𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 || 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

Two

❥ Fuck, I muttered to myself when the will reading began. All these people were high class and I had no idea why me, Avery, and Libby were here.

It turns out there were three other Hawthorne boys, who I also discovered were Tobias Hawthorne's grandsons. There were also a bunch of other people who I had no intention of diving into today.

".. and to Nash Westbrook Hawthorne, Grayson Davenport Hawthorne, Jameson Winchester Hawthorne, and Alexander Blackwood Hawthorne. I leave you each 250,000 a piece, available for each of them on their twenty-fifth birthdays."

Oh.

I didn't know these people at all, but I knew that didn't sound right. Me and Avery must have been thinking the same thing because she shot me a glance at that same exact moment.

As the reading went on, the sweat puddle forming in my palms increased. Somethings not right. Why has nobody gotten his money? The house?

"...And to Evelyn May Grambs, I leave you The Hawthorne Foundation. May you treat it well."

Libby's jaw dropped. Then Avery's.

I had just been left a foundation. I wasn't even eighteen yet and I owned a fucking foundation?

Who the hell was this Tobias, and why was he leaving random little girls parts of his life?

I didn't even have enough time to process this before somebody spoke up, one of the older women, "This is ridiculous. We're being left trinkets while random girls off the streets are being handed Tobias foundations!"

"Enough." The will reading guy (who I have yet to pick up a name on) says.

But the woman wasn't amused, and she looked me dead in the eyes before saying, "Who are you? That foundation was meant for Grayson you little—"

"Zara." Another woman spoke, warning in her voice.

Zara rolled her eyes and sat down, but her glare towards me didn't go away. That was when I looked at Grayson, the only Hawthorne brother I knew so far. He looked angry. I couldn't even blame him, because I didn't want this. This clearly was his life's work, something he was expecting.

I almost felt dirty, like I had taken it from him. I wished I could hand it back to him but that's not really how this works.

".. To Avery Kylie Grambs."

Me and Grayson were in such an intense staring competition I didn't even hear what Avery had been given. Once I managed to peel my eyes away from the blonde, I looked around to see everyone staring at us. Avery.

I looked at Libby, slowly shaking my head, "What?"
I mouthed, but Libby said nothing.

Zara stood up, slamming her hands on the table, "Okay, who the hell is she? This one has the foundation," She points at me, and then looks towards Avery. "and now this one has the fortune?"

I sunk down in my seat, placing a hand over Avery's.

"Riddles upon riddles.." One of the boys murmured. He had dark brown hair and looked very indecent for a will reading. Drunk, maybe?

"Enough." Another woman says, and I honestly can't keep track, "Zara, we'll figure this out."

Zara hasn't taken her eyes off of me and Avery, "Skye, these ladies are con artists—" she pauses her eyes on mine, and my whole body is set ablaze. Please take your eyes off of me. "Wait, she looks—"

"We're done here." Grayson stands up, tidying off his suit and my eyes are immediately drawn to his veiny hands. Stop it. He looks me in the eyes, and then towards Avery and Libby. "For now."
—
❥