"Blair."

Jackson's voice came through the phone, and Blair could only soften at the clear scolding she was about to receive.

She'd basically snuck out of the penthouse to go to the hospital and keep Blaise company, and she had a feeling she'd officially been caught.

"Hello Jackson."

"You are not at the penthouse."

"No, I'm at the hospital."

"Why are you at the hospital, Blair?"

"Because I was due for a pulmonary checkup and they were able to get me in a few days early when someone else canceled... but mostly I wanted Blaise to watch the stream with me."

Her eyes flicked to the man sleeping on the bed nearby, a shadow of what he had been a month and a half ago. He was wasting away in the bed, and while the delirium had faded - reality had started to hit him hard. With Blaise's trach having officially been pulled, Blair had wanted to be there to celebrate the milestone - even if he still couldn't speak properly.

He still had a long journey ahead, but she knew better than most how staying in a hospital room without company could drive a person mad.

"... what did the pulmonologist say?"

A small smile tugged at her lips, even as she lowered her eyes instinctively to hide the storm behind them.

Of course Jackson understood.

"Confirmed that the fractures are stable," Blair breathed, adjusting uncomfortably in the wheelchair she still wasn't allowed to push forward on her own, "Apparently I have to start strength training soon."

"Still short of breath?"

"... yeah," she admitted quietly, "It's not nearly as bad though... just if I get too excited or exert myself."

"Then don't exert yourself," he grunted impatiently, "Maybe you should try listening instead of being a certified pain in the ass all the time."

"You'd get bored."

"I could do with some boredom."

"I'm too interesting for that."

"You're something, you little shit."

"Old fart."

"Damn hooligan."

Connor sat just outside the door, still completely unfamiliar with the way that Blair and Jackson talked to each other.

No, not unfamiliar, he scoffed, insanely familiar... that was how Blair talked to everyone she was close with. 

What was unfamiliar was it being Jackson she was bantering with.

"Dr. Meadows," a nurse pulled his attention from the quiet conversation happening inside Blaise's hospital room, and Connor turned immediately, "There are visitors here for Mrs. King... you had said all visitor requests had to come through you. I wasn't sure if that still applied now that she was discharged or not..."

Connor's frown deepened instinctively.

Blair was discharged 2 days ago, but most people had no idea she'd been hospitalized in the first place. If the wedding announcement hadn't exploded across the newspaper like the country was going to war - they probably still wouldn't.

Unfortunately, Blair had been the focus of the papers ever since, and the accident had made headlines just that morning.

That meant that whoever was there to visit had not been someone that Blair texted when she woke up or any of the few visitors she'd had in those first weeks - like her coworkers and that nice family from the market that showed up with a jar of alcohol candy that Connor had had to swiftly reject on her behalf.

No, whoever this was had just learned about the accident from the papers.

"Did they give you a name?" Connor asked lowly, having no intention of letting whoever it was up - but wanting to know who to namedrop when he called Jackson.

"Helen and Ryan Shaw," the nurse confirmed, looking down at his tablet to confirm the note that had been sent up, "They're waiting at reception. They were quite insistent."

"Tell them there are no patients here by that name, and explain you can't release more than that to non-family," Connor said immediately, vaguely recognizing the names but not quite able to place them, "I'll notify her security."

When he turned and saw that Blair was no longer on the phone with Jackson, he took the initiative to call Jackson himself.

"Connor," Jackson's voice was gruff, but it was clear he was in a good mood.

"Jackson," Connor said quietly, walking down the hallway and rolled his chair into the office he'd claimed as his own, "There are people here to see Blair. Helen and Ryan Shaw. I've turned them away, but wanted you to know they were at the hospital."

There was a silence on the other end of the line that told Connor he'd been right to follow his instinct and call Jackson.

"Remind me why I know those names?" Connor finally broke the silence, tapping his fingers on the armrest.

"Ryan and Blair dated for a long time," Jackson said lowly.

It clicked then in Connor's mind - that rich, snobby kid Blair met at the college. Jack didn't like the kid at all, but they'd barely really started dating at the time, so he'd decided to wait and see.

What the hell was he doing visiting?

"He must know she's married now," Connor said coldly, "Are they still friends?"

"Not even remotely," Jackson growled, "He is a disgusting piece of trash. Don't let him anywhere near her."

Jack always did have good people instincts, Connor thought as he nodded at Jackson's words.

"Understood."

That was it. That was all he needed to know to lock in hard on his opinion and his next steps.

After the line went dead, Jackson calmly placed his phone down on the desk and looked up to meet Ezra's dark gaze.

"He's at the hospital right now," Jackson explained darkly, "He must have seen the news."

"The accident or the wedding announcement," Ezra asked, the dark smirk on his face making it clear exactly how he felt about Ryan trying to stop by and see Blair.

"Both, I imagine," Jackson scoffed, shaking his head, "He brought his mother with him. I'm guessing they're trying to convince her of who knows what now that her real name has been revealed."

Ezra agreed, his mind playing through everything from attempts to convince her to divorce Ezra and marry Ryan to ploys of how to get in closer with both of their families now that they knew there was money in it. Families like theirs were always the same - sharks in the water that circled at the faintest scent of blood.

They had thought Blair was a nobody - now that they knew better, they were going to be pests.

They didn't even care that there was still a restraining order out.

"Send extra security to the hospital," Ezra said to Sam, who was sitting in the corner and trying not to make any sudden movements that might earn him unexpected attention, "Blair is not to be left alone at any time. They will not even take her to a public restroom - only the private one in Blaise's room."

"Yes, sir!" Sam nearly yelped at being spoken to, then leapt to his feet and dashed out like that excuse to leave was all he'd wanted in the world.

"Skittish little thing," Jackson tsked, looking after Sam with disdain, "Blaise needs to recover soon. He's the only one that ever did know how to work properly around you."

"He's always been the best there is," Ezra agreed quietly.

"He's got a long journey ahead of him," Jackson sighed, rubbing his face roughly, "Connor had said 6 months, minimum, before he could even consider returning to work. It's been just under 6 weeks. You'll just have to suffer with the skittish boy for now."

"I'll make sure he takes every second he needs," Ezra said quietly, looking away for a long moment before he shook his head and refocused, "Robert is on the legal side. We don't need to worry about things from that perspective. I'll make sure he doesn't make bail - he's too much of a flight risk."

Jackson agreed, leaning back in his wheelchair and tapping the armrest thoughtfully.

"Next is Ruby. I want her so destroyed she has no choice but to give us the name of the person behind her."

"This was a good first step," Ezra grunted, picking up his cup of tea thoughtfully, "I'm more focused on the investigation into the car accident right now. I'm close, though. I've got investigations happening in the background on Blair's father and brother, but once I wrap up the car accident mess I'll pivot my priorities to be focused on that."

Jackson nodded, "that is a better place for your priorities, for now. If I need your help with the snake, I'll let you know. For now, weeding out the garbage at the company and taking down Arthur are both great starts. I'll focus on cleanup within Ward Enterprises and tightening the noose on Ruby. It won't take long."

Ezra nodded, the division of work as they both also try to run multi-billion dollar conglomerates a healthy balance they've managed to strike.

All while taking care of Blair and Blaise, of course.

Ezra's head tilted in thought then, and his brow furrowed for a moment.

He realized, with as busy as he'd been... he hadn't noticed a particular nuisance had simply... disappeared.

"What?" Jackson asked, studying his grandson, "I know that look. What's the matter?"

"Have you heard from Sophia recently?"

Jackson paused, his own brow furrowing in thought. Ezra's sister had always been loud. Not just physically, although her voice was always a level higher than needed too - but in actions. She attended every gala, she worked every crowd. She and her husband made up in connections what Ezra had in brains.

It was why Jackson was willing to put them on the board. They may not be able to match Ezra's intellect, but their connections and network were impressive.

Yet... now that Ezra mentioned it... Sophia hadn't come by even once to ask for a favor on behalf of anyone. She hadn't brought by invitations and tried to drag either of them to some event or brought them potential projects and meetings from the ones she'd attended.

She hadn't even stopped by unannounced at the estate since the day Blair had been introduced to try and butter Jackson up - something she did frequently with no particular reason in mind, just so when she did want something it didn't feel unusual.

"I have not," Jackson said slowly, "I haven't heard from her since the night you brought Blair to the estate to introduce her."

Ezra's gaze darkened, and several pieces of his investigation suddenly shifted into place - a place he hadn't openly considered, even if he'd subconsciously accepted the potential.

No more words were spoken between the two, but they both shifted their attention to their phones and laptops instantly - focused on their individual tasks and the investigations that hung over their heads.

--

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