❥ "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."

He looked at me, hard, the way you would look at a chess set or a puzzle when trying to solve it. "Holy shit."

"Xander, give me something. Anything."

"Evelyn, listen to me." Xander placed his arms on my shoulders. "You can't tell anybody about this. Not yet."

"But why—"

"Trust me, it won't be good. I know you don't get it, but if my mom or Zara were to find out—" He shook his head. "It won't be good."

"Xander." I stood up and he let go of my shoulders. "You need to explain."

"Just— promise me you won't tell anyone? Especially Grayson." Grayson. "I- I don't know how he's gonna react to this. Especially after Emily."

I wanted to say more, but Xander looked too stressed out. So I nodded. "Okay."
—
❥

I lied.

Today has been the worst day ever. I practically failed my fake interview, Xander is being secretive, and I can't keep this secret to myself. I need to know more, and there's only one person who is just as hungry for this.

"Jameson." I whispered, and he turned back around to face me in an instant. I found him lurking in one of the many halls of Hawthorne House.

"Now you're the one stalking me." He smirked and I ignored his comment, inching closer to him. Once I was within arms reach, he spoke again. "What's going on?"

"I know you and Avery are buddies, but I need you to keep this a secret from her."

"So i'm the chosen one? What happened to Grayson?" He was teasing me. Fucking idiot.

"Your brother is emotionally unavailable." I pulled the letter out of my pocket. "Look."

Jameson smirked. "Now I see why he's obsessed with you." He takes the paper from my hands. "You are— feisty."

"Stop flirting with me." I nudged his shoulder and then he looked down at the paper. I waited for him to respond anxiously, begging he would give me something more than Xander.

"What is this?" Jameson shook his head, running his hands across the paper over and over again.

I pointed towards the word Evangeline. "It's in invisible ink, but I couldn't take the pen from Xanders room. I wrote it down for you."

He looked hesitant. "You're hungry, Jameson. I am too. Don't lie to me."

"Evelyn I—"

"You two need to stop lurking and come in." Skye.

"This is your mother's room?"

Jameson shrugged. "Yep. Follow me." He took my hand and led me into Skye Hawthorne's room. It was massive, by the way.

Skye was on her bed, and once she saw us a smirk spread across her face. "Avery wasn't enough for you?"

"Mother." Jameson warned.

"Leave us be, Jamie." She turned her attention towards me. "I want to speak to the girl, alone."

Jameson mouthed "sorry" to me before scurrying out the room. Fuck.

I looked Skye Hawthorne in the eyes. "What do you—"

"Want? That's obvious. For you and your sisters to leave." She took a sip of her tea. "But that's not possible."

I wished I could give her what she wanted. In the time I had been here I'd been shot, broken a leg, and been terrorized by my crazy ex. It's safe to say Hawthorne House didn't like me.

"But you seem to have my boys wrapped around your fingers." She placed the tea down on the nightstand next to her. "I know who you are, and what you're doing."

I took a step back. "What—"

"I knew you looked too familiar when you first walked in. And I don't know how the old man did it, but I'll be damned if you come back here and ruin everything. Just like your old man dad."

Ricky? "My dad is back home. He has nothing to do with this."

"Keep playing the role of innocent all you want, but I know the truth. And you can hide behind this whole Evelyn facade— but trust me, I know who you are, Evangeline."
—
❥

a/n:

two chapters in one day?!? thank you for 800 reads :0 this was kind've a filler chapter but the drama next chapter is going to be insane. I wish wattpad would let me upload pictures but no! K bye :0