoulder, gently guiding her back into her seat.
He wore a smile that held secrets, saying, âWhy the rush, Sadie? My visits to Eleymond are rare, and this meeting ought to be a precious occasion.
And since you aspire to be part of the Fredrick family, why donât we prolong our conversation?â
Unaware of when Zaydenâs accomplices had discreetly come, Sadie grew increasingly anxious and flustered.
Zayden patted her shoulder with a touch of tenderness, leaning in closer as he remarked, âCalm yourself.
Youâre fortunate, you know.
Few are privy to the intricacies of Holdenâs past.
Most have either been transferred or met their untimely demise.
â
With a teasing tone, he shifted the conversation, locking eyes with Sadie.
âBut, my dear, your dreams could be in danger.
After all, Ariana has made her return.
Do you truly believe sheâll never cross paths with Holden again in this lifetime?â
Sadie clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and summoned a forced smile.
âEven if she does, what of it? Iâm the one who stands beside him now, and Iâve earned my place!â
âYour place?â Zayden sneered, arching an eyebrow.
âWhere, pray tell, did you acquire this position?â
âSimply put, by bearing Holdenâs child,â Sadie replied through clenched teeth, struggling to maintain her facade.
Zayden regarded her with a wry smile before tossing a document on the table before her.
Sadie opened the document, and a series of printed photographs met her gaze.
They were of the fateful day she had doled out punishment to Adele in the lounge of the mall.
Her body instantly ran cold, nerves gnawing at her.
She had no clue how Zayden had gotten these images, what sinister purpose they could serve, or whether Holden was privy to this dark chapter of her past.
Witnessing Sadieâs pallor, Zayden couldnât hide his delight.
âOne of my people happened to be overseeing that lounge area.
Coincidentally, on that day, Holden misplaced something and had my man review the surveillance footage to recover it.
Little did they anticipate stumbling upon such a captivating incident.
Be thankful that these photographs havenât fallen directly into Holdenâs hands.
â
At this point, Sadie could scarcely remain seated, her anxiety palpable.
She stared at Zayden, her unease on full display.
âWhat are you trying to say?â
Zayden smirked and asked with a sinister edge, âTell me, my dear, is Adele truly your flesh and blood?â
A shiver coursed through Sadie, her response still forming when Zayden went on, âRumor has it that Ariana was expecting twins back then, but now sheâs returned with only one child.
It piqued my curiosity.
Five years ago, Ariana did indeed give birth to twins.
Her daughter, however, was frail and had to be placed in an incubator at the hospital.
Then, just a few days later, that very hospital was mysteriously engulfed in flames, and her daughter met a tragic end.