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

Chapter 52

Time stood still as they sat there, lost in their own thoughts. Alison spooned another bite of dark chocolate ice cream, relishing its flavour. Since their return to Massachusetts, Alison had declared that they were going to get ice cream, and Grayson didn't object. Alison ate ice cream as if trying to fill an empty space within her, yet she never seemed to put on any weight. In fact, it appeared that she was losing weight, suggesting that ice cream was the only thing she had been consuming.

Leaning back in his chair, Grayson studied Alison intently. She hadn't shed a tear or shown much emotion. Usually, people cried and mourned when they lost loved ones. Grayson had experienced it himself when his grandfather passed away.

A thought came into Grayson's mind. Hudson had mentioned that he didn't look up to their father, and William had described their upbringing as being raised like cattle on a farm. Yet, both of them had acknowledged that Alison was an exception, their father's favourite. But did Alison, like her brothers, hold a deep resentment towards their father? Was that why she didn't seem to cry or show any emotion?

The silence lingered between them, both heavy and oddly comforting. Grayson broke the silence, knowing Alison needed some distraction. "What happened between you and Mason?"

Regret washed over Grayson as soon as the words left his lips. He realized it was his Hawthorne side speaking, digging into Alison's past. He could have asked about anything else, but he didn't really know Alison personally, only what she was supposed to achieve in this game.

Alison finished her cup of ice cream and settled comfortably in her seat. "As you know, Mason and I were paired up for an English project. The head of the English department thought it would be a good idea to match the two best writers together, see who could create the best work and win."

"Mason went behind my back and sold our writings to a publisher. It became a success and brought in a lot of money. But when the demand grew, he couldn't deliver. So, he resorted to stealing some of my work and passing it off as his own."

"As you can imagine, I was furious, not just because he stole half of my life's work, but for other reasons too. Mason wasn't the brightest person, but he made sure I couldn't undo what he had done. I didn't care much about it until he came back to me, insisting we work together again because..."

"He was good, but you were better," Grayson interjected, finishing her sentence. 

Alison's straightforward responses without any hidden puzzles or jokes were unusual. It was then that Grayson knew that she had truly stopped playing.

"At first, I refused, but my family needed the money, so we struck a deal. I wrote two financial books under Mason's name. It was my way of reminding him that I was the true writer, not him. It was also a way to reclaim what it cost me."

"At that time, my family was unaware of Mason, and I intended to keep it that way. But you don't always get what you want. Mason discovered my family background and took me somewhere, claiming it was just for a visit. When we arrived, I was shocked. I hadn't seen my parents in two years, since I left for England and then Harvard. He offered my parents more money than they could imagine. My father refused to sell our farm, which had been passed down for generations and was meant for William and Hudson. But my mother, haunted by her past and knowing how tough life could be, accepted the money. It led to arguments between my parents, and my mother eventually filed for divorce. William and Hudson had no choice but to side with my mother."

"After the divorce, I wanted to end my partnership with Mason, but I knew it would mean losing the financial support for my family. So I tried to expose Mason, but he had deleted any evidence of my involvement, and as someone who didn't technically exist in terms of politics, I had no rights or freedom. I argued with Mason, but according to our agreement, he owned everything about me, including myself. "

"Whenever I resisted or refused to write, Mason wouldn't punish me directly but would target my family instead. My mother moved to New York with my brother, and I had no knowledge of it until recently. Mason forbade me from contacting them because they had the potential to free me, but why would they? It was only a few weeks ago that I discovered my mother had actually agreed with Mason on everything. My mother simply wanted to survive and have an easier life, and after what she had been through, who could blame her?"

"I started leaving clues in my books, hoping the media would investigate Mason's works, but no one noticed nor solved them. When I heard that you, one of Billionaire Tobias Hawthorne's grandsons, were coming to Harvard, I saw it as an opportunity to escape. I knew the Hawthornes were... different, but I know a Hawthorne could and would solve anything."

"I arranged for you to be my partner in IT and planned to use you to free myself. Throughout our times together, I had other plans too. Mason wanted me to write more, and I played along, agreeing to provide him with work samples while secretly focusing on my escape."

Alison paused, gathering her thoughts before speaking again, this time focusing on Grayson. "I thought it would be easier if I researched you, but halfway through my plan, I forgot what true happiness felt like." Grayson felt a mix of guilt, confused, sadness, and a glimmer of joy as he heard Alison's words, though her expression remained neutral. "I knew learning about you would make my life easier, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I stopped writing samples for Mason and started focusing on...you." Alison's voice dropped to a whisper, and Grayson sensed her embarrassment. "But I got too distracted, got myself hurt, and I wondered if Mason had done something to you during those three days you were gone." As Grayson listened intently to Alison, the image of her black eye flashed vividly in his mind. He wanted to mention that her brothers were responsible for his absence, not Mason, but he chose to let Alison continue.

"When you didn't show up in IT, the teacher offered me a new partner, and it scared me... The next day, you came back. It felt like a small glimmer of hope, but I knew I shouldn't get too close to you. I didn't want to put you in danger or hurt you. But being around you was enjoyable, it brought me joy."

There was a long pause before Alison's phone started ringing in Grayson's pocket. He realized he still had it and hadn't given it back to her. "It's an unknown caller," he informed her.

Grayson knew Alison was afraid that it might be Mason calling, so he decided to end the call. "Answer it," Alison softly urged him before he disconnected. Following her instructions, Grayson put the phone on speaker. " Alison Emrys? Is this William and Hudson's sister?"

Grayson recognized the voice as Shea's. But why would she be calling Alison? How was she able to? "Shea, what's wrong?" Grayson asked, glancing up at Alison. 

Alison's expression remained blank, her blue eyes never leaving the phone, and Grayson knew there was a part of her that was curious and concerned, otherwise she wouldn't have told him to answer the call.

"Grayson?" Shea's voice trailed off as she started crying in relief. "You're okay! I was so worried that something happened to you-"

"Shea," Grayson spoke softly, trying to understand the situation. "What's wrong?"

Shea sniffled and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "William and Hudson were in an accident, and they're currently at the hospital." Grayson felt a shiver down his back. He looked at Alison, and she went still, her face showing no emotion.

"Where are you now?" Grayson focused on getting more details from Shea. "I'm at Brooklyn Heights Hospital," Shea replied, blowing her nose while still shedding a few tears. A muffled voice could be heard in the background as she responded. "I have to go. Be careful, Grayson."

The call ended abruptly. Grayson turned to Alison, who was deep in thought, staring at her phone on the table. The weight of loss seemed to consume her. Her mother was gone. Her father was gone. And now... "Alison-"

"Let's go, Grayson."