Written by: Dallas Walsh

Houston Blackmore looks back at his father, Kent Blackmore, and waits for an answer. Kent was just telling Houston that a secret that Kent has been keeping for a long time could be coming out and if it does, Houston's life could be changing. Houston doesn't like the fact that Kent is being so mysterious about a past secret when his life could be impacted; he'd like to know exactly what Kent is talking about.

"Are you going to say anything to me?" Houston asks him, after an awkward moment of silence between the two of them. "You just told me that you have a past secret that you think could change my life. I'd like to know what this is, exactly. How is my life going to change?"

Kent sighs and realizes that he's probably said too much because he doesn't know if he should reveal that he is really Lexington Rockwell's father; he would love to have the chance to get to his know his biological son, but he knows that everyone in his family and in Lydia Rockwell's family would be heavily impacted by the truth coming out. He looks back at Houston, who doesn't appear to want to back down from having this conversation, and realizes that he has to back track.

"I think you're over reacting to what I said, son," Kent tells him as he turns around grabs his scotch and takes a drink of it. "My secret isn't going to change your life. I was probably too dramatic with my words."

"I want to know what it is," Houston insists with his father. "Tell me what you did all those years ago, Dad."

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Lydia Rockwell asks as she opens the door to the penthouse and quickly moves inside. She can feel the tension in the room between her lover and his son. "Kent, Houston, what's going on? Is everything okay?""

"Nothing dear," Kent lies to her. "Houston was just on his way out, isn't that right son?"

Houston rolls his eyes and looks at his Dad, knowing he won't have to say anything now.. "We'll finish this conversation later, okay?"

"Absolutely, we will," Kent faces a smile on his face. "Talk to you soon, I love you."

"I love you too, Dad," Houston replies to him before he kisses Lydia's cheek and leaves the penthouse.

Once the door is closed, Lydia puts her hand on her hip. "What was that about? And do not tell me it was nothing, I could feel the tension when I walked in here."

Kent sighs and moves to pour himself another drink. "Houston was just about to tell me something, but I don't know what it was," Kent lies to her, knowing that Lydia would be furious if she knew that he was thinking of telling the truth.

"Interesting," she quips back to him. "I wonder what it could be?"

"Never mind that," he replies to her. "How are things with you obtaining your children's shares in Rockwell Mining?"

Lydia can't help but get a smile on her face. "I got them, all of them. First thing tomorrow morning, I think we should go to Rockwell and make the announcement."

"I can't first thing in the morning, I have a meeting. How about we do it at lunch time?" Kent asks her.

"Sounds perfect," she smiles back to him. "It'll give me time to go buy a new outfit, after all, it will be my first afternoon as CEO of Rockwell Mining."

***

Houston arrives back at his trailer, his mind racing with the possibilities of what Kent's secret could be. He recognizes that his father was trying to cover up what he said with some lame excuse, but Houston is determined to figure out what Kent is hiding.

"There you are," Stacey Rockwell announces as she comes out of the shower, wearing a white rob and drying her hair with a towel. "I thought you'd never get home. You look stressed, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, I was at my Dad's," he reveals to her. "And, he said the weirdest thing to me."

"What was that?" she asks him as she comes up and gives him a quick kiss on the lips. "Is everything okay?"

He shakes his head confused. "I have no idea. He kept going on about how he had a secret from the past and how he was thinking about telling the truth, and if he did that, my life would change."

"That's cryptic," she replies to him. "What secret would he be keeping?"

"I have no idea, but I'm determined to find out."

"Well, can this investigation wait?" she purses her lips together. "I was thinking, tomorrow afternoon, we should call our families together and announce our engagement. The sooner we do this, the sooner we don't have to hide anymore. And, I'm ready for them to see how happy you make me."

"I love that idea," he smiles back to her kissing her on the lips again. "Tomorrow afternoon it is?"

"I can't wait," she tells him. "Mostly because I want to get a new place. This trailer is too small for all my clothes."

He laughs back at her. "You may have come here to work off your spoiled image, but you still have a bit of that princess in you!"

"That's why you love me," she sticks her tongue back to him.

"It is exactly why I love you," he comes up to her and kisses her again. "How about we have one more celebration tonight in this bed?"

"I love the way you think," she purrs at him, as she leads him to the bed wanting to have her fiancé one last time in the trailer.

***

Mac Rockwell emerges from the door to his master bedroom and moves inside, fresh from breakfast and he sees his wife, Celeste Baldwin walk out from the on suite wearing a white dress and gets a smile on his face.

"Good morning, darling," he says has walks up to her and gives her a kiss on the lips. "I missed you at breakfast."

Celeste recounts the previous night how she felt faint while she was walking outside; when she got inside, her and Cole Rockwell shared another close moment in which he kissed her. She knows that she has to get her stepson out of her mind but living in the same house as him, it is very difficult; this is why she skipped breakfast, she wanted to avoid Cole."

"I was tired and wanted to sleep in," she tells him. "I'll pop down in a bit and grab something light to eat."

"Are you feeling alright? You know I'll do anything I can to make you feel better, right?" he tells her as he puts his hands on her shoulders.

"Only you can't," she replies to him quickly. "I'm just in a mood because you told me that I can't have my design division at the company right away. I know you've explained yourself, but I'm not going to lie to you and say it doesn't bother me, because it does."

"Celeste," he starts to reply to her.

"No, Mac," she cuts him off. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I know your reasons and I don't need to hear them again. Just accept that it's not the answer I wanted, I will get over it, I'm just upset."

She moves over to her makeup table and once again suddenly feels faint.

"Okay, very well," he replies to her, knowing that he doesn't want to have a fight with her about the division at Rockwell Mining. "I just hope you believe me when I said I will get you that division, it might just take a bit longer."

He turns to look at his wife and sees her holding herself up on the edge of the table. "Celeste? What is it? What's wrong?"

He rushes over to her as she waves her hand in the air. "Nothing, I'm fine," she tells him as he grabs her.

"Don't tell me it's nothing, you almost fainted."

"I think I just had a long night. I'll feel better once I have something to eat." she tells him.

"Okay, but if you're not better by the time I get home, I'm calling the doctor."

***

"I didn't think you'd be back so soon," Jarek tells Lex, as his lover comes into his condo. "After our lunch break yesterday, I thought I drained you good."

Lex turns around after he drops his briefcase on the sofa and looks at his lover. "What can I say? I can't get enough of you," Lex licks his lips as Jarek comes up to him and they share a passionate kiss. "You think you have enough in you for another round?"

"Have I ever been able to say no to your ass?" Jarek kisses him again as he starts to unbutton Lex's shirt.

"Good answer," Lex says in between moans.

"Wait," Jarek stops from kissing him and he looks at Lex. "Before we do this, I need to know that you still want to tell your family about us. I want to know that I'm more than just sex for you."

"You're so much more, Jarek," Lex tells him. "I love you. You have to know that."

"I want to believe you," Jarek says as he runs his hand through his hair. "But, I've gone through this song and dance before. I need something to believe in."

"How about this?" Lex comes up behind him. "This afternoon, you come to my Dad's office. I'll make sure that my Mom, brother and sister are there as well. We'll tell them together. I'll tell them that I love you and I want to be with you."

"You mean that?" Jarek asks, his eyes sparkling as this is what he has been working towards.

"Of course," Lex runs his hands down Jarek's torso. "Now, can we get back to the business at hand?"

Jarek kisses him hard again. "You mean this?"

"Grr, yes, that," Lex moans as Jarek's lips find his neck.

***

Lydia sits, with a large sun hat on, at a table at the country club and enjoys a mimosa, planning her day. After her breakfast, she has plans to go out shopping so she can find the perfect outfit to wear for when she takes over Rockwell Mining. She has to look the role of the CEO and she has every intention of doing so. Then, her afternoon will be her taking over the company from her ex-husband.

"I will finally get everything I've ever wanted," she whispers to herself as she takes a sip of her drink.

"Talking to yourself?" Mac asks his ex-wife as he passes her table. "You know that's the first sign of someone going crazy, don't you?"

"What are you doing here?" Lydia ignores his jab. "I thought you'd be having breakfast with your precious wife."

"Not that it's any of your business," he quickly replies to her. "But, I've seen my wife this morning and I've already had breakfast. I'm here for a meeting. Celeste is at home preparing for her day."

"Oh yes, I'm sure it will be an exhausting day," Lydia rolls her eyes. "You know, because all she ever does is walk around that mansion. God forbid she has a purpose in life."

"Watch your mouth when it comes to Celeste," Mac warns her, not wanting to get into a verbal spat with her today. "You will learn to respect my new wife."

"Or what?" Lydia laughs. "Oh MacKenzie, you must know by now that I will always get what I want. And, if you don't know that, prepare yourself very quickly."

"What kind of riddle is that?" he asks her.

"Never mind," she waves her hand back to him. "I'm going to finish my breakfast and then I will see you very soon. But, like me warn you, I always get what I want, Mac. Always."

***

At the Rockwell mansion, Cole Rockwell, Stacey Rockwell and Lex Rockwell all sit at the table and are having breakfast together. Lex came home after sleeping with Jarek because Stacey invited him to have breakfast with her and Cole. While he isn't thrilled about the idea of spending time with Cole, he doesn't want to let his sister down.

"This doesn't happen very often," Stacey tells her brother's. "You guys, we have to start doing this on a regular basis again. Remember how much fun we used to have when it was just us at the breakfast table?"

"When Lex still blew bubbles in his milk?" Cole laughs, looking over at his brother.

"I still could," Lex teases them back, causing Stacey to laugh.

"I mean," she tells them as she grabs each of their hands. "I love you guys. I want to make sure we are always close like this, no matter what happens."

"What do you think would change?" Cole asks her, as she shrugs her shoulders still worried about how everyone will feel about her engagement to Houston.

"I don't know," she admits to him. "But in life, whatever stays the same? I just hope that no matter what, us three will always stay this close."

Cole looks over at Lex and knows that they have been seeing eye to eye since he got home. "Lex, what do you say? Let's stay close, if for nothing else, Stacey's sake? You know she'll nag us like no one's business if we refuse."

"Hey!" Stacey laughs at him.

"I'm game," Lex nods back to them. "No one needs Stacey after them."

"You guys are ganging up on me!" she giggles to her brothers.

"Seriously, I'm with you Stacey," Cole tells them both. "We will always stick together, no matter what."

***

"This is a nice treat," Odette Williams tells Jarek as they sit at a table on the patio of the country club for breakfast. "It's not often I get treated to this fancy place."

"You deserve it," Jarek smiles back to his mom. "Do you want something more than just water? We are celebrating, after all."

Odette purses her lips together. "Well, not you have my curiosity peaked. What on earth are we celebrating?"

"We'll have a bottle of Moet," Jarek tells the waiter, as Odette's eyes open wider in surprise.

The waiter scurries away, leaving Odette gushing. "That is the most expensive bottle of champagne!"

"I know," Jarek grins back to her. "We are so close to getting everything we wanted, Mom."

"Would you just spill the beans already, what's happening?"

"Lex is telling his family the truth about us today," Jarek reveals to her as he lifts his glass of champagne back to her. "And that he wants to live together. Don't you see, Mom, this is the start of us getting what we deserve. We are so close I can taste it."

Odette can't erase the smile from her. "I'm so proud of you, baby. Congratulations."

"I couldn't have done this with you," he tells her. "And everything that happens in the future, it will happen to both of us. We are in this together."

***

Cole walks down the hallway of the mansion as he heads back to his room following breakfast. He wants to change and hit the pool for a bit before he has to be at Mac's office for a family meeting that has been called, surprisingly by more than one member of the family as Stacey, Lex and Lydia all have something to announce.

He freezes when he sees Celeste come out of the master bedroom. He recalls how he kissed her the day before; he knows that he has to get his stepmother out of mind, but he can't help it.

"Good morning," he manages to say to her, as she turns around to see him.

"Morning," she replies to him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you feeling?" he asks her, knowing that she almost fainted the previous day.

"Oh, I'm fine," she lies to him, not wanting anyone to be concerned about her, even though she has been feeling nocuous all morning. "Look, I think we have to get something straight."

Unbeknownst to either of them, Lydia is walking up the stairs as she arrived to see Cole before she went shopping for the day. She wanted to get a feel for how he thought Mac would take the news. She quickly hides behind a large pillar when she hears Celeste and Cole talking.

"I think I know what you're going to say," he admits to her. "And, for what it's worth, I am sorry about yesterday. I know that I got carried away. It won't happen again."

"It can't happen again," Celeste tells him. "What we did, we did, but we have to move past that now."

"I know, and I'm trying," he tells her. "I really am trying."

"Good," she smiles back to him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to try to grab some breakfast before Ingrid takes it out of the dining room."

Lydia rushes into a room, so Celeste won't see her hiding behind the pillar, her mind racing about what it is that happened between Celeste and Cole.

***

Mac stands up from his table at the country club and grabs his briefcase. He hopes to get some work done before the big family meeting that his happening in his office later in the morning.

As he starts to walk to the door, he sees Odette walking out of the women's room. He realizes that she must have a bit to drink because she's wobbling a little bit.

"Miss, you would like me to help you back to your seat?" he asks her, as he comes up to her.

Odette looks back at the man whom she believes killed her husband. She hasn't seen Mac in person before, only on TV, but standing in front of her, she can't believe how handsome he is. She quickly realizes that if Jarek's plan fails, they will need a backup plan.

"Why, yes, you can, that's very generous of you," she smiles to him. "I think I may have a had a bit too much champagne this morning."

"That happens to the best of us," Mac chuckles back to her as he grabs her hand and they start walking back to her table. "Just make sure you have some water, and don't try to drive home."

"Yes sir," she winks back to him. "This is my table, thank you for your help, Mr?"

"Rockwell, Mac Rockwell."

"Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Rockwell," she purses her lips together as they make eye contract.

***

Lydia enters the dining room and sees Celeste pouring herself a glass of orange juice. "We need to talk," she announces, startling Celeste.

"What the hell do you want?" Celeste asks her, not in the mood for Lydia's games today. "And, how did you get in here? I have to have the locks changed."

"The staff know and adore me sweetie," Lydia laughs at her. "Anyways, what the hell is going on between you and my son?"

Celeste shakes her head in confusion. "What are you talking about?" Celeste asks her.

"Don't try to play dumb with me," Lydia warns her. "I asked you a question! What is happening between you and Cole?"

"Nothing," Celeste yells back at her. "We live in the same house. We are friends. Nothing else. Why? What do you think happened?"

"I don't know," Lydia arches her eyebrow. "But I know your type. You stay away from my son, or you will answer to me!"

"Shut up Lydia," Celeste spits back to her. "So much for that truce we seemingly called the day of the pool party!"

"Truce?" Lydia laughs back at her. "I thanked you for having me over. But I won't hold back when I see you trying to sink your claws into my son! It's bad enough you're with my ex-husband."

"Get out of my house," Celeste yells at her. "And do not come back, do I make myself clear?"

Lydia looks back at her as she moves towards the front door. "Perfectly," Lydia purses her lips together. "But I will be back if I find out that you have any more intentions with Cole."

Celeste watches Lydia leave and she suddenly feels ill again. "My God," she whispers to herself. "What's wrong with me?"

***

Celeste lays on her bed and sets her phone stop watch for 5 minutes. After breakfast, she ran to the drug store because she has a hunch about what is wrong with her. She only hopes that she's wrong because it would change her life forever and she has no idea what she will do if her theory is right.

"Please," she whispers as she lays in the dark. "Don't let this be happening to me. This can't be happening to me."

She freezes when she hears a knock on the bedroom door. She stands up and quickly moves to the door, worried that Lydia is back for another round with her. She is surprised to see Cole standing on the other side of the door.

"Cole, what do you want?" she asks him as he comes into the bedroom.

He looks at the bed where they made love and then looks back at her. "I was just out by the pool and Ingrid said that you weren't feeling well, I just wanted to make sure that you're okay?"

"I'm fine," she waves her hand at him.

"Are you? Are you going to come to the family meeting? If so, we could go together."

"No, I'm not going," she replies to him. "Mac, my husband, he can fill me in later. I just want to be alone."

"I wish you would tell me what's wrong with you," he tells her. "I hate seeing you like this."

"Like what?" she asks him growing frustrated. Before either one can say anything else, her alarm buzzes.

"What is that for?"

"Excuse me for a moment," she rushes into the washroom.

Cole looks around the room and wonders what is going on with her. When she finally emerges from the washroom, she's pale as a ghost. "Celeste? What's wrong? I'm not leaving here until you tell me!"

A tear falls down her cheek. "I'm…" she gaps between tears. "I'm pregnant!"

***

"Where is everyone?" Mac asks Lex and Jarek as they stand in Mac's office, waiting for everyone else to arrive to this big family meeting that is taking place. "I don't like to be kept waiting, especially when I have a lot of work to do."

"I don't know," Lex replies to him. "I saw Stacey and Cole earlier and they both said they would be here."

"Yes," Mac acknowledges back to him. "I'm not sure if Celeste will make it, she hasn't been feeling well."

"Nothing serious I hope?" Lex asks him as Mac shrugs his shoulders.

"Just a flu, I think."

Before Lex can reply, the office door opens and Lydia and Kent Blackmore enter the office. "Well, I'm glad you're here," she announces to her ex-husband.

"Stacey isn't here yet," Mac replies to her. "Nor is Cole."

"That doesn't matter," Lydia informs him. "I don't need them here for what I have to say."

"Good, the sooner you begin, the sooner you can leave," Mac spits back at her.

Lydia laughs at him. "Funny you should say," she replies to him. "You see, I've obtained enough shares, or the proxy of shares, to actually take over this company."

"That's impossible," Mac says, his blood starting to boil. "You only have 6% of shares."

"That I got from our divorce, yes," Lydia grins back to him as she opens her purse and drops some papers on his desk. "But you see, I have signatures from Cole, Stacey and Lexington that give me proxy on their shares for the next year. That means, I have 51% of this company's shares. Which means, I own Rockwell Mining right now. So get out of my office MacKenzie. Or I'll call security and have you thrown out."

***

Stacey and Houston sit side by side as in his Porsche as they drive towards the Rockwell Mining building downtown, knowing that they are about to reveal that they are engaged to their families, respectively.

"How are you feeling?" he asks her, as he looks over at her.

"I'm feeling on top of the world," she smiles back to him. "I'm ready to handle my family."

"I'm glad," he replies to her. "Because I am too. My Dad won't keep me from being with you. I love you far too much to let anything come between us."

"I love you so much, Houston Blackmore. I can't wait to be your wife."

They look into each other's eyes for a moment before a loud horn starts honking at them. They both turn and look forward and scream at the sight of the semi-truck that is coming straight for their car! Houston tries to turn the steering wheel to avoid the crash…but it's too late. The truck slams into the front of the car and pushes it back. Both Stacey and Houston lay in the car with the airbags deployed, bleeding and unconscious from the accident.