Sofia had thrown a childish tantrum, but the silence left after the sounds of the cars pulling away had faded was a lovely remedy to her drama.

"Jorge," Jackson's voice was quiet, yet never lost its authority, "Gin and orange juice for Blair. The worst gin we have. I'll take my usual."

"Aw, you should join me, you big baby," Blair laughed, sitting across from him at the chess board.

He still hadn't made his next move, glaring at the board like it had personally offended him.

The same look that had made men cower in board rooms earned a soft smile from the woman who looked more relaxed than Ezra had ever seen her sober.

"Do we get to hear what's going on now?" Blaise asked, curiosity burning in his impatient eyes.

"They met overseas," Ezra shared his theory, nodding at Jorge in appreciation when he brought him his glass.

The ice clinked against the sides as he swirled the brown liquid thoughtfully, eyeing Blair expectantly.

"I endured her company for the better part of a year while I was trying to enjoy my vacation a couple of years ago," Jackson grumbled, still glaring at the chess board, "She was just as impossible then."

"Your fault for thinking you could sit down at my table and walk away with your dignity intact, you old coot," Blair snickered.

"Okay," Blaise breathed, leaning forward where he sat beside Ezra, "But-"

"I want to see the contract," Jackson interrupted, fixing a hard gaze on Ezra, "I will be making an amendment."

Ezra and Blaise's shocked gaze snapped to Blair, but she just shrugged indifferently.

"I have no secrets from Jackson," she said easily, pausing before adding, "Not now, not ever."

"You're supposed to be my wife," Ezra scoffed in disbelief, sitting back in exasperation.

"She will be," Jackson noted, "but she is my granddaughter first."

"Are we dreaming?" Blaise laughed, "This isn't real, right? What the actual hell is happening?"

"The contract," Jackson snapped, ignoring Blaise as he often did, "It will be on my desk by morning. I will send over and adjusted copy. You will both sign it this week, and the wedding will be next week. I'll handle this fiasco caused by that wretch of an ex and his side piece."

"Jackson," Blair sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "PR only. Let's not add more drama to the news, hmm?"

Jackson huffed, eyeing her briefly but not responding.

Ezra and Blaise exchanged a knowing glance, suspecting Ryan's life was about to get a whole hell of a lot more complicated now that Jackson had it out for him - no matter what Blair said.

"I do believe your contract wife's loyalty has just shifted," Blaise muttered not-so-quietly as he eyed Blair.

"It was always mine," Jackson corrected, shifting his attention back to Ezra, "You chose well, but 2 years is not long enough. If, in 2 years, you do not have an acceptable replacement and or you have not delivered on your end of the bargain, the contract will extend another 2 years. And again, at the end of the following term and so on until the conditions have been fully met."

"You agreed to this?" Ezra asked Blair, raising an eyebrow, "You weren't even sure you wanted to do this at all last week, and now you're signing up for more?"

"You didn't put all your cards on the table when we negotiated," Blair shrugged, noticing Jackson's blanket had slipped and standing to adjust it, "Jackson being your grandfather changes things."

"Whose wife is she going to be, exactly?" Blair loudly whispered, leaning toward Ezra conspiratorially.

"That's enough out of you," Jackson sighed impatiently, patting Blair's hand fondly as she stood to return to her seat, "You thought you could deceive me with a contract wife, but you were bound to fail regardless."

Jackson looked to Ezra sternly, "You're lucky it was Blair you saved that night. Had you brought anyone else, you'd have guaranteed your sister's inheritance of my shares. Consider it your good fortune that I didn't learn about your plan another way. Blair is the only one that makes such a deal acceptable."

Ezra frowned slightly, his eyes bouncing between the woman he'd chosen and his grandfather seated across from her.

"How is it," Ezra asked slowly, "that a woman you spent less than a year with has earned... so much of your approval?"

"She has earned far more than my approval," Jackson said lowly, his eyes darkening as memories floated into his mind, "and she saved my life."

"And he mine," Blair said quietly, her warm gaze making sure there was no doubt in her affection, "He is... my only living family."

"I went overseas to end it, Ezra," Jackson admitted, looking back at the board, "I was tired of waiting. I went to the park where I proposed to your grandmother. It was my final stop before I joined her and your father."

His eyes moved up from the board to meet Blair's before softening slightly.

"This fiery little shit was sitting in the park by herself, playing chess alone and muttering to herself."

Blair smiled, jumping in like they'd rehearsed this retelling of their first meeting.

"He thought he'd just sit down and make a show of crushing me in his final act of this world," Blair scoffed, though her gaze only softened further, "What a silly decision that was."

"One of the best I've ever made," he admitted quietly, adding sharply, "I certainly gave you a run for your money though!"

"Oh sure," Blair mused, nodding indulgently, "Sure you did. I definitely didn't obliterate you in just a few moves. Nope, that definitely didn't happen."

Jackson huffed, sitting back indignantly before a scowl formed.

"I noticed the hospital bracelet on her wrist as we played," Jackson said, his voice losing its playfulness, "She had self-admitted to a facility nearby. Turns out she was leading the painting course for patients, while also being a patient herself. She dragged me back like a clingy toddler and refused to let me leave."

"You needed practice," Blair shrugged, not having missed the look in his eyes that day and refusing to let him out of her sight after their game, "I figured what better way to remind you of your audacity than by torturing you with both chess and painting?"

"And horrible hospital food," Jackson grumbled, "not to mention I had to all but commit crimes to get a good whiskey in that place!"

"I smuggled it in after you complained like a child enough times," Blair snickered, "You really were intolerable if you didn't get your evening booze."

"That garbage you fed me the first time nearly finished the job I'd only just given up on doing myself," Jackson whined - actually whined, making Ezra stare at him like he was looking at a stranger.

Did Blair hypnotize him while they were painting, he found himself wondering absently.

"That gin you drink really is torture," Blaise mumbled in agreement, earning his first nod of acknowledgement from Jackson.

"You're all such princesses," Blair cackled, turning toward Ezra with a more serious expression, "Ezra, send Jackson the contract."

She turned then, adding with a sharp look, "Jackson, do not kill Ryan - just handle the media."

Turning back to Ezra she smirked, her eyes twinkling at the entire situation they'd stumbled into.

"We'll get married next week, just like we planned. Small. Simple. Then Jackson will handle the announcement... and well... I suppose that's when the real game will begin."

Jackson nodded approvingly, his gaze moving between his grandson and the woman he saw as his granddaughter.

He didn't care if they loved each other - hell, maybe this was the only way either of them would ever end up in anything resembling a healthy relationship. No, as long as they could respect each other and be friends... this was going to be a permanent arrangement if he had anything to say about it.

He had begun to scheme on ways to keep them together the second Blair said the words 'contract marriage.' He was going to do everything in his power to ensure this marriage never ended.

He was already prepared to do whatever it took.

Ezra saw that look in his grandfather's eyes, and the respect he had for Blair only deepened.

His grandfather's loyalty was beyond priceless, and difficult as hell to earn - did Blair even realize the power she held?

Blair Montgomery, the favored grand-daughter-in-law of Jackson King... even Ezra's mind spun at the possibilities.

"She's going to come to you, you know," Blair said quietly, turning to Jackson with a hint of hesitation, "The second it's announced, she'll try to arrange a meeting."

"Let her come," Jackson growled, the glint in his eyes making Blaise flinch.

Even Ezra shivered internally at the violence he sensed from within the old man.

"We need the truth, Jackson," Blair reminded him, "She can't... disappear... until we find them. Until we know."

"I know," Jackson scowled, looking away, "I promised, didn't I? I didn't get involved, just like you asked."

He turned toward her then before adding, "but this changes things. No more hiding in the shadows. You played chess, and you're stuck in a stale mate. This time, we do things my way - and I'll make sure you win."

Blair studied him for a long moment before, slowly, nodding.

She was tired of hiding, and she had long since realized her approach wasn't working. She had been skeptical when Ezra had made his promises... but Jackson? Jackson she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, would stop at nothing to get her answers.

Then, if her mother went 'missing' afterward... well, people go missing all the time, don't they?

"Okay," she breathed, nodding toward the board with a smirk, "Make your move, old man. Let's see if you've got what it takes to beat me this time."

--

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