tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

006. ENEMY ONE

He paused for a moment, then rolled his head backwards, because he realizes he's said too much. He stiffened up. "I don't know why I even told you all of this."

"I suggest you ask yourself that question," I said in almost a joking tone of voice, but I immediately regretted it.

"Is this funny to you?" He asked me hostilely. "You have no idea, how untrustworthy me and my whole family thinks you are." If it was anyone else, those words would've cut scars in my heart like shards.

"You have no filter, you know that, right? You never know when to fucking stop," I exclaimed.

"I don't need to please you," he mocked at me. "Because I don't think that you have to be the villain of this story to be a threat to my family," he added.

"You keep talking about the rest of the family," I said. "But this isn't just about them. I'm a threat to you, aren't I?"

He laughed sarcastically. "Think what you want to think, Leah.  But remember, this is the Hawthorne family, and I'm warning you,  no matter how kind we appear, when you're dangling from a cliff by one arm and we all have the ability to save you, just know that we'll make sure you lose your footing instead."

__

Grayson's words burned like flames in my head. I couldn't forget them, they stuck too well in my head. As Alisa shoved us both in her office, I snuck a look at him, but he looked unbothered and didn't return my glance, but I was sure he'd seen it.

"You were doing splendid, until that bitch Kenny—" she paused.

"By the way," Alisa said, eyeing me. "I made sure that bitch was fired. No way in fucking hell I'd let her live after that. I think she commented, probably begging for her job back."

I laughed, and Grayson smiled, and then he caught himself smiling, like it was forbidden for his lips to do that in my vicinity.

I sat down, and Grayson sat down an arms length from me. Alisa opened up her MacBook, and typed a few keys before her screen lit up. She typed a few more keys, and turned the computer towards us. I fought the urge to look at Grayson.

"800,000 views already?" I said in disbelief. Alisa nodded, almost grinning.

"Congratulations," she said. "You're famous. I'll let you guys watch it on your own," she said as she left the room, waving her hand at the bodyguards to leave as well. I pressed the space bar, and the video started.

"Leah, let's start with you. Walk us through what happened the day Tobias Hawthorne's will was read."

I watched myself intently, and I felt a small ounce of satisfaction play in my heart as I heard my answer.

"Leah, let's talk about your mother."

"She was wonderful," I heard myself say. "I would give anything for her to be here now."

The interview seemed to zoom by on video, much unlike how it was in real time.

I heard her say, "Grayson, do you have any desire to overturn the will?"

I watched his jaw clench again, his face form a fake smile.

"I've already told you: That can't be done."

"But if it could?" Kenny asked.

"This is what my grandfather wanted," Grayson replied. "My brothers and I are lucky— luckier than almost anyone else watching this. We've been given every opportunity, and we have a lot of the old man in us. We'll make our own way." He glanced toward me again, but this time it felt more choreographed. "Someday, what I make of myself will give your fortune a run for its money."

I grinned as I saw myself smile wonkily on the set. I could still remember exactly what was going on in my head at that very moment.

"Leah, how does it feel when Grayson says those words: your fortune?"

"Unreal."

I snorted as I heard myself, watched my face.

"Before the will was read, back when I knew that I'd been left something but didn't know what, I figured that Tobias Hawthorne had left me a couple thousand dollars. And even that? It would have been life-changing."

"So this?"

"Unreal," I repeated. I remember trying to project gratitude, awe, and I was pleasantly surprised with how well I'd done it.

Eventually, I heard felt the "time" coming. The picture of my father appeared on the screen, and I winced. Grayson must've seen me.

I paused the interview. Grayson looked at me. "Don't you want to keep watching?" he asked, and I shook my head. I scrolled down, a knife twisting in my gut as I began to read the comments with Grayson.

I read the first comment and immediately jump of the chair.

authors note

THE CAR SCENEEEEEEEE

word count: 1661 words