𝐏𝐔𝐙𝐙𝐋𝐄𝐒 🝮 𝒳𝒶𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇 ℋ𝒶𝓌𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇𝓃ℯ

TWO

[y/n]
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I was called to the office in the middle of one of my last periods in school- and I was very confused. I hadn't done anything bad, and my grades didn't suck. Something must have been wrong.

As soon as I stepped through the doorway, Libby tackled me in a quick, fleeting hug. "Emergency. We need to get home and pack our bags for an overnight ASAP."

"Wh-" I started, being pulled out of the room into the hallway by Libby.

"I'll tell you in the car. Ave's meeting us back at the apartment."

I stayed silent until we were in the high school parking lot, climbing into Libby's shabby car. "So... why?" I questioned, slamming the door behind me and buckling in.

Libby already had her hands on the wheel, turning the key and pulling out of her parking spot. "This is going sound crazy, but some random rich guy left Avery money in his will, and she was summoned for the reading! Oh, and you have to come too. Avery definitely won't let you stay back."

My heart sunk in my chest. I had a feeling I knew who this "random rich guy" was.

"Why Avery?" I whispered under my breath. Turning to Libby, I asked, "What was the guy's name?"

"Um... Tobe-something Hawthorne."

Of course it was. That was obvious. But why had Avery been summoned, and not me?

𖦷⁂𖦷

It all happened in a blur. We packed for an overnight stay in Texas, but I knew we would probably be staying for much longer.

Thoughts flooded my brain. Avery. She was in the will. I wasn't. What the hell was going on? This must have been a mistake.

But Tobias Hawthorne didn't make mistakes.

The flight to Texas wasn't too bad. We were in first class- Libby was sipping on champaigne, I was reclined in my seat watching The Kissing Booth on the screen in front of me, and Avery was... Well, being Avery.

She asked a lot of questions. "Why me?" she would say, or "how did he know me?"

I stayed quiet. I didn't know. For once, I just didn't know. And that scared me.

I wanted to tell Avery and Libby about Mr. Hawthorne. Just spill everything and let myself be vulnerable. But that isn't an option. They need to find out for themselves- or not know at all.

𖦷⁂𖦷

A dark-haired woman in an all-white power suit met Libby, Avery, and I the second we stepped past security. "Ms. Grambs." She nodded to Avery, then to Libby and me. "Ms. Grambs. Ms. Almbeg." She turned, starting to walk through the airport with all of us following her. "I'm Alisa Ortega," she said, "from McNamara, Ortega, and Jones." Another pause, then she cast a sideways glance at Avery. "You are a very hard young woman to get a hold of."

I remembered Mr. Hawthorne telling me about the lawfirm. He was their only client, but the firm was valued at millions of dollars.

Avery shrugged. "I live in my car."

"That was one night," I said with an eye roll.

"She doesn't live there," Libby said quickly. "Tell her you don't."

"We're so glad you could make it." Alisa Ortega didn't wait for any of us to tell her anything. "During your time in Texas, you're to consider yourselves guests of the Hawthorne family. I'll be your liaison to the firm. Anything you need while you're here, come to me."

"Do you know what's in the will?" Avery asked, following Alisa as she strode through an automatic door, her pace not slowing one bit.

"I do not." She gestured to a black sedan idling near the curb. She opened the back door, allowing all of us to slide in. Alisa sat in the passenger seat. I could see the driver, recognizing him almost immediately as Mr. Hawthorne's former bodyguard. I could remember him shadowing Mr. Hawthorne and I, always watching, always making sure we were safe. But, even if he did recognize me (and I'm sure he did) he didn't say anything.

"You'll find out what's in the will soon enough," Alisa said. "We all will. The reading is scheduled for shortly after your arrival at Hawthorne House."

"Is that where we'll be staying?" Libby asked. "Hawthorne House?"

"You'll have your pick of bedrooms," Alisa assured them. "Mr. Hawthorne bought the land the House is built on more than fifty years ago and spent every one of those years adding onto the architectural marvel he built there. I've lost track of the total number of bedrooms, but it's upward of thirty. Hawthorne House is... quite something."

Damn. I knew it was big, but not that big.

"I'm guessing Mr. Hawthorne was quite something, too?"

Avery had no idea.

"Good guess," Alisa said. She glanced back at Avery. "Mr. Hawthorne was fond of good guessers."

Mr. Hawthorne had told me that, once. When I was younger, I always tried to make great, logical guesses, assessing probability and likeliness, desperate for praise from him.

"How well did you know him?" Libby asked.

"My father has been Tobias Hawthorne's attorney since before I was born." Alisa's voice was soft. "I spent a lot of time at the Hawthorne House growing up."

"Do you have any idea why I'm here?" Avery asked. "Why he'd leave me anything at all?"

Great question, Avery. Did she know him, too?

"Are you a world-saving type?" Alisa asked.

"No?" Avery guessed.

"Ever had your life ruined by someone with the last name Hawthorne?" Alisa continued.

"No."

Alisa smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Lucky you."

𖦷⁂𖦷

Hawthorne House was massive.

Could it even be qualified as a house? It was more of a castle.

And it absoulutrly screamed Mr. Hawthorne.

A few cars were parked in the front, along with a very out of place, beat-up looking motorcycle. It looked like someone had found it in a dumpster.

Alisa eyed the bike. "Looks like Nash made it home."

"Nash?" Libby asked.

I vaguely remembered the old man mentioning him a few times. Nash Hawthorne.

"The oldest Hawthorne grandson," Alisa replied, tearing her gaze from the motorcycle and staring up at the mansion. "There are four of them total."

Three more. I remembered the names Mr. Hawthorne had told me- Nash, Grayson, Jameson, and Xander. The four genius grandsons.

Alisa flashed Avery a look. "Take it from someone who's been there and done that- never lose your heart to a Hawthorne."

"Don't worry," Avery told her, looking slightly annoyed. "I keep mine under a lock and key."

Yeah, right.

𖦷⁂𖦷

Not really sure what to say.

Uh...

Love you guys <3