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296|Bargaining Chip
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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 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 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 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 1|Only For A Year
Any time now, Marybeth thought. Anytime now, her father would tell her this was all a bad joke—no, a terrible joke—and they'd laugh about it over coffee after she'd scolded him for making her drive all the way across town from her apartment in Sea Point over a stupid prank. But, a minute passed. The punchline never came. And she knew then that the one person she loved the most in the world, the only person she never thought would do her dirty, had gone and done exactly that."You can't be serious," she said as she collapsed in the worn, rickety chair at the dining table and held her head in her hands, her messy, carrot-coloured hair falling around her freckled face like leaves burning in the autumn sun. Furious didn't even begin to cover how she felt at that moment. She didn't even brush her unruly hair, let alone take a quick shower, because Danica, her stepmom, called at the crack of dawn, wailing about a life and death situation.Now, as Marybeth sat there, scowling at the decades-
Beautiful Disaster 2|The Greatest Betrayals
In the peaceful silence of her car, Marybeth tore through the envelope. An appointment slip confirming her big day was indeed a go fluttered out and fell on her lap."Unbelievable!" she said, shaking her head when her eyes fell on the date on the receipt. For some unfathomable reason, her father and Danica had sat on this life-changing piece of information for over a month, choosing to drop their bombshell at the very last minute. Sure, she worked remarkably well under her pressure. But this? This was just plain ridiculous.If it wasn't so infuriating, it would have been comical. But it was infuriating, and she was heartbroken. Maybe because she didn't see it coming. But then again, the greatest betrayals always came from those she loved the most. Her mother was a stellar example of why she should never trust anyone, especially when they claimed to have her best interest at heart.She turned the paper over and dialled the phone number scribbled on the back. Her future husband's phone
Beautiful Disaster 3|Screw Destiny
At a high-rise apartment across town in Pelican Surf, north of the Clifton Bay peninsula, with the pristine backdrop of the ocean and the Blue Mountains in the distance, Austin stared at his phone for a moment longer than necessary, since he'd already hung up on his future wife.He found it laughable that she thought she could weasel her way out of their arrangement on their wedding day. Considering the amount of money her father owed him, she was lucky he'd offered her an all-inclusive vacation, away from her miserable life.Who in their right mind refused a paid vacation?Who did Marybeth Tyson think she was?"Daddy! Who was it?" Orlando touched his arm lightly, demanding his attention as she stared up at him with the sapphire eyes she shared with Iris, the only woman he'd foolishly believed he'd spend forever with. But fate had to brutally rip that crazy notion from him and show him forever didn't exist when she was killed in a hail of bullets four years ago, exactly two weeks befo
Beautiful Disaster 4|Life In Order
An hour later, Austin and Orlando were ready for their jam-packed day.He whipped up a quick breakfast for her and sat her down at the kitchen island."Aren't you eating?" she asked when he placed a plate of scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast in front of her."No," he shook his head, asking from inside the fridge as he scanned the bone-dry shelves, "orange or apple juice?""Apple today, please," said Orlando. "Why aren't you eating, Daddy?""I'm nervous," Austin confessed, pouring the last bit of juice into her small glass. He dumped the empty bottle in the bin. They really had to go food shopping soon."Why?""Moving in with someone is a huge decision, Orly, and to be honest, I'm not sure things will go my way," he replied. Sure, he'd talked a good game in hopes of scaring Marybeth and getting her to give in to his demands. But what if she didn't show up? What if she decided she wanted no part of his insane plan and called his bluff? She sounded confident and damn sure of herself w
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Beautiful Disaster 300|Beautiful Disaster
Beautiful Disaster 299|Loved And Wanted
Beautiful Disaster 298|A Fresh Start
Beautiful Disaster 297|Family
Beautiful Disaster 296|Bargaining Chip
Beautiful Disaster 295|The Folly Of Youth
Beautiful Disaster 294|Special Kind Of A Hate
Beautiful Disaster 293|Long Arm Of The Law
Beautiful Disaster 292|A Rare Gift
