better than winning

02 | will-reading

But before he can answer me, we get handed over a letter and Mr. Ortega begins:

"I, Tobias Tattersall Hawthorne, being of sound body and mind, decree that my worldly possessions, including all monetary and physical assets, be disposed of as follows. To Andrew and Lottie Laughlin, for years of loyal service, I bequeath a sum of one hundred thousand dollars apiece, with lifelong, rent-free tenancy granted in Wayback Cottage, located on the western border of my Texas estate."

"To John Oren, head of my security detail, who has saved my life more times and in more ways than I can count, I leave the contents of my toolbox, held currently in the offices of McNamara, Ortega, and Jones, as well as a sum of three hundred thousand dollars."

"To my mother-in-law, Pearl O'Day, I leave an annuity of one hundred thousand dollars a year, plus a trust for medical expenses as set forth in the appendix. All jewelry belonging to my late wife, Alice O'Day Hawthorne, shall pass to her mother upon my death, to be distributed as she sees fit upon hers."

"Don't you go getting any ideas, I'm going to outlive you all." an old lady warns, I chuckle a bit at her comment.

"To my daughters, Zara Hawthorne-Calligaris and Skye Hawthorne, I leave the funds necessary to pay off all debts accrued as of the date and time of my death."

"Additionally, I leave to Skye my compass, may she always know true north, and to Zara, I leave my wedding ring, may she love as wholly and steadfastly as I loved her mother."

he pauses and sighs

"To each of my daughters, beyond that already stated, I leave a one-time inheritance of fifty thousand dollars."

damn less than his house keepers?

even I have made more money through my first F3 season

"You did this.", a woman accuses another woman. "Me?", the other one says shocked, the first one continues, "Daddy was never the same after Toby died" "Disappeared" the second one corrects immediately.

"God, listen to you! You got in his head, didn't you, Skye?" the first lady snaps and saying, "Batted your eyelashes and convinced him to bypass us and leave everything to your-" "Sons." Skye, I think, ends her sentence, "The word you re looking for is sons."

"The word she's looking for is bastards." a tall boy with cowboy boots corrects, probably his mother, in a thick ass Texas accent "Not like we haven't heard it before."

I try to remember everything word for word, to tell Asher about this family drama.

Skyes sister, I think, begins, "If I'd had a son..."

"But you didn't." Skye cuts her off "Did you, Zara?"

so Skye is the mother of Mr. thick ass accent, sniper, Xan and Grayson?

"Enough." a man now steps in "We will sort this out."

"I'm afraid there's nothing to be sorted. You will find the will is ironclad, with significant disincentives to any who might be tempted to challenge it.", Mr. Ortega ends the argument.

"Now, if I may continue... To my grandsons, Nash Westbrook Hawthorne, Grayson Davenport Hawthorne, Jameson Winchester Hawthorne, and Alexander Blackwood Hawthorne, I leave..."

"Everything" I hear Zara say.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars apiece, payable on their twenty-fifth birthdays, until such time to be managed by Alisa Ortega, trustee."

"What?" the girl next to him, most likely Alisa corrects herself, "I mean... what?"

"The hell. The phrase you're looking for, darlin', is what the hell?", the cowboy helps her.

I need this accent to annoy Asher

"What is going on here?" Grayson says something for the first time, in this conversation.

oh, right. they didn't get anything

I was way to invested in the drama to realise

wait, Avery and I are the only one left

"All properties will go to Nayla Isabella Black and monetary assets I leave to Avery Kylie Grambs."

WHAT

Skye is the first one to speak up, "He left everything to her?" her words pointed at Avery, somehow managing to forget me entirely "Who the hell is she?"

"There must be some mistake." Grayson now too chimes in. "He's right." Avery mutters

huh? why'd she that?

"Grayson is right" Avery says now louder, a girl in her 20s nudges her arm "Avery" she says to shut Avery up.

"I assure you, there is no mistake." Mr. Ortega steps in again "And I assure the rest of you, Tobias Hawthorne's last will and testament is utterly unbreakable. Since the majority of the remaining details concern only Nayla and Avery, we'll cease with the dramatics. But let me make one thing very clear: Per the terms of the will, any heir who challenges the inheritance will forfeit their share of the estate entirely."

"No will is that ironclad, not when there's this kind of money at stake." the man from before argues.

I start getting annoyed, I mean do they really think, that someone who managed to gain so much money, would leave a loophole in his will?

"Spoken, like someone who didn't really know the old man." Nash replied.

"Traps upon traps," Jameson, now with a shirt, murmurs "and riddles upon riddles."

"I think you should leave" Grayson says to Avery. "Well it's technically Miss Blacks decision", Alisa chimes in. A bodyguard suddenly steps in front of Avery, "Oren! You work for this family." Zara protests shocked.

"I worked for Mr. Hawthorne." he holds his letter up "It was his last request that I continue in the employment of Miss Avery Kylie Grambs." he explains, now turning to Avery "Security. You'll need it."

Oh and I don't need it or what?

gosh this family-

"And not just to protect you from us!" Xander agrees. "take a step back, please"

"The entire world's going to want a piece of you, Avery. This has story of the century written all over it." Jameson smiles, not like something who just got disowned. Avery walks out of the room, followed by the girl next to her.

I remain in the room with the shocked family "well that was fun", I try to lighten the mood "fun?" Sykes voice practically screams poison, scoffs, storms out of the room, not wanting to cause more commotion and followed by Grayson, but he turns to a different direction.