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82|The De Jagers—Part 1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Beautiful Disaster 83|The De Jagers—Part 2
She turned around, almost pissing herself, when she found Willem De Jager scowling at her. His humongous size alone reminded her of a Viking, but the pure contempt in his eyes terrified her.No human eyes should hold so much rage, especially towards a stranger."I hope you are here to tell me you've found the bastards who killed my daughter," he said, staring at Austin.He stood up and thrust out his hand but soon retracted it when Willem showed no sign of returning the handshake."It's good to see you again, Willem," he said, sitting back down."If you are not here to tell me you found Iris' killers, I'm afraid I have nothing to discuss with you," Willem said, his glacial tone sending a chill down Marybeth's spine."So have you found them?" he demanded, making no attempt to take the only free armchair in the room.Austin shook his head, bowing his head. "I'm sorry.""I don't want your damn sorries!" Willem exploded, and for a little while, Marybeth just sat there and listened to the
Beautiful Disaster 84|People Always Leave
They didn't talk on the ride back to the chopper.The flight home was just as silent, both lost in their own thoughts.They made it home just after 10:00 PM, and Marybeth wondered if they should pick Orlando up from Neli's."It's late, and she's sleeping," Austin explained as he took off his jacket and threw it on the couch."I know," said Marybeth, loosening the buttons of her blazer and kicking off her sneakers. "But I don't like that we keep shoving her onto other people. I mean, you hired me to look after her.""And you are doing a stellar job, Beth," he assured her.Marybeth didn't feel like she was, though.They should be spending a whole lot more time with Orlando instead of being out and about, hobnobbing with Clifton Bay's royalty and going on dates."Seriously, you need to stop worrying about Orlando. Neli and her mom love having her over. Besides, I'll be in the Blue Mountains next week, so you'll have plenty of time with her," Austin said, waving the bottle of cognac at he
Beautiful Disaster 85|Brutal
"Beth," Austin said before she could slip out of the room. "I meant what I said earlier. I'm here. I'll wait for you for as long as it takes."Sighing, Marybeth opened her mouth to speak and tell him not to wait for her. But her mushy brain couldn't formulate the words."I won't leave you," Austin continued.What was she supposed to say to that?How was she supposed to respond when he sounded so genuine?"Beth?" he prodded."Yeah?""Thank you for what you did back there with Anna.""I hope you don't mind that I opened that door for Orlando's sake?""Not at all," Austin replied. "It's all I've ever wanted for her."She nodded and strolled back into the room. This time though, she perched herself on the armrest and gave him a sidelong glance. "About Iris…are you really going to look into her death?""I promised Anna I would," he said. "It's been on my mind for a long time now. And maybe she's right about finding out the truth. Maybe it will finally close our wounds. Why do you ask?"Mar
Beautiful Disaster 86|Remnants Of His Past—Part 1
Austin didn't have business calls to make like he'd told Marybeth. He simply wanted to sit in the silence of his living room and compartmentalise his feelings over his confrontation with Willem.Marybeth said it had hurt her to see him like that, being berated by the bastard like he was some damn child. She'd never know how much sitting still and taking the old fool's abuse had destroyed his soul. It took all his self-control to not pull out his gun and shoot the bastard dead. But he'd promised to humble himself and take whatever irrational rants were thrown at him because the last thing he wanted was for her to see him at his absolute worst—His phone rang on the coffee table, breaking through his rage-filled thoughts. But he was so emotionally exhausted he couldn't bring himself to pick it up.When it rang for the second time in the space of a few seconds, he figured it had to be important, so he reluctantly answered.He was glad he did when he heard Rawlings on the other end. "I ma
Beautiful Disaster 87|Remnants Of His Past—Part 2
"What's wrong?" he asked, setting the notes beside him.Marybeth hesitated, one foot in, the other out, clearly unsure if she should venture inside since he'd never given her access to this room. But she was his wife, and he didn't want to keep anything from her unless he absolutely had to. So he beckoned her closer, "come here and tell me what's wrong."Marybeth crossed the room and paused in front of him. He'd barely pulled her in his arms when she began to sob uncontrollably.Austin had seen her when she was furious, amused, and maybe happy, even. But he'd never seen her so…devastated. He felt utterly helpless and had no idea how to help her."Hey," he planted a kiss in her hair, running his hand on her back in soothing motions. "Tell me what's wrong. Who do I need to shoot? Is it your father?"She shook her head, hiccuping a few times before finally easing out a tearful explanation, "Detective Stone texted a while ago. I couldn't sleep.""What did she say?" Austin unconsciously ti
Beautiful Disaster 88|Ulterior Motive
With Orlando spending the night at Neli's, Marybeth didn't have to rush through her morning routine, and the extra hour of sleep should have helped.But it didn't.She was cranky as hell. Not exactly surprising since she and Austin had only gone to bed just after 2:00 AM.Yawning, she sat up and absently massaged the dull ache in her temples, her stomach clenching when her eyes fell on the leather-bound journal on her nightstand.Like Austin, she was terrified of all the earth-shattering secrets it held. She didn't have to be psychic to know that once she took a peek inside, there'd be no going back, and the consequences would be far worse than opening Pandora's box. But since she promised Austin she'd read it, she felt compelled to follow through. So she dragged herself out of bed and dropped the journal inside her laptop bag, telling herself it would make for some interesting lunchtime reading.An hour later, dressed in a floral maxi dress and plain white mules, Marybeth grabbed her
Beautiful Disaster 89|Pick A Struggle
"Austin!" Marybeth gritted her teeth. "Why would you do that? Why would you slam the door in her face like that?""It's the only language snooty cops like her understand!" he growled, picking up his mug. He took a sip, making a disgusted face as he grumbled, "it's cold.""Then warm it up in the microwave," Marybeth suggested half-heartedly as she peered through the peephole."What are you doing?" Austin whispered."Why are you whispering?""Because you were?"Marybeth turned back from the door, explaining, "I'm making sure she's gone. I don't trust that woman!""Welcome to my world, Beth!" Austin said, his voice heavy with irritation as he clapped his hands. "I've been waiting for you to get on board. Detective Stone and your ex are prime examples of why we never talk to cops because once we do, they'll keep coming back.""I don't think she believed anything we said," Marybeth said, suddenly annoyed when she remembered how he'd gone way off script. "Why couldn't you just stick to the
Beautiful Disaster 90|A Little Turbulence
They left Clifton Bay just after 2:00 PM.For a large part of their three-hour flight to Rock Union, Marybeth helped Orlando with her homework while Austin made several phone calls and responded to emails."He's always working," Orlando whispered at one point, even though Austin had his AirPods on and couldn't hear their conversation. "I wish he didn't have to work so much.""I'm sure if he could, your father would spend all his time with you, Orly," Marybeth assured her."I know," Orlando nodded as she absently twirled a bright blue crayon between her fingers. "I just miss him, that's all. When Mrs Allan left, and Daddy took care of me, it was the best time ever. I miss that.""Oh, Orly, come here," Marybeth cried as she unbuckled her seat belt and took the little girl in her arms.She was afraid of this—of Orlando feeling neglected. And it was exactly what she'd tried to explain to Austin last night and this morning. Obviously, she didn't articulate herself very well. She'd have to
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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
