The Sins We Inherit

hina'

He was tall and built like someone who spent more time at the gym than in a boardroom, and he stood in the doorway of my office. His dark hair wa

icing through my flesh as it swept over me. "Seraphina Vale," he said in a quie

de the shaking in my palm. "Yes, Mr. Wrenford," I s

down to the smallest detail. And then, without saying a word, he turned and walked to the other

ose black eyes narrowed as if he were trying to figure me out like a puzzle. There was something in his ey

did, I saw the smallest flash of something in his eyes for jus

e the notion away, but it stuc

ck to me. I had a lot of stuff to do, such tasks, paperwork, and a never-ending list of things to complete

the doorway, and it felt like he owned every inch of the room. When our eyes connected, I could feel the

to finish this." He put a heavy folder on my desk and ran his fingertips ove

h my head was already spinning, drawn in

me. I could tell he was watching me as I opened the folder and looked through the papers. It wasn't just the wei

. It felt as if he were watching me and waiting for something, but I couldn't figure out

-Cassian's voice, low and faint, right outside my office. M

is voice full of worry. "She's going deeper than we tho

away. His voice was as coo

make sure of it. He said it in such

ound, but th

did it seem like they were talking about me? I couldn't let my mind wander for too long since I had to

around the room to try to shake off the feeling of unease that was creeping up on me. What did he

sian was standing there again, his shadow filling the doorway. You couldn't rea

end of the day." "You've got this, Seraphina." "Not a single mistake.

vier, and for a while I wondered whether he could feel it too-the

ed away, leaving me alone with my racing heart and

us on the huge amount of work I had to do. But the chatter in the office and the hallways made it imposs

epartment, came up to my desk and looked about anxious

if she didn't want anyone to hear. I looked up from the pa

because I wasn't sure whether I w

Wrenford and his family," she said, her voice dropping even lower. "They're not w

with a cold, impersonal expression and scarcely recognized my presence. But it was something else-the way his eyes seeme

essed, my voice low, and

ng else, she stood up straight and walked away. "Just... be careful," she a

she had said. But just as I was about to contact my mom, something caug

r faith in Cas

nd, thinking that someone would be observing me. But there was no one there.

pped, leaving just the quiet hum of the lights above and the distant ring of elevators. I headed tow

king at. My father was standing next to a younger version of Cassian Wrenford, and he was smiling. They

ust another corporate exhibit to fill the walls. But I couldn't get any air. Seeing my father, who was

ere. My dad had never talked about Cassian or even indicated that he kn

up the questions that were racing through my thoughts. What had my dad been up to?

ng when I realize

es were locked on mine, but this time there was no veneer of indifferenc

look of familiarity in my eyes and how I kept looking back and forth between the artwork and him. But in

Cassian had to have known that I was onto him. But what d

into the elevator, my