Loop me in
Nothing.
A week ago, I would’ve already been on three calls, forcing decisions into place. Now I just… waited. Ready to let it be a shared solution instead of something I had to wrestle into submission alone.
The silence shouldn’t have unsettled me. It did anyway.
And then my thoughts drifted right back to Ethan. Like something in me was wired to find him when the ground gave away. He was still leaning back, head against the window, sunglasses on, jaw relaxed but not asleep. A bruise bloomed dark on his throat, impossible to miss.
Mine.
Ours.
We pulled into the hospital parking lot, concrete and glass rising to greet us.
Oliver was the first to spot us, leaning on the nurses’ station with his phone in hand. His face relaxed the moment he saw us.Charlotte stood beside him, arms crossed over her chest, hair in a high, messy bun, her lip caught anxiously between her teeth.
“Hey, why the stressed faces?” Henry asked as soon as we reached them.
“Dad’s okay,” Oliver said quickly.
We all let out a collective breath.
Oliver’s eyes flicked to mine, then to Charlotte, and back again. “They’re getting him ready for the transfer. It’ll be an hour at most.” His gaze slid briefly to Ethan. “Ash, let’s just—” He waved a hand, motioning for me to follow.
“What’s all that about?” I asked once we were out of earshot.
“Our father-in-law is in town,” Oliver said.
Anger surged through me—sharp and protective—as my attention snapped back to Ethan. He was still chatting with Charlotte and Henry, face relaxed, unaware.
“Why? How do you even know?”
“Margaret. This thing with Dad is all over the news right now. He must’ve heard and thought it was perfect timing to show up.” Oliver scrubbed a hand over his face. “Char’s a mess. She wanted to tell Ethan herself, but she’s stressed about him dealing with it.” He hesitated, then added, more matter-of-factly, “There are photos everywhere, too. Of all of us coming and going. A couple of you and Ethan together.”
I exhaled slowly. Of course. Fucking vultures.
“Nothing scandalous,” Oliver went on. “But you know how people are. They like to talk.”
My shoulders tightened anyway—the familiar prickle of exposure crawling up my spine—before I forced the tension back down. That wasn’t what mattered right now. “I don’t want him anywhere near Ethan.”
Oliver nodded. “Trust me, I get it. I gave hospital security his information—asked them not to let him up if he shows. I justwanted to give you the heads-up.” The casual edge in his voice had vanished; he’d clearly already processed this in his head.
“I haven’t talked to Charlotte about it,” he added, turning to me fully, his expression serious. “You know… everything you told me yesterday. I thought it would be better coming from you.” He paused. “We should rip the bandage off and do it now. Tell them both.”
My stomach twisted at the thought. But he was right. Ethan would want to know, and he’d be pissed if he found out I’d known and kept it from him.
Just then, a nurse stepped through the doors and headed toward us. Alarm shot through me, but her posture was relaxed.
“That must be about the move,” Oliver said.
“Mr. Langley?” she said once she reached us. “They’ve already started transferring your father out of the ICU. He’ll be settled in his new room shortly. You can head up to the third floor now, and once he’s stable, someone will come get you.”
“Thank you,” Oliver said, relief softening his whole face. As she walked away, he caught my gaze once more.
“Yeah,” I said. “Might as well, right?”
Oliver gave me a solemn nod, and we went to them. Our Bennetts.
