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52|Chain Reaction
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Beautiful Disaster 53|All That Remained
The unending silence was one of the reasons Austin hated visiting his childhood home. It hung over the house with a heaviness that almost made it hard to breathe, welcoming him home as soon as he stepped inside. It was so total and complete in its stillness that he was convinced if he had to spend even one night here, he'd go mad.The place never used to be this gloomy, though. In fact, many of his early memories were filled with vibrant splashes of colour and sounds, and of love and happiness. But then his parents began to spend less and less time together. They'd talked even less, too. By the time his mom died five years ago, life and colour had long left the place, and all that remained were his father's regrets, missed moments, and the unceasing silence.As Austin strode down the hallway to his father's den, the thick, plush carpet swallowing the sounds of his brisk footsteps, he couldn't help but think about his own place, if it would also turn into a tomb when Marybeth left. The
Beautiful Disaster 54|Still Not Enough
As soon as the last of Marybeth's pupils dashed out of the classroom a little after 2:00 PM, she grabbed her stuff and headed out.She still had plenty of time to prepare for the dreaded night ahead, but the idea of wearing Liliana's dress seemed less appealing the more she thought about it. Sure, when she tried it on last night, it looked great on her, but she refused to attend another major event in a borrowed outfit."So Sea Point Mall it is," she decided as she snapped on her seat belt.A loud bang on her window as she was about to pull out of the parking lot startled the shit out of her, sending her heart lurching to her throat. She jumped slightly in her seat, frowning when she saw Scarlett waving and smiling at her as if she didn't just almost give her a heart attack."For heaven's sake, Scar!" she yelled at her friend as she rolled down her window. "Can you not do that? I thought…I thought you were…""What?" Scarlett asked when Marybeth's voice trailed off. "You thought what?"
Beautiful Disaster 55|On Her Sleeve
The state of the city address was always held at Clifton Bay's Civic Centre, but ongoing renovations had forced the council to host the event in Parliament.When Austin arrived at the venue, the red carpet was already ablaze with social media influencers who didn't even have a fucking clue when the country's constitution was passed, all dressed up in their Sunday finest and ready to mingle with the bigwigs of politics and business."Look at them," Austin snorted in disgust as he watched a herd of scantily-dressed women pose for the paparazzi. "They do know this is not a social media event, right?"Smiling, Benji gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm pretty sure they don't care, Boss. It's all about the eyeballs.""Huh!" Austin huffed and checked the time, wondering what was taking Marybeth so damn long."She's here," Benji assured him. "Arno's just confirmed they've passed the final security checkpoint."Sure enough, not even a minute later, Arno pulled up on the sidewalk.When Marybeth st
Beautiful Disaster 56|To Catch A Rat
"So, almost a week in. Any regrets yet?" Angelo commented as they strolled to the bar to grab drinks.Austin shrugged and accepted a glass of bourbon. He'd never admit it, but he had plenty of regrets where Marybeth was concerned.He regretted that she had learned the truth about his horrid past from someone else, and now knew stuff about him that clearly made him a monster in others' eyes.He also regretted that he'd rushed their relationship and fucked her the first chance he got when she might not have been ready for such a step. But most of all, he regretted pushing her into a marriage she never wanted.On the other hand, the four days he'd spent with her were some of the best he'd had in a remarkably long time. He could safely say the light Marybeth had brought into his life eclipsed all his regrets."I guess your silence means no regrets then, huh?" said Angelo."Can any man truly have no regrets?" Austin muttered, watching an influx of politicians flood the Assembly Chamber whe
Beautiful Disaster 57|In Pieces
Austin stood rooted to the ground, unable to process what his brain was clearly trying to tell him: to turn the fuck back around and pretend he never saw shit...Pretend he never saw his older brother with his dick in some guy's mouth, an expression of pure rapture on his face, his head thrown slightly back."No!" he whispered, absolutely horrified by the disaster of a train wreck unfolding before his eyes.How?Why?How could he not have known?Why did they not close the blinds?And why here, of all places?"Let's go," Marybeth tugged at his arm, dragging him away from the window. "We shouldn't be here!"Dazedly, Austin followed her down the hallway, his whole being numb, his heart in pieces. Not for himself but for his father. He'd been through too much. Learning the truth about his oldest son would completely destroy him."Not a word to anyone about this! Not a single word!" Austin said to Marybeth when they reached the ground floor, the sound of his papery voice grating on his nerv
Beautiful Disaster 58|Come Clean
There was a marked difference in Austin's mood when they returned to the Committee Room, and Marybeth was damn relieved. For a moment there, after their little mishap with Blake, she'd worried Austin would unravel and descend into madness. She may dislike him sometimes, and their relationship may be confusing, to say the least, but that didn't mean she enjoyed seeing his world turned on its head.But if she thought his obsession with his older brother would stop with their shocking discovery, she couldn't have been more wrong.While Tim and Angelo finished their drinks, Austin focused on Blake and Hadley, following the couple's every little movement as they worked the room.At some point, Marybeth had to step in and steer him away. "Austin, seriously, you need to stop watching them. If it's starting to creep me out, imagine what it's doing to your brother and his fiancée.""I'm just curious, that's all. I mean, how does he do it?" he said as they headed inside the public gallery in th
Beautiful Disaster 59|Balls Of Steel
They didn't say a word to each other on their way to Sea Point.While Austin typed away on his laptop and caught up on work, Marybeth got on the phone with the principal.Smith sounded unimpressed, but she agreed to contact the social worker assigned to Adeline's case."I'll call you back soon with an update," she said and hung up.Marybeth wasn't holding her breath to hear back from her. If the case was reported months ago, and the social worker still hadn't followed up, there was zero chance she'd drive to Sea Point after hours on a rainy Tuesday night.Sighing, Marybeth placed her phone on her lap and watched the sleek sheet of water slide down her window, comforted by the gentle pit-patter of the raindrops falling on the roof of the car.Her mind was a constant war zone, an endless loop of chaotic thoughts bouncing between her worry for Adeline and her anger at Austin.She should have known their truce wouldn't last. But when he confided in her about his brother, the fool she was
Beautiful Disaster 60|I'll Be Good
"I have good and bad news for you," Smith said. "Which one do you want first?""Hit me with the bad first.""Alright, unfortunately, I can't get through to the social worker."Marybeth rolled her eyes. She could have told her that. "What's the good news then?""We've managed to get beds. It's actually two cots at Safe Haven for the little boys—"Marybeth cut in, asking, "what about Adeline? Where does that leave her? You can't separate them. They don't know where their mother is, and Adeline's been looking after them the whole day. They won't handle the separation well—""With all due respect, are you trying to teach me how to do my job?""Of course not! But you're the one who read me the riot act about not following protocol, and I'm pretty sure leaving one of the children by herself is not protocol!""Marybeth!" Smith inhaled hard, clearly outraged by her brazenness. "You understand Safe Haven is doing us a favour here, right? There is no bed for Adeline. They've taken in four of ou
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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
