When billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves nearly his entire fortune to a girl none of his family has ever heard of-Avery Grambs-Madeline "Maddy" Ruelle Black is thrust into the eye of a storm she never expected. As Avery's fiercely loyal stepsister and closest confidante, Maddy travels with her to the infamous Hawthorne House, a sprawling estate full of secrets, riddles, and resentful heirs. But Maddy isn't just along for the ride. As hidden truths unravel and deadly games begin, Maddy finds herself caught between the razor-sharp Hawthorne brothers-especially Alexander Hawthorne, the enigmatic and calculated brother who doesn't play by anyone's rules. With her fierce instincts, guarded heart, and a past she's tried to outrun, Maddy will have to play the inheritance game in her own way. In a world where trust is currency and every move could cost everything, one thing becomes clear: the truth behind the inheritance goes deeper than anyone imagined-and Maddy may hold a key no one saw coming.