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233|Not Even Once
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Beautiful Disaster 234|Deadlock
Despite promising Marybeth to shut down the nonsense at Crush real quick and be back in the Bay in no time, three days in, Austin was still in Rock Castle.The negotiations with his staff had reached a deadlock, and the mood in the corner boardroom on the top floor of Blaine Inc, the law firm catering to the country's top one percent, was slowly deteriorating.Austin had spent his entire Monday at Crush, listening to everyone gripe about promises of a salary increase made by Gabe, the previous owner. Austin knew they'd been duped, but out of the goodness of his heart, he'd made them an offer. Six per cent. Nothing more, nothing less. But the greedy bastards had pushed back, insisting his offer wasn't worth the paper it was typed on; Gabe had promised them more.On Tuesday, Austin contacted his legal team and instructed them to make the entire mess go away.But by Wednesday evening, they were still nowhere close to a resolution.Austin was tired of sounding like a broken record, and his
Beautiful Disaster 235|The Client List
Elizabeth retired to her room as soon as they reached the hotel, assuring Austin she'd order room service and he didn't have to worry about her eating alone.Glad his PA didn't need his company for the night, Austin headed to his suite, took a quick shower, and changed into chinos and a lightweight sweater before heading to Skyline, the rooftop restaurant where he met Seth and Kieran the last time he was in Rock Castle.Levi was running fifteen minutes late, giving Austin time to catch up on work with his capos."How far are you with the journo?" asked Tim. "Did you have a chance to meet with her?""When? You know damn well I've been holed up in negotiations for the last three days!""I take it your guys and gals are playing hardball?" said Angelo."To their own detriment," Austin replied. "I'm prepared to take this to CCMA. Anyway, is Nadia fitting well with the team?""As well as can be expected," replied Angelo. "But I reckon it's strange for all of us. I mean, we've never had a fem
Beautiful Disaster 236|Hoes Over Bros
Over a thousand kilometres away, Marybeth, like her husband, wasn't having the time of her life; their separation had taken its toll on her.Between her morning sickness, worrying about her father's health, and finalising report cards before the end of the third term on Friday, she was a hot mess of note. Thank heavens she had Anna to help her with Orlando.Monday, the day Austin flew out to Rock Castle, began like any other. But, when half of Marybeth's class still hadn't shown up for their first lesson, she resigned herself to the fact that they weren't coming. Now that they were approaching the end of the school term, it wasn't unusual for her pupils to start their break a week earlier. What she didn't know, though, was if Adeline had joined the rebellious gang willingly or if Carol had kept her home.Just the thought of Carol Scheepers made Marybeth's blood boil. Other than Austin, she hadn't told anyone about the wretched woman's crude attempt at extortion. Thank heavens she'd sto
Beautiful Disaster 237|Itchy Hands
The rest of Marybeth's Monday plodded on, and by the time the final bell rang, she couldn't wait to get out of there.Scarlett was already waiting for her in the parking lot, and Marybeth ran to Mirko and Henry's car and told them to follow them."кума," Mirko said sternly, his thick eyebrows furrowed in a concerned frown. "кум gave us strict instructions to not let you out of our sight.""You are not letting me out of your sight, Mirko," Marybeth maintained. "You'll be following behind us. What can possibly go wrong?""A lot," replied Henry, surprising Marybeth because he was a man of few words, leaving almost all communication between them to Mirko."Your friend can ride with you and Mirko, and I'll drive her car to your place," Henry suggested.Ever so precious about her car, Scarlett loathed the suggestion. But she quickly agreed when Marybeth's handlers made it clear that their offer was the only one on the table."Fine," she said, begrudgingly handing over her car keys.Exactly f
Beautiful Disaster 238|Baby Soprano
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Scarlet scooted out of her chair and ran to Marybeth's side. Taking her hands, she asked, "Do you mind running that past me again? What new baby? Do you mean?"Before Marybeth could confirm or deny her suspicions, Scarlett was already losing her mind with joy, drawing Marybeth into a happy dance as she twirled her around the room."Are you for real?" she asked, pausing mid-step. "I'm going to be an aunt? For real? For real?""I wasn't supposed to say anything," Marybeth said. "Austin's worried about too many people knowing. So Scar, please, keep this yourself.""I'm not 'too many people', you know!" Scarlett huffed, her hurt seeping through her words."Scar, you know what I mean.""Marybeth, I'm your best friend. You would have been the first to know if I was pregnant.""Do you think I wanted to keep this from you? Scar, look around you. Look at my life. I have bodyguards and have to be ferried everywhere. I didn't understand any of it at first. But having been thro
Beautiful Disaster 239|Break Or Heal His Heart
Marybeth's euphoric wave followed them to Neli's place, where they picked Orlando up, and all the way home, but vanished almost as soon as she saw her father waiting at the entrance of her apartment building.She jumped out of the car before her handlers could drive into the basement parking, informing them she'd shortly come up to the penthouse with her father."Daddy, what are you doing here?" she asked as she approached her father, horrified at how much older he looked. He was also frailer, like he'd lost a shit ton of weight in the past few days alone."Hey, Sweet Pea." Lionel's gaunt face split into a slow smile when he saw her. Marybeth opened her arms and hugged him, her heart aching when she felt his bony frame. She didn't have to be a doctor to know he wasn't getting better. He'd never get better."Is everything okay?" she asked, searching his face. "Is it Danica?""No, no, no! Dani's fine. She's at work. And I'm okay, too," he assured her.Marybeth begged to differ, but she d
Beautiful Disaster 240|Of Villains And Heroes
It began to rain soon after Austin's chat with Marybeth, and the gentle showers held steady for some time.Ordinarily, the soft pattering sounds of raindrops sliding down the windows would have sent Austin straight to dreamland. But not tonight. His much-needed shuteye remained elusive. It wasn't totally unexpected, though. After all, he had too much on his plate. Too many plans to execute. And too many thoughts churning in his head, so much so that not even a hit of nicotine could fix a fraction of his problems like it usually did. Exhausted at last from staring at the vaulted ceiling for the better part of the hour, Austin kicked off the bedsheets and dragged himself out of bed, resigning himself to working through the night.He padded to the living area and dumped his laptop and a handful of files on the large office desk in the living area. Running his fingers on the smooth Acacia wood, he stood there awhile, contemplating the untouched complimentary bottle of champagne. He could
Beautiful Disaster 241|Two Truths And A Lie
For the longest minute, Austin simply stood there, staring at the Russian, trying to compartmentalise his feelings and rein in his fury. When he landed in Rock Castle, he'd decided not to call Andrei because he wasn't ready to deal with his disloyal ass. But now…here he was, the devil himself in the flesh, smiling at him like they were still two idiot kids bound together not only by their shared destiny but also by a bond stronger than any brotherhood forged through blood ties—"Hawthorne!" Andrei snapped his fingers in front of Austin's face, drawing him out of his reverie."Did you hear what I said?" Andrei continued, one blonde eyebrow shooting up as amusement flashed in his eyes. Austin had heard him alright, and inviting him in wasn't a good idea, given the circumstances. But if he was going to shoot the Russian dead, he couldn't exactly do it in the middle of the hallway. So despite his gut screaming at him not to do it, to find some stupid excuse not to be alone with Andrei be
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Beautiful Disaster 300|Beautiful Disaster
Rock Castle was a breath of fresh air in many ways for Austin and Marybeth. Once they'd put down their roots, they embraced their new life, immersing themselves in the community and the social scene.When they were not entertaining or attending various social events, Austin focused all his energy on growing Stardust Inc. while fulfilling his duties as a board member of De Jager Inc. and Orlando's proxy.Marybeth, too, kept herself busy with various home improvement projects, including setting up the baby's nursery. She also joined the PTA at Green Meadows Primary, championing a few fundraisers. As if she wasn't already busy enough, Lukas low-key began sending her Foundation documents to review, mostly company policies and NPO funding applications. Never mind that she'd had zero orientation since she was only supposed to start the following year.She was so busy embracing her new life as a stay-at-home mom and the Foundation's silent CEO she didn't have time to miss her old job. And tim
Beautiful Disaster 299|Loved And Wanted
Austin left Clifton Bay under a heavy cloud of complex family dynamics, his departure shrouded in controversy. But Rock Castle welcomed him with open arms. The people close to him didn't care at all about the drama and scandals he'd been embroiled in over the past few months. They were just happy to have him in the same city with them, and it didn't take long at all for Eden and Natalie to reach out to Marybeth and take her under their wing, acting as her free tour guides, pregnancy encyclopedias or sounding boards.Completely sold by their raving reviews of Dr Emily Waylon, they set up an appointment, immediately falling in love with her bedside manner on their first check-up. She was attentive, not to mention patient, answering their endless questions with a comforting calmness.Orlando and Adeline couldn't contain their joy when they broke the news about the baby that evening. Marybeth's tummy had gotten so big they could no longer hold off on telling them."Is it a boy or a girl?"
Beautiful Disaster 298|A Fresh Start
The whole time Austin scoffed down his food, he noticed Marybeth wasn't eating, absently toying with her salad. His heart shattered all over again because he knew he was responsible for her lack of appetite and dramatic weight loss."Mr Hawthorne, can we talk, please?" Elizabeth appeared beside him, stealing his attention away from his wife."Sure, let's chat inside," he replied, leading her into his study."Long time no see," he said with a smile as he sat on the edge of his desk. "You look happy and younger, too.""Traveling will do that to you," she replied, flashing a brief smile that Austin found a tad unsettling because it was so unlike her. She was always stoic."So that's what you've been up to since I left the Group?"She nodded. "The place wasn't the same without you, so I left. And that's why I'm here. I want my old job back. If you'll have me, that is.""You'll have to take a pay cut," Austin said. "I'm starting from scratch, Elizabeth, so I don't have a ton of cash flow—"
Beautiful Disaster 297|Family
Barry De Villiers was at Sea Point Police Station at 9:00 AM for Austin's release, and after completing a ton of paperwork, they were finally out of there by 11:00 AM.Austin didn't talk much on their way to Pelican Surf, lost in thought and the scenery. It was like he was seeing everything for the first time. The sun on his skin, the wind in his hair, the light glaring in his eyes…it all felt different, somehow."So, what's the first thing you'll do when you get home?" Barry asked."Hug my wife and kids until they get annoyed with me," Austin replied with the biggest smile. "Maybe eat a nice home-cooked meal...Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the takeaways you got me, but nothing beats my wife's cooking!"Barry guffawed, throwing his head back. "Okay. What else?""Mhh, I think a nice long shower is in order, too," Austin said, sniffing himself, making sure he didn't smell like something out of a garbage can."You don't stink," Barry assured him."I know," Austin chuckled. "Just ma
Beautiful Disaster 296|Bargaining Chip
Austin's altercation with another prisoner was the last straw for Marybeth, the thing that pushed her beyond her limit and sent her over the cliff.He'd asked her to hang in there for a few more days, but the thought of him getting into another fight or possibly getting killed terrified her. The stalemate with his father would only get deadlier the longer he remained in custody. Something had to be done to bring him home, and it had to be done fast. So she called Lukas, begging him to end all the madness. But, he wasn't interested in hearing her out, telling her coldly that he was too busy picking up Austin's slack—running the family and The Corporation—to worry about her fears.Marybeth's desperation got so bad that she reached out to the one person she swore she'd never ask for help. Her mom.They met at a sleepy coffee shop in Virginia after Anna and Willem's joint funeral.As usual, Vivienne was dressed to the nines, dripping head to toe in designer labels despite the sombre occasi
Beautiful Disaster 295|The Folly Of Youth
That night, Austin couldn't bring himself to eat the takeaway Barry had brought him. How could he when his heart was in pieces?A thousand kilometres away, Willem Dejager had no appetite issues. In fact, after Maryke's death and his fallout with The Corporation, his appetite had improved, and the insomnia that had plagued him for years since Iris died had miraculously vanished. If he'd known revenge would cure all his ailments, he would have joined forces with Austin much sooner.He was still furious with him for going back on his word on Maryke. But seeing Lukas so broken, now that he didn't have an heir, more than made up for Austin's betrayal.Yes, things had gotten messy over the past few weeks, but they would only get even more chaotic once he sent the ledger to the cops. He just hadn't found someone he could trust yet. His old contact at the station—the man who'd finally given him the unredacted file on his daughter—had been recently placed on administrative leave, and Willem was
Beautiful Disaster 294|Special Kind Of A Hate
Swarms of reporters were waiting outside Sea Point's police station when Austin was dragged out of Gordon and Peterson's car. They mobbed him as soon as they saw him, pushing their cameras and microphones in his face, screaming for answers. The whole thing reeked of a badly organised PR stunt, and when Gordon and Peterson made no attempt to protect Austin from the crowd, even though it was their job, he began to think one or both of them had tipped the media off. Why wouldn't they, when they had finally taken down a member of the Hawthorne crime family? Never mind that Austin didn't belong to said crime family anymore. Never mind that they didn't have evidence to back up their charges. But who needed evidence? As far as they were concerned, this was huge, and if they miraculously managed to get the charges to stick, sending him away for twenty-five to life would be a huge career move for both of them. So parading him in front of the vultures was totally in their best interest, walking
Beautiful Disaster 293|Long Arm Of The Law
"I'm fine. Vivienne was just leaving," Marybeth nodded, grateful for the interruption; she couldn't handle any more threats from her mom."Yep, I'm on my way out," Vivienne affirmed, spinning around and making her grand exit. She turned back, calling over her shoulder, "Beautiful service, by the way. But I'm not sure if Lionel was worthy of it!""You!" Marybeth shook her fist at her, ready to go after her, but Austin pulled her back by her waist, reminding her people were watching."She's not worth your energy," he said, rubbing her back to soothe her. "What did she want anyway?""To see if there's anything she could do for me," Marybeth replied, shooting daggers at Vivienne's back as she vanished into the crowd of mourners. "And to warn you.""Warn me?" Austin asked, massaging her nape. "What for?""She said to tell you to 'wake the fuck up and fix things with your father'; her words, not mine. Apparently, there's chatter.""What kind of chatter?""I don't know," Marybeth admitted. "B
Beautiful Disaster 292|A Rare Gift
Nothing good ever happens after 1:00 AM.And no one ever calls with good news after 1:00 AM.But it was her father. Marybeth couldn't ignore him. So she hit answer and braced herself for the worst."Sweet Pea," he said, sounding awfully cheerful, considering how late it was."Daddy, what's going on?""I know it's late," he said, pausing briefly before he got to the heart of his call. "And I know we planned a road trip to Still Bay in a few weeks. But is there a way we can move it forward?""Forward?" Marybeth asked, confused by the proposal."Yeah, can we go today? I suddenly have this urge to see the sunrise. And you know how beautiful Still Bay's sunrises are."Understanding what her heart refused to accept, Marybeth's mind made all the decisions for her from that moment onward."Of course, Daddy. Let me grab a few things, and I'll be there in an hour," she told him before hanging up.She shot out of bed like a lightning bolt, threw on a lightweight tracksuit and sneakers, grabbed a
