A Ruthless Game | Grayson Hawthorne x reader

02

The remainder of my estate, including all properties, monetary assets, and worldly possessions not otherwise specified, I leave to Y/n m/n Pierce.

     Somebody pinch me. I've lost it. This. isn't. real. It can't be. I look around the room. It's a game right now. 'Who's in the most shock?' 'Who is in the most denial?' 'Who has the dumbest look on their face?'

      Skye was the first one to break the silence. "He left it all to her? Why?" Her tone was dark and menacing. Threatening. Looks like I'm not getting a Tarot card reading after all.

     "Does anybody even know who this girl is?" Zara questioned, her voice as deadly as her sister's.

     "She's nothing more than a stranger," her husband spoke next.

     "This is a mistake. It has to be," Grayson growled.

     I thought of all the things this family might try to do to me. They had lived their whole lives expecting to get a piece of the prize when Tobias died. Not a couple thousand dollars and a stranger living in their house. "He's right." I had to try to get rid of the money, before they tried to get rid of me. "Grayson is right. There must be an error. I didn't even know Tobias Hawthorne," I spoke up, heads turning toward me.

     "Finally, something we can agree on," Grayson snarled taking a few heavy steps in my direction.

     Aidan stepped in front of me and put his hand up. "Woah, woah, woah, calm down, buddy. This is not my sister's fault. Don't try to blame this on her."

     "Everybody, please may I have your attention," Mr Ortega started. "This is not a mistake. This will cannot be broken. And I'd like to make it perfectly clear to everyone in this room, that anyone who tried to challenge Ms. Pierce's inheritance will also be forfeiting their share of the estate. Is that clear enough for everyone?" 

     Jameson chuckled beside me. "One more riddle to solve. The old man couldn't go out without a bang."

     "I think it would be best if you left," Grayson ordered.

     "It's her house now," Alisa spoke up for the first time. "If we're speaking in technicalities."

     "That is correct," Mr Ortega came again. "Ms Pierce, I'd be happy to go over all the terms of your inheritance. One of which being: the tenants are allowed to live in Hawthorne House until they act in a way which justifies there departure. Oh yes and those tenants cannot, by any means," he glared at Grayson briefly, "try to remove you."

     Grayson scoffed, and the military man moved in front of me, facing the Hawthornes in a menacing stance. "What do you think you're doing?" Grayson asked through gritted teeth.

     "Mr Hawthorne's request to me was that I protect Ms Pierce, and I will do just that."

     "With a family like this, you'll need it," Xander sounded. Is that a threat or a joke? It's hard to tell with him. I felt feint. Sick. I needed to leave. This was too much. Before I could register what I was doing, I had pushed passed everyone and ran out the front door. Oren followed shortly behind me.

     "I'll be your security and driver. You'll need both for rest of your live," he sighed. "I know this is a lot, and they all seem furious. Well, I have no doubt they are, but I assure you, I've known these people for years, they're not dangerous. All bark and no bite." Somehow I doubt that.