Chapter 70 Summary

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

You have been warned.

Now, let's dive in.

Summary

The chapter opens in the immediate aftermath of Tobias Hawthorne's recorded message. The four Hawthorne brothers—Jameson, Xander, Nash, and Grayson—are frozen, as if struck by a paralyzing venom. Avery breaks the silence, referencing the old man's habit of killing multiple birds with one stone. Jameson corrects her: twelve birds, one stone.

Xander snaps out of his stupor and realizes that they all acted exactly as Tobias predicted, from the very beginning. Nash, ever calm, asks how dangerous Vincent Blake really is. Grayson answers with icy precision: Blake is dangerous enough to require a decoy. He notes that the Blake family fortune, though smaller than the Hawthornes', goes back much further, meaning Blake has deep pockets and unknown connections. Jameson swears, observing that Tobias raised them to fight but never intended this particular fight for them.

Avery reflects on Tobias's letter to his daughters, recalling the line about legacies they should not have to bear. She pieces together the truth that has been hidden in plain sight for months: Tobias left her his fortune so that when his enemies descended after his death, they would descend on her. He picked his target carefully, placing her as a cog in a complicated machine. She remembers his warning that Blake would show no mercy, and his cryptic reassurance that she might be tested by flames but need not burn.

She leaves the room, telling Jameson she's going to make a call. Vincent Blake answers on the fifth ring—a deliberate power play. Avery tells him that Eve is gone and he no longer has an insider. Blake responds with amusement, implying he has someone else inside Hawthorne House. Avery then offers to deliver the truth about what happened to his son, William Blake, and asks what he will give her besides Toby. Blake's amusement darkens, and he hangs up without an answer. Oren appears and informs Avery that a courier has arrived at the gate.

Key Events

The Hawthorne brothers remain motionless after Tobias's message; Avery breaks the silence.
Xander realizes they all followed Tobias's predictions exactly.
Nash asks about Blake's danger level; Grayson explains the need for a decoy.
Jameson notes that Tobias raised them to fight but never intended this fight for them.
Avery deduces Tobias's plan: she is the target for his enemies.
Avery calls Vincent Blake; he answers on the fifth ring.
Avery tells Blake Eve is gone; Blake hints at another insider.
Avery offers to trade information about William Blake's remains for Toby's release.
Blake hangs up, leaving Avery without leverage.
Oren announces a courier at the gate.

Character Development

Avery Grambs continues to evolve from a reluctant player into a strategic operator. She reads the room, breaks the brothers' paralysis, and immediately pivots to action. Her internal monologue reveals a hardened resolve: she understands that Tobias used her as bait, yet she refuses to be a passive victim. The call to Blake demonstrates her willingness to bluff with incomplete information—she doesn't actually know where William Blake's remains are, but she leverages the possibility to try to gain an advantage. Her ability to keep her breathing steady and her tone emotionless shows her growing mastery of the game.

The Hawthorne brothers each react in character. Xander's realization is energetic and almost manic, while Nash's calm is that of a man approaching a rabid bull. Grayson's analysis is cold and precise, focusing on Blake's resources. Jameson's frustration is raw—he was raised to fight, but this fight was never meant for him. Their collective stillness at the start of the chapter underscores how deeply Tobias's manipulation has affected them.

Vincent Blake is further fleshed out as a formidable antagonist. His choice to answer on the fifth ring is a calculated power play. His amusement at Avery's attempts, followed by a dark twist and an abrupt hang-up, reveals a man who is not easily manipulated and who likely has multiple layers of contingency. His hint about another insider suggests he is always several moves ahead.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Manipulation and Traps: The chapter reinforces the motif of traps within traps. Tobias's message was designed to elicit specific reactions from each brother, and they all fell into his design. Avery's realization that she is the decoy—the target meant to draw Blake's fire—is a literal trap set by Tobias.

Decoy Strategy: Grayson's comment about Blake being dangerous enough to require a decoy ties directly to Avery's role. She is the decoy, and the chapter makes clear that Tobias chose her deliberately.

Leverage and Power Plays: The phone call is a study in leverage. Avery tries to use the promise of William Blake's remains as a bargaining chip, while Blake uses silence and implication to maintain control. The fifth-ring answer is a classic power play.

Legacy Burdens: Tobias's letter to his daughters and his decision to burden Avery with his fortune highlight the theme of inherited guilt. The brothers are also burdened by their grandfather's expectations, even as they are sidelined from this particular fight.

Survival Through Fire: Avery recalls Tobias's words about being tested by flames but not burning. This motif of fire as a trial recurs, suggesting that Avery's survival depends on her ability to withstand pressure without being consumed.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel. It reveals the full scope of Tobias Hawthorne's manipulation, confirming that Avery was never a random beneficiary but a carefully chosen target. The brothers' realization that they were all pawns deepens the emotional stakes and sets the stage for their potential re-engagement.

The phone call with Blake establishes the immediate conflict: Avery has no insider, but Blake claims to have one. This creates a new mystery—who is the insider?—and raises the tension for the next chapter. The arrival of the courier at the gate introduces a new plot element that could shift the balance of power.

Finally, Avery's decision to confront Blake directly, rather than hide, marks her growth as a player. She is no longer just reacting; she is attempting to shape the game. This chapter sets up the climactic confrontations that follow.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Avery call Vincent Blake, and what does she hope to achieve?

Avery calls Blake to establish leverage. She tells him that Eve is gone, removing his insider, and then offers to deliver the truth about his son's remains in exchange for Toby's release. She hopes to gain an advantage by making Blake believe she has something he wants, even though she doesn't actually know where the remains are.

2. How does the chapter reveal Tobias Hawthorne's long-term plan?

Avery realizes that Tobias left her his fortune so that his enemies would descend on her after his death. The brothers' actions were all predicted by Tobias, as Xander notes. This confirms that Tobias orchestrated events to make Avery the target, using her as a decoy to draw Blake's attention away from his own family.

3. What does Blake's response to Avery's offer indicate about his character?

Blake's amusement turning dark and his abrupt hang-up show that he is not easily manipulated. He implies he has another insider, suggesting he has multiple layers of contingency. His refusal to engage with Avery's offer indicates that he is playing a longer game and will not be baited into a simple trade.