While Austin was mulling over his plans for Jaco, Marybeth was tearing up the dance floor with her father to Tina Turner's Steel Claw while she surreptitiously watched her mom speak with a bunch of suits.Her parents had gone out of their way to avoid each other, which was awfully odd to her, considering they'd seen each other a bunch of times over the last couple of years. Why they were acting like complete strangers was baffling to her. But then again, if Vivienne didn't want her associates to know of her existence, there was no way she'd be comfortable with them knowing about her ex—"Are you okay, Sweet Pea?" Lionel asked as he took her hands, and they began swaying to Lady In Red. Before Marybeth could assure him she was right as rain, Lukas cut in, teasing Lionel about hogging all of her time."She's all yours," said Lionel with a smile, pushing her into her father-in-law's arms."He doesn't look too well," said Lukas. "I hear his liver's troubling him.""He'll be fine soon," sai

With the room still spinning around him, a dazed Austin sat up, genuinely surprised to find the back of his head dry. He expected it to be oozing with blood, believing he'd rammed it into the corner of the end table when Blake tackled him to the floor.Relieved he wouldn't have to seek Piper's services tonight, Austin gingerly stood up and began assessing the clusterfuck they were in.When his eyes fell on Sloane's body slumped over the dining table, his blood pooling underneath his face, the rage in Austin's heart swirled like a category 5 tornado, ready to touchdown and destroy everything in its path."Hadley, what did you do?" he whispered, his bitter disappointment as tangible as the smell of gunpowder permeating the room. "What the hell did you?""I took care of business," Hadley murmured, placing Blake's Glock on the dining table, a vacant expression in her eyes as she resumed her seat.Austin blindly crossed the room and yanked her by her neck, thundering at her. "You took care

Austin was only gone for two minutes, three at most, but when he returned to the living area, he was stunned to find his entire world had changed drastically in those few moments.In the middle of the chaotic room stood his sweet Beth, gaping at the man whose blood was still pooling all around him on the floor."Austin?" she whispered, unadulterated horror in her eyes as she brought her gaze to his. "What happened here?""It's nothing," he replied, quickly crossing the room and pushing her towards the door while giving his handlers an earful about bringing her over."We tried to stop her, but she insisted on coming along," Arno explained."And you just allowed her to follow you? Get her out of here!" Austin shouted at his men."I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!" Marybeth said firmly, refusing to move another inch until he came clean with her. "You left the ball for this? Jesus, Austin! I thought you were over and done with your crusade when the paternity results

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

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