Chapter 86 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Chapter 86 opens on the night of the Countdown Party, the celebration Xander convinced Avery to host. Dressed in a deep red ball gown with a teardrop diamond necklace, Avery stands before a mirror, aware that her year at Hawthorne House is ending and that nothing will be the same. Jameson arrives in a white tuxedo with a red vest, and the two share a moment before the festivities begin.
The party is designed as a rotating event, with guests spending one hour in each of five locations: the sculpture garden, the climbing wall, the bowling alley, the pottery room, and the arcade. In the sculpture garden, they play a water fight game called Hide and Go Soak. Avery hides behind a statue with Libby, who wears twin tattoos reading SURVIVOR and TRUST. Nash joins them, and Libby playfully soaks him. The group moves indoors, getting wet, clay-spattered, and exhausted as the night progresses.
At the arcade, private chefs serve elaborate dishes, and Oren is persuaded to taste a pork bun. Grayson approaches Avery, noting that she has a plan. He tells her he is glad it was her who inherited the fortune, a quiet acknowledgment of her worth. Jameson asks what room she would add to Hawthorne House, and the others offer playful suggestions—an obstacle course, an indoor skydiving complex, a ballroom. Thea and Rebecca play pool against Libby and Nash, and the banter continues.
Alisa arrives with a puppy named Tiramisu, found barking at a Monet. Xander dotes on the dog and dumps it on Grayson. As midnight approaches, Max joins via video call from college. The group counts down to the new year, and Jameson kisses Avery, whispering "Happy new life."
Immediately after the countdown, Alisa turns on a financial news channel. The reporter announces that Avery has signed paperwork transferring ninety-four percent of her inheritance into a charitable trust, to be distributed within five years. The room falls silent. Thea exclaims in disbelief, and Nash realizes Alisa helped orchestrate this. Alisa reveals she has accepted a new position at the charitable trust, leaving her law firm.
Avery explains that she is keeping Hawthorne House and enough money to maintain it, possibly a vacation home or two. She invites everyone to join the board of the Hannah the Same Backward as Forward Foundation. She gives Libby account information for mutual aid and microloans, setting aside ten million dollars a year for her. She also gives Nash the keys to Libby's new cupcake truck, a playful way to ensure Libby accepts the gift. Jameson steps forward, noting that Avery is giving away almost everything Tobias Hawthorne left her. Avery confirms she is keeping the house, and Thea remarks that Tobias would lose it. Jameson smiles, calling it a very risky gamble.
Key Events
- Avery hosts the Countdown Party, a rotating celebration across five rooms of Hawthorne House.
- The group plays water games, bowls, does pottery, and eats a gourmet dinner in the arcade.
- Grayson tells Avery he is glad it was her who inherited the fortune.
- Alisa arrives with a puppy named Tiramisu, and Max joins via video call.
- At midnight, the group counts down to the new year.
- Alisa reveals the breaking news: Avery has transferred 94% of her inheritance into a charitable trust.
- Avery announces she is keeping Hawthorne House and enough money to maintain it.
- She gives Libby accounts for mutual aid and microloans, plus ten million dollars a year.
- She gives Nash the keys to a cupcake truck for Libby.
- She invites everyone to join the board of the Hannah the Same Backward as Forward Foundation.
- Jameson calls Avery's decision a risky gamble.
Character Development
Avery Grambs reaches the culmination of her arc. Throughout the series, she has been defined by the inheritance thrust upon her. Here, she takes full agency, choosing to redistribute the vast majority of her wealth. Her decision to keep Hawthorne House—the place that became her home—shows she values belonging over fortune. Her careful planning, from the party to the legal paperwork, demonstrates her growth from a girl surprised by a will to a woman who controls her own legacy.
Jameson Hawthorne supports Avery without needing to understand her plan fully. His comment about the "risky gamble" reveals his respect for her boldness. He also corrects Xander's "Happy New Year" to "Happy new life," showing his awareness of the significance of the moment.
Grayson Hawthorne offers a quiet but meaningful validation. His line "I'm glad it was you" suggests he has moved past any resentment and genuinely respects Avery's character. He is also the first to ask what she wants them to do, indicating his willingness to follow her lead.
Libby shows growth through her tattoos (SURVIVOR and TRUST) and her playful interactions with Nash. She is initially reluctant to accept Avery's gift, but Avery's clever move of giving the keys to Nash ensures she will. Libby's journey from a struggling sister to a confident woman is evident.
Alisa takes a professional risk by helping Avery without her firm's knowledge. Her decision to accept a new position at the charitable trust shows her commitment to Avery's vision over traditional career security.
Nash remains the pragmatic cowboy, but his amusement and acceptance of the cupcake truck keys indicate his trust in Avery's choices.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Wealth redistribution and power dispersal are the central themes. Avery's decision to give away 94% of her inheritance is a deliberate rejection of concentrated power. The foundation's name—Hannah the Same Backward as Forward—emphasizes the idea of looking forward while honoring the past, and the anagram "Gen H verity" (generational truth) suggests a commitment to truth across generations.
Agency and choice are highlighted throughout. Avery's plan is entirely her own; she rewrote it repeatedly and did not ask for permission. Her choice to keep Hawthorne House symbolizes her desire for a home, not just money.
Family bonds are reinforced through the party's intimate guest list and the playful interactions. The group's willingness to join her foundation board shows their trust in her.
The poker face motif appears when Jameson teaches Avery that a good poker face involves thinking about something else. Avery thinks of their shared adventures, linking her emotional stability to her relationships.
The cupcake truck is a symbol of Libby's independence and Avery's desire to give her sister a tangible means of self-sufficiency.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 86 is the climax of Avery's character arc and the resolution of the inheritance plot. It transforms her from a passive recipient of Tobias Hawthorne's fortune into an active agent who redefines what that fortune means. By giving away nearly all of it, she subverts the expectations of the will and of the public, proving that her value lies not in money but in her choices and relationships. The chapter also sets up the future: the foundation board, the cupcake truck, and the possibility of Avery and Jameson exploring the vacation homes together. It is a satisfying payoff to the series' central question of what Avery would do with the inheritance.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Avery choose to give away 94% of her inheritance, and what does this decision reveal about her character?
Avery gives away the money because she does not want to be defined by wealth or to hold such concentrated power. She has seen how the Hawthorne fortune has shaped and corrupted lives. By transferring it to a charitable trust, she ensures the money will be distributed within five years, preventing any single person from controlling it. This decision reveals her maturity, her empathy for those who need help (as she and Libby once did), and her desire to create a positive legacy rather than hoard riches.
2. How does the anagram "Gen H verity" relate to Avery's actions in this chapter?
Jameson explains that "Gen H verity" is an anagram for "generational truth." Avery uses this phrase to connect her decision to a larger truth about her family and her own life. By giving away the money, she is honoring the truth that her worth is not tied to the inheritance, and she is creating a new truth for future generations—one where wealth is used for good rather than control. The foundation's name, Hannah the Same Backward as Forward, echoes this idea of looking both backward and forward.
3. What is the significance of Avery keeping Hawthorne House while giving away the rest of the fortune?
Keeping Hawthorne House symbolizes Avery's choice to keep the home and the family she has found there, rather than the money. The house represents the relationships she has built with the Hawthornes and the sense of belonging she never had before. By keeping it, she asserts that her identity is tied to people and place, not to wealth. It also allows her to maintain a connection to the family while redistributing the fortune that could have divided them.