𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 || 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

Ten

❥ "Let's go over it again." Landon's voice goes in and out of my ears in a second. I wasn't focusing, considering my crazy ex was stalking me.

After Avery talked to Oren and Alisa about the text message I got from Matthew two days ago, Oren thought it was best I get a bodyguard. So, now, I have become well acquainted with this guy named James.

Okay, not really. I just met him today. He seems fairly nice though, so that's something.

That among other things, like Grayson, are chaotic.

"Mrs. Grambs." Landon snapped her fingers in my face and I jumped in my seat. Avery stifled a laugh. "What do you have to say about that?"

Shit.

"Um.. I think—"

"Dear God." Landon wrote down something in her notebook and I mentally cringed at myself. Get it together.

"Ms. Grambs. You are the eldest Grambs sister who inherited something from Tobias Hawthorne. You need to have something to say." Landon shifted in her seat. "Let's try this again, okay?"

I nodded.

"What was it like coming to Hawthorne House, and inheriting Hawthorne Foundation?"

"It was a shock, but I'm grateful for everything i've been given."

Landon looked surprised. "Not bad. Now is it true you've been seeing Grayson Hawthorne?"

What the—

"Absolutely not. I don't know who told you that. In fact, why is that a question?—"

"Wrong. So incredibly wrong." Landon shook her head and went back to scribbling notes on her paper.  "Ms. Grambs, media has been circulating about you and Mr. Hawthorne. I'm not saying it's true, but it's a likely question."

Avery was looking anywhere but me. So much for the help. "Fine."

Landon smiled. "Great." She flipped a page in her notebook. "Now, is it true you conned your way into Hawthorne House?"

I'm going to die.
—
❥

In the three weeks i've been at Hawthorne House, I have gotten nowhere. I still don't know what Tobias Hawthorne's message meant.

But maybe now I can find out.

"Xander." I walked into his room, not even bothering to knock. He was on his bed working on some contraption.

"Ms. Grambs, what do I owe you the pleasure of?"

I placed my hands on my hips. "Why is everybody calling me Ms. Grambs?"

He shrugged. "It rolls off the tongue."

I sat down on the bed, giving him my pleading eyes. "I need a favor. Where's your invisible ink pen?"

Xander chuckled. "You mean the blue light pen? Why do you need it?" I titled my head and he picked up on it right away because in seconds he was reaching into his drawers. "Here." He handed it to me.

I took out the letter from my pocket and grazed the rough area on the back. This could be it.

Flashing the blue light, there was one word that shined. My breath hitched and Xander sat down next to me to read.

"Evangeline."  That's not my name. That's not my name. That's not my—

When I turned to face Xander, it looked like he had seen a ghost. "Xander?"

He took the pen from my hand. "You—" He paused, swallowing hard. "This doesn't make any sense." What doesn't make sense? "You can't be here."

I flinched. "What do you mean I can't be here?" Xander was off the bed and pacing before I could get the sentence out of my mouth. "Xander."