Penance - Uncovering the truth, Secrets and confessions, and Twisted pasts

Chapter 79

It was 3 in the morning. Grayson sat in a dimly lit school room, across from Gabriel, the tension thick in the air. He assumed Alison was facing a similar interrogation with Cora next door.

They both sat quietly, waiting for Rupert to start the interrogation. Grayson's only wish was to get this over with; escape wasn't an option as the entire school had been locked down, surrounded by cops.

As the minutes dragged on, Grayson's thoughts shifted momentarily to a more serene topic. Avery's birthday was only a few days away now. He told himself it was time to confront to Avery to figure out who she wanted.

With his mixed-up feelings for Alison, Grayson wasn't entirely sure what he truly wanted anymore. He hoped that his feelings for Avery were genuine and not just a result of the classic Hawthorne rivalry with his brother. Because when it came to Alison...

"It's not a coincidence that you're caught up in all of this-"

"I never planned on getting involved in any of this. I came to Harvard to study, nothing more," Grayson shot back sharply, cutting Gabriel off.

Gabriel nodded, he seemed to accept Grayson's response, at least for the time being. "Hawthornes, they always seem to cause trouble wherever they go, don't they? Chaos follows them."

Grayson chose to stay quiet, not wanting to delve further into that discussion.

Gabriel, however, pressed on. "I'll be honest with you, Grayson. I'm not grieving over your grandfather's death. If anything, I welcomed it. Tobias Hawthorne was anything but grateful nor kind. Passing his inheritance to a stranger, someone bound to suffer for it, just proves he lived up to the Hawthorne name."

Grayson stayed quiet. He was already well aware of all this, and he didn't need Gabriel to spell it out for him. It was a burden he had carried since birth, one that seemed to haunt every aspect of his life. The Hawthorne name had a way of attracting trouble, whether you seek it or not.

"You Hawthornes, none of you are any different from your grandfather," Gabriel continued, his tone sharp. "You're just as reckless as he was, to the point where a girl lost her life. Emily Laughlin, wasn't it?"

The room grew even quieter as Gabriel's words hung in the air.

"I knew about her," Gabriel admitted. "It was unfortunate, but Emily knew she was playing with fire, and in the end, she got burned."

Grayson clenched his fists, a surge of anger and frustration coursing through him. But he remained quiet, his gaze fixed downward. What happened to Emily was tragic, and Grayson held myself responsible for it. And he would ensure Alison and Avery didn't meet the same fate.

Gabriel studied Grayson for a moment, his expression hinting that he took some pleasure in the conversation. "Alison, she's quite the character, isn't she?" he mused. "Always determined, always searching for something more. She just doesn't know when to stop."

Grayson could tell Gabriel thought Alison was just another Emily. Only difference was that Alison wouldn't stop playing with fire even if it burnt her - she wouldn't stop until she got hurt, until the pain went away.

Gabriel seemed to imply that Grayson, the fire in this situation, could decide whether to leave or stay, a choice that could determine Alison's fate. But was Grayson really the one who could make a difference in her life?

As the room fell into a heavy silence, Gabriel's words continued to weigh on Grayson. His fists stayed clenched, knuckles white. He could feel Gabriel's gaze, his eyes probing for a response. But Grayson stayed quiet.

Deep down, Grayson understood that Gabriel's bitterness stemmed from his wife Ruth's tragedy on Hawthorne Island. He needed an outlet for his grief, and unfortunately, any Hawthorne seemed to be a suitable target. The pain in Gabriel's voice was palpable, and Grayson recognized it as the source of his anger.