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267|Life Jacket
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Beautiful Disaster 268|No Blowback
Marybeth was dozing off to sleep, or so Austin thought when she suddenly sparked to life with questions he thought they'd already addressed."What will become of Sloane?" she asked, rolling onto her side to look at him. "His family won't ever see him again, right?"Austin didn't have the answers she was looking for.Had he killed Sloane, the cheating bastard's family would certainly never see him again. But since this was no longer his mission, the less he knew about Rawlings' plans to cover up the man's death and keep his daughter out of prison, the better."кум!" Marybeth said, her voice fluttering on his chest as she propped herself up on her elbow. "You can't tell me you're okay with the rape narrative. The poor man spent his last few weeks on the run and died a horrible death. Would it hurt to just let him rest in peace? Would it be such a terrible thing to allow his wife and child to see him one last time and bury him with dignity?"It's not up to me, кума," he replied, kissing h
Beautiful Disaster 269|Power Dynamic
Austin read the dynamic between his father and Rawlings almost as soon as they all sat around the oval table.From the relaxed manner with which the two men interacted, he figured Rawlings had already briefed his father about Sloane, and whatever announcement his old man had to make was a mere formality.He was right.Lukas waited long enough for the waitstaff to serve them their lavish breakfast before getting to the heart of their meeting. He surprised everyone but Austin in the room when he informed them Rawlings had just earned himself the coveted role of his trusted advisor."As of this moment, Michael, you are now the family's consigliere," he announced, much to Rawlings and Hadley's glee."Congratulations, Daddy!" Hadley effused as she left her seat and wrapped her arms around her father, kissing him on the cheek. "You so deserve this position!"Blake, high on resentment and still reeling from his grief, had to ruin all their fun, sparking to life for the first time since the me
Beautiful Disaster 270|A Death Sentence
Monday morning, Austin and Marybeth found themselves at the Home Affairs office in Sea Point.They knew which crummy hallways and debilitated doors would lead to the run-down waiting area. After all, this was where their shotgun wedding was held not too long ago.As expected, Hadley and Blake were nowhere to be found when Marybeth and Austin entered the waiting room. But Rawlings, looking suave in his black three-piece suit, was there, along with Ruth, and they seemed to be in a far better place than they were the previous day.After polite greetings and small talk about the pleasant weather the Bay had been blessed with that morning, Marybeth and Austin quickly moved along, taking two of the several empty seats in the room.As Marybeth watched Ruth fix her husband's tie, she couldn't help but notice how Rawlings pulled off the father-of-the-bride look to perfection. But today, he was anything but a father, and she was somewhat sad for Hadley because when it was all said and done, ther
Beautiful Disaster 271|Banished
"You're banishing us?" Hadley shrieked, her last thread of sanity finally snapping. "I don't believe this! You are seriously banishing us from the family?""Don't be ridiculous!" scoffed Lukas. "This is a fresh start for you and Blake. I would have sent you off to Italy, but as you both know, you can't leave the country until all the business with—""Don't mention him!" hissed Ruth beside her daughter."Well, until all that business is settled," continued Lukas. "Anyway, Blake's been wanting to try his hand at winemaking for a while now. Isn't that right, Son?"Blake simply shrugged and sipped his champagne. He'd barely said a word since they left the Home Affairs offices, and it was obvious to Marybeth and perhaps everyone else in the room that he'd mentally checked out. Not exactly surprising. There had to be a certain level of trauma that came with watching his fiancée murder his lover in cold blood and then being forced into a marriage he didn't want—"I did nothing wrong!" Hadley'
Beautiful Disaster 272|Search For Meaning
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," Marybeth stood her ground, refusing to budge until Austin filled her in."Smith's been trying to call you," Austin said. "I know you want answers, but I don't know what's going on. Now, can we go, please?'"Smith?" Marybeth stammered, her brain taking too long to process this unexpected information."Yeah, she tried a few times—""But why?" she asked, panic immediately rising in her stomach because she knew her boss' phone call had everything to do with one of her pupils. Smith didn't make social calls. Ever."What is it?" she pressed. "Is it one of my kids? It's Adeline, isn't it? Oh my God, something happened to Adeline, right?""It's Carol," Austin said, taking her hand and rushing her up the path leading back to the front of the house where his car was parked. "They've taken her to City Hospital. Adeline asked for you.""I don't understand," said Marybeth, gripping Austin's hand tightly. "What happened to Carol? Why did th
Beautiful Disaster 273|If You Lie With Dogs
They left the hospital soon after Seshnee and stopped in The Flats, where they were met by Austin's handlers.Arno and Benji chose to stay behind with Adeline while Marybeth and Austin headed inside to fetch the twins.Carol's neighbour was so relieved when she saw them, she couldn't stop grumbling about how she wasn't young anymore and had no energy to look after little children."I'm Ingrid, by the way," she said, inviting them inside. "But all the kids here call me 'Ouma'. Anyway, the boys are sleeping. I reckon you want me to wake them up? Where's Adeline?"Austin informed her Adeline was sleeping in the car, and yes, they wanted her to wake the twins up since they were in a hurry.Ingrid was in no hurry, though. She pulled her light cardigan closer and leaned against her melamine cupboards, asking as she crossed her arms over her chest, "So what killed her? It's the drugs, isn't it?""We don't know," replied Marybeth, her eyes zoning in on several peeling paint spots on the wall
Beautiful Disaster 274|Freedom—Part 1
The bubble of fragile calm Austin had been floating on since the welcome ball finally burst when they turned into their street and saw his father's security waiting at the entrance of their apartment complex.The confrontation was bound to happen at some point, but with everything going on in his life—from Hadley and Blake's wedding to Carol's death—he would have preferred to end the day in an uneventful manner.Unable to contain her joy, Orlando wedged herself between the front seats, asking excitedly, "Daddy, it's Grandpa, isn't it? Can I say hello to him?""No, Squeak!" he said sharply. The quicker his daughter got used to not having a grandfather, the better. After all, he planned to go no-contact with Blake and his father once he left the family."But I haven't seen Grandpa in a long time," Orlando whined, her mouth forming a perfect pout as she angrily crossed her arms and sat back in her seat with a huff. Scared and confused by everything they'd been through in the last couple o
Beautiful Disaster 275|Freedom—Part 2
"You knew?" Lukas whispered, his face as white as a ghost."Yes!" Austin nodded. "And since you've refused my buyout offer, let's discuss your shady dealings, specifically your role in Iris' death.""Son!" Lukas tried to stand up without the help of his walking cane, but his bad knee sent him crashing back in his seat, locking up on him. "Let me explain—"Austin smiled wryly. "I'm afraid you're four years too late. Besides, I know you killed Iris, so no amount of explaining will convince me of your innocence.""Since you are so damn convinced of my guilt, why don't you run to the cops then?" Lukas snorted arrogantly, his shock at being caught out clearly gone now."Keep pushing me, Father, and I might do just that," said Austin. "Now, since I'm the only thing standing between you and a prison cell, here's how this will work."Lukas laced his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his seat, "I'm all ears."Austin filled him in. "We'll hold a joint press conference on Wednesday, ann
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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
