Written by: Dallas Walsh

Sabine Andrews rolls over in the large bed and looks across the bed when she opens her eyes. She jumps up in the bed when she sees Mac Rockwell laying next to her. She looks down at her naked body and immediately is overcome with guilt as she remembers the previous evening when she ran into Mac at the bar of the country club and they ended up sharing a few kisses and then they came to his suite and made love with one another.

"Oh, good morning," Mac opens his eyes and rolls over to his side to look at Sabine. "Last night was certainly unexpected, wasn't it?"

Sabine crawls out of the bed and grabs a white fluffy robe and wraps it around her naked body before she looks back at Mac. "Last night…" she starts to tell him. "My God, Mac, what was I, what were we thinking? I'm engaged to Nathan, your brother!?"

Mac smirks back to her. "You're a beautiful woman, Sabine. I needed you last night and despite of what you may think, you needed me too."

"This is a mess," she replies to him quickly. "I shouldn't have slept with you! My engagement party is tonight and now I have this secret over my head."

"Don't worry," Mac tells her quickly. "I won't tell anything to Nathan. You have my word."

"Thank you," she says as she slips into her dress. "Because last night was a mistake, Mac. And, it can never happen again."

***

"Good morning mother," Nathan Lockhart announces to Lucinda Rockwell as he moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and sees his mother pouring herself a cup of coffee. "It looks like it will be a beautiful day today."

"What has gotten you in such a good mood today?" Lucinda asks him quickly as she takes a sip of her coffee.

"Do I need to remind you what today is?" he asks her back. "Tonight, is my engagement party. Sabine and I will be making our first appearance as an engaged couple."

"Oh yes," Lucinda waves her hand back to him. "How could I possible let the fact that you're engaged to that woman slip my mind?"

"Very funny," he replies to her. "Did you happen to see her this morning? She must have left early as she wasn't upstairs when I got up."

"I haven't seen her, knock on wood."

"Hmm," Nathan says as he pours some coffee into a cup. "I don't remember her mentioning an early meeting. I guess I will text her and make sure that everything is alright. I don't want anything to go wrong tonight at the party."

"Nothing could possibly be more wrong than you marrying Sabine," Lucinda scoffs at him. "But, I won't say anything else on the subject. I would love a day, just a day, without any fighting in this family."

"Then I suggest you tell Mac to stay away from the party," Nathan takes another sip of his coffee. "Because, besides my engagement, I'm planning to announce that I am the new head of the Rockwell family. It really will be my night to shine, mother."

"Oh goodie," Lucinda whispers to herself, now wishing that she had spiked her coffee with something stronger.

***

Upstairs, Slate Lockhart emerges from the washroom with a towel wrapped waist as he just had a shower. He looks at the bed in his bedroom in the Rockwell mansion and sees Carmen Santos leaning up against the headboard playing on her phone. He smiles at his lover as he enjoys the sight in front of him.

"What is on your phone that caught your attention?" he asks her.

Carmen looks at her phone before she puts it on the bed next to her. She was just looking at her social media but really her mind is on the conversation with brother, Mateo Santos, the previous night when he told her that she needs to marry Slate so they could have capital if he needed it during his plan to get revenge on Lexington Rockwell.

"Nothing important," she replies to him. "I was just looking at Instagram. How was your shower?"

"It would have been better had you been with me," he winks back to her.

Carmen chuckles back to him. "You're a machine, Slate."

"I could have you all day," he tells her. "What can I say? I love a beautiful woman, and you are that."

"You're so sweet," she says back to him. "Do you think that we are good together?"

Slate arches his eyebrow as he sits on the edge of the bed and grabs her hand. "Of course, I do, you have to know that I am very smitten with you, Carmen."

"Good."

"Where did that question come from? Are you feeling like we aren't good together anymore?"

"No," she immediately tells him. "The opposite, actually. I've never felt this happy before."

"Phew," Slate grins back to her. "You had me worried for a minute."

"I don't want to lose you," she grabs his hand. "I know this is unconventional, but I think we should get married Slate. I don't want this feeling to go away. Not now, not ever."

Slate looks back at her in shock as that was the last thing he expected to hear from Carmen. "Married? Are you serious?"

Carmen nods back to him. "I know this a surprise but, I don't know, I can't help but be madly in love with you."

"I'm flattered but honestly, I never saw myself getting married," Slate says as he stands up. "I…I'm not saying no, Carmen, but I'm not saying yes either. I need time to process this."

Carmen nervously grins to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Don't be sorry," he looks back at her. "You just caught me by surprise, that's all. I need time to process this, that's all."

"Well, don't keep a girl like me waiting too long for an answer," she winks back to him. "I might get another offer."

Slate chuckles back to her. "How about I make it up to you now since you didn't join me in the shower?"

Carmen throws the blankets off her, revealing her naked body. "Get over here," she purrs, as Slate drops the towel from his waist and moves up to her eagerly.

***
Quinn Cunningham steps off the elevator at Blackmore Ltd. and quickly heads towards the main office. She knows that she must continue her plan to make Lex see water in various places as a part of Mateo Santos plan to get revenge. A part of Quinn wishes that she never got involved with Mateo, but since he knows some of her secrets, she has no choice but to go along with his plans, or she will be exposed.

"I still can't believe that son of a bitch is blackmailing me," she whispers to herself as she puts her hand on her stomach and feels her baby. "But, I have my own plans, so I will help him, even though Lex is family."

She peers into the office and breathes a sigh of relief when no one is inside. She quickly shuts the door behind herself and moves to the desk. She opens her purse and places a small bug under the desk, where Lex usually sits. She nods to herself before she stands back up.

"Quinn," Houston Blackmore smirks as he opens the door to her office. "This is starting to become a habit; me finding you in Lex's office when he's not here, I mean. What are you doing?"

Quinn nervously laughs back to him as she stands up. "This is going to sound silly."

"Try me."

"Well, I was supposed to meet with Lex this morning," Quinn lies to him. "And when he wasn't here, I don't know, I guess I wanted to see what it was like to sit behind this desk. It feels…powerful."

"It does, doesn't it?" Houston laughs as he comes up to her. "But with great power comes great responsibility."

"Do you always sound this sexy when you speak?" she looks back at him, hoping that by flirting with Houston he will be able to not mention to this to anyone else.

Houston chuckles back to her. "Like I told you the other day, nothing can happen between us, Quinn."

"I know, I know," she waves her hand in the air. "Can't blame a girl for trying though, right?"

"Right," Houston winks back to her. "I have to head to another meeting. Tell Lex I need to talk to him when he gets here for your meeting."

"I will," Quinn waves back to him as she breathes a sigh of relief. "Have a great day, Houston."

***

Sabine slowly opens the front door of the Rockwell mansion and moves inside. She takes a deep breath when she doesn't see anyone in the foyer. The last thing she wanted was to be caught coming home at this hour since she spent the night with Mac, something that she and Mac know can never be revealed. If it did, it would ignite more fury from Nathan, and that is the last thing that she wants to have happen.

She makes it halfway up the stairs when she turns around after Nathan calls out to her from the living room.

"Oh, there you are," Nathan says to his fiancé. "I was wondering where you had disappeared too."

"I am sorry about that," Sabine purses her lips to him as she moves down the stairs towards Nathan. "I had an early meeting with the florist about our party tonight. Everything, however, is good to go."

"The florist?" Nathan asks her quickly. "Interesting, I just had a call from her assistant."

Sabine gulps heavily. "Yes, the assistant was running late. The florist was rather annoyed. I guess they got their signals crossed."

"I suppose that happens from time to time," Nathan looks back at her. "You know that tonight is going to be an epic party, right? It will be the launch of you and I announcing our commitment to one another."

Sabine smiles back to him. "I want everyone to know how much I love you and will always love you," she replies to him. "Do you know if Mac is coming to the party?"

Nathan sighs back to her. "I have no idea, but I am assuming so. He had better be on his best behaviour though, or so help me God. By the way, I am sorry for our fight yesterday. I don't want to fight with you."

Sabine nods back to him. "I don't want to fight with you either Nathan," she replies to him quickly, as she wonders if Mac will reveal their affair at the party to get back at Nathan. Suddenly, she has a feeling of dread come over her, hoping that Mac keeps his promise and doesn't say anything about their night of passion together.

***

Quinn moves up to the receptionist at the small medical clinic. After checking in, Quinn is told by the nurse that she has to wait about 15 more minutes before her appointment will begin. Quinn puts her hand on her stomach, hoping that everything is okay with her unborn child.

She swiftly moves into the waiting room but freezes when she sees Deacon Cooper standing in front of her. She hadn't seen her lover in months; now is standing there, just before her doctor's appointment.

"Deacon, what are you doing here?" she nervously asks him.

"Hello to you too, Quinn," Deacon takes his hands out of his pockets. "It's been a while."

"Yes, it certainly has," Quinn nods back to him. "I am sorry that I haven't responded to your messages. I, uh, just got into town and was getting caught up with my mother and finding a job. After I was settled, I was going to let you know that I was here."

Deacon smirks back to her. "Sabine told me you were in town," he reveals to her. "Your mother and I, we go way back."

"I had no idea," Quinn replies to him. "Look, about the baby. I really want you involved, you know? You have every right to be a part of our son or daughter's life."

"I'd like that very much," Deacon tells her quickly. "That's why I'm here. I used some of my contacts to figure out who your doctor was. That's why I'm here today, Quinn. I want to be with you, every step of the way."

"Do you mean that?" Quinn asks him as she gets tears in her eyes and he nods back to her. "Well great, you can come into my appointment with me. You can make sure that our baby is doing just fine."

***

"I must admit that I was surprised to learn that the woman that Deacon got pregnant is Sabine's daughter," Chase Cooper tells his ex-wife, Dyhannah Cooper, as they sit across from one another in the country club with a bottle of chardonnay in front of them. Dyhannah just filled him in on the latest with Deacon and Quinn and how she convinced Deacon to go to Quinn's doctor's appointment, where he will request a paternity test on the unborn child.

"Yes, I was also surprised by that," Dyhannah takes a sip of her wine. "It is a very small world, but I am just glad Deacon agreed to go to her medical appointment."

"Convincing Deacon didn't seem like it was too difficult."

"It wasn't," Dyhannah purses her lips together. "Because the fact of the matter is, the truth must come, Chase. I will not allow this Quinn woman to ruin Deacon's life. She has not met her match in life yet, and she will not with me either."

Chase chuckles back to her. "What is so funny?" she asks him quickly.

"I just enjoy how protective you are of our son," Chase looks back at her. "It is one of your best qualities."

"I'm glad your noticing my qualities again," Dyhannah winks back to him before she takes another sip of her wine.

***

"Do you have any idea what Lexington wanted to discuss with us this morning?" Lydia Rockwell asks Kent Blackmore as they stand in the living room of the penthouse that they live in together. Lydia woke up to an urgent sounding message from her son with Kent, Lex, asking to meet them. She only hopes that everything is okay with her youngest child.

"I don't," Kent replies to her before he takes a drink of his coffee. "I just hope everything is alright at Blackmore Ltd."

"You said you went there a couple days ago, and everything was seemingly fine?" Lydia reminds him of his visit to see his sons at Blackmore.

"Yes, but in business, anything can change at a moment's notice."

"That is true enough," Lydia nods back to him as she hears the doorbell ring. "I guess we will hear what this is all about now."

Lydia quickly moves to the front door and sees Lex on the other side. "Good morning Lexington," Lydia hugs her son. "Please come in, Kent and I are waiting for you."

"Thanks Mom," Lex says as he moves into the living room. "Morning, Kent."

"Lex, can I get you a coffee?" Kent asks him quickly.

"No, but I'd love a scotch," Lex tells him. "I know it's early, but what I have to tell you guys is serious."

"Coming right up," Kent moves to the bar and pours the drink.

"What's going on darling?" Lydia asks him with concern. "What is so serious?"

Kent passes him the scotch and Lex takes a sip of it. "There have been some very odd incidents going on lately," he tells his parents. "Multiple times in my office at Blackmore, I've found water. Once was on the sofa and the other time was on my desk and both times there were water-based footprints leading in and out of the office."

"Did maintenance look into this?" Kent asks his son.

"Of course," Lex nods back to him. "But, no pipes had burst. They had no idea about the water in the office. On top of this, multiple times in my apartment, water in the washroom has been on when I haven't been in there."

"This is very alarming," Lydia nods back to him. "Is someone sending you a message?"

Lex shrugs back to her. "There was a message to me in mirror one time too, that said 'You Killed Me'," he stuns his parents, who gasp back to him. "So, yesterday, I flew to Cabo. I saw the officials regarding Mateo Santos."

"Mateo? You think this is about Mateo?" Kent asks him quickly.

"I am not sure," Lex replies to him. "The officials confirmed that the DNA test on the body they pulled from the ocean was Mateo's. I don't know, I guess I just feel like he's haunting me. Or, Carmen is behind this."

"Lex, you have to be careful," Lydia tells his son. "I know firsthand how dangerous she can be."

"We are here for you, Lex," Kent looks at Lex. "Anything you want or need for us, we are here for you."

"Thanks guys," Lex forces a smile on his face. "I just need to figure out what is happening."

***

"Mateo? Are you here?" Carmen asks as she moves on board of the small boat, the Silver Lining, that her brother is staying on. After her conversation with Slate earlier in the morning, she wanted to come and see her brother to give him the latest.

"Hola hermana, I'm down here," Mateo calls out from the lower living level of the boat. "What's up today sugar?"

Carmen moves into the small living room and sits on the sofa. "I have news, not good, I'm afraid."

"What's going on?"

"I had a talk with Slate," she reveals to him as he sits next to her. "He told me that he never saw himself getting married, so he isn't sure that he wants too."

Mateo uneasily nods back to her, knowing that he suggested to Carmen that she marry Slate so they could have access to the Rockwell finances if he needed capital in his on-going quest to get revenge on Lex.

"But, he didn't say no, did he?"

Carmen moves some of her hair behind her ear. "No, he didn't say no. But, he didn't exactly say yes either."

"Well then, that's your next move, Carmen," Mateo looks back at her with intent. "You have to convince him that marrying you is the right thing to do. You can't give up now, we are so close to getting everything we deserve."

"Okay," Carmen nervously tells him. "I just don't want him to think something is going on. I don't want him to get suspicious."

"Don't worry," Mateo squeezes her knee with his hand. "You're a smart woman, you can take care of this. I have faith in you, Carmen."

***

Stacey quickly moves into the country club as she is going to have a light lunch before she gets ready for the engagement party later that night. She wasn't going to go to the party but she thought that if everyone made an appearance than maybe the Rockwell's will start to come together again.

She is about to move into the dining room when she happens to see Celeste Baldwin sitting at the bar. Stacey, looking at the woman that stole her child, finds herself approaching the woman at the bar.

"You have a hell of a lot of nerve, you know that?" Stacey barks as she arrives at Celeste's chair.

"Because I ordered a martini with my lunch? Or is there something else that makes you think I have nerve, Stacey?" Celeste replies to her, annoyed that ever member of the Rockwell family continues to treat her like a piece of garbage.

"I heard about your new job," Stacey replies to her immediately. "What the hell do you think you're doing working at my family company?"

Celeste shrugs back to her. "Nathan offered me position," she informs her. "I'm trying to have a fresh start, so I accepted. There is no hidden agenda here, Stacey."

"I don't believe you," Stacey shakes her head back to her rival. "You're always up to something, and when I find out what it is, I will stop you. I won't let you hurt me or my family ever again."

Celeste takes a sip of her martini. "Good because I have no intentions of hurting anyone. I just want to live my life, is that too much to ask?"

***

Cole opens the door to the main office at Rockwell Mining and moves inside. He smiles to himself when he realizes that he is alone in the office. He is back in his disguise as Richard Coleman, so he knows that he will be able to cover if anyone enters the office. He makes a beeline for the desk to see if can find any information. Cole looks around the desk but still doesn't see any files or keys to open the drawers to the main desk. He sighs heavily to himself.

"I'm going to have to take this even further," Cole whispers to himself. "I'm going to have to convince Nathan to give Richard the keys to the desk or access to the laptops around here."

He freezes when the door opens and Nathan and Celeste appear laughing to together as one of them said something funny to each other. Cole is stunned to see Celeste as he wasn't expecting to see her there.

"Oh, hi," Cole says, in his fake voice of Richard Coleman. "Nathan, I thought we had a meeting this morning to get me access to the computers and the desks? Or was I mistaken?"

Nathan looks back at "Richard" with an arched eyebrow. "Did we? I don't remember booking that meeting?"

"Maybe I got our signals crossed," Cole replies to him. "I'll come back when you have time, but this should happen sooner than later so I can start my duties around here."

"Yes, of course," Nathan nods back to him, as Cole quickly exits the office. Nathan, then, turns his attention to Celeste. "Now, where we were beautiful?"

Celeste looks back at him in surprise after her gaze followed "Richard" out of the office. She can't explain it, but she feels like she knows him from somewhere.

"Beautiful?"

"You heard correct," he winks back to her.

"Well, I'm flattered Nathan," she smiles back to him. "But, you're engaged to another very beautiful woman. So, we should keep this relationship professional."

***

"Slate, hey," Carmen says as she moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and sees her lover pouring a drink at the bar. "I'm glad I ran into you."

Slate turns around and sees Carmen entering the room. "Hey babe. How's your morning going?"

She sighs back to him. "I could use one of those drinks if you're pouring?" she chuckles back to him.

"Yea, of course."

"Look, I wanted to explain my point of view from our conversation earlier this morning," Carmen tells him as she accepts the drink that he made her. "About wanting to get married."

"You don't have to explain anything, Carmen."

"I do," she replies to him quickly. "I never meant to pressure you. After my marriage to Mac ended, I never thought that I would meet a man that I wanted to be with again in marriage. And then I met you, and I don't know, we just click on so many levels. I am not sorry that I brought it up, but I am sorry that I caught you off guard."

"You did catch me off guard," Slate chuckles back to her. "But, I've had the morning to think about it."

"And?" Carmen nervously asks him. "What have you thought about?"

Slate sighs back to her. "I guess I just never thought of marriage before until you mentioned it earlier. Since then, I haven't been able to think of anything else."

"Really? Does that mean you want to marry me?" Carmen purses her lips together.

"I'd love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you Carmen," Slate looks back at her. "So yes, I'll marry you. I think we should it sooner than later."

Carmen hugs him and smiles to herself. "I'm so glad that you want this, Slate. You've made me so happy."

***

"Are you comfortable?" Deacon asks Quinn as she lays on the hospital bed in a small room in the medical clinic as they wait for her doctor to arrive.

"I am," Quinn nods back to him as she grabs his hand. "I can't tell you how much this means to me, Deacon. That you want to me with me for our child's appointment."

Deacon smiles back to her. "Of course, I want to be here. Where else would I be?"

"I'm not sure," Quinn admits to him. "After how things ended up with us in New York, I wasn't sure you'd be happy about the baby."

"I'm here now, that's all that matters."

Before Quinn can respond, her doctor, Naomi Turlington opens the door and moves into the medical office.

"Quinn, hi, how are you today?" Naomi asks her as she opens her file and quickly reviews the notes.

"I'm well doctor Turlington," Quinn nods back to her. "This is Deacon Cooper, the baby's father."

"Oh, pleasure to meet you Mr. Chase."

"Likewise," Deacon smiles back to her. "However, I'm here because I have a request."

Quinn looks back at him in shock as he didn't mention anything about a request. "And that would be?" the doctor asks him quickly.

"I want a paternity test," Deacon admits to everyone, as Sabine gasps back in surprise. "I want to know if this baby is mine."

Quinn feels the blood drain from her face. "How dare you! The entire reason you came here today was to ambush me!"

"That's not true," Deacon shakes his head back to her. "I just want the truth."

"You know the truth," Quinn spits back to him. "You will not do this test," she turns her attention to her doctor. "I forbid it."

***

"Mac, are you in there? Mac, please, open up, it's Dane," Dane Ashby says as he knocks on the door of his son's suite at the country club. He knows that he likely shouldn't be there but he has been ensure his son is doing okay. Dane has been worried about Mac since he found out from Lucinda that Nathan has taken over the company and the house.

Mac eventually opens the door to the suite and looks back at his father. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Dane sighs back to him. "I've been worried about you," he admits to Mac as he moves into the suite. "Your mother told me about what has happened."

"Geez, thanks for your concern," Mac rolls his eyes back to him. "I'm fine, as you can see."

Dane nervously looks down at the dresser top, where he sees the bag with white powder in side and empty bottles of whiskey. He immediately realizes that Mac is turning to drugs and booze to cope with the losses in his life.

"Are you?" he holds up the bag and looks back at his son.

Mac sighs and grabs the bag. "Yes, I'm fine," Mac says before he moves back to the door and opens it up. "You saw that I'm fine, you can leave now, Dane."

"Mac, I'm just trying to help."

"You have no idea who I am, Dane," Mac spits back to him. "Don't try to play the father figure now. It's far too late for that."

***

A short time later, Dane opens the door to the study at the Rockwell Mansion and sees Lucinda sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand and a scotch on the table next to her.

"I'm glad you're here," he announces as he moves inside the room, causing Lucinda to look over at her former lover. "We need to talk."

"What is it Dane?"

"I just came from seeing Mac," he reveals to her a she stands up and faces him. "He's not doing well, Lucinda."

She arches her eyebrow back to him. "What do you mean, he's not doing well?"

"There was a bag of cocaine on the desk and empty bottles of whiskey," Dane reveals to her. "He's turning to drugs to cope with everything that he has lost."

Lucinda sighs and shakes her head back to him. "I can't say that I'm surprised," Lucinda tells him. "Mac has always coped with things in the worst possible fashion."

"We should do something to help him before this spirals out of control."

"I will handle this Dane," Lucinda turns to him and glares back at him. "You just need to stay out of Mac's business, Dane. He resents you as much as anyone right now."

"Me? What the hell have I done?" Dane asks him in surprise.

"Nothing but if you think after all these years you can just show up and be his father, you will only make matters worse. Far worse."

"I'm not going to stand by and watch Mac spiral out of control," Dane tells her. "He is my son too."

"Exactly why you need to back the hell off," Lucinda warns him. "He blames you for everything that happens, don't you understand that? You are the reason he has lost everything Dane. So like it or not, you will back off."

***

Celeste paces back and forth in the main office of Rockwell Mining as she tries to place where she has seen Richard Coleman before. She couldn't place it earlier but she was sure that she had seen him before. Of course, she was distracted because Nathan starting, what seemed like, flirting with her.

She can't help but think that Nathan is a very attractive man, however, she knows that he is engaged to Sabine and the last thing that she wants is to get caught up in more drama. Since she has been released from jail, Celeste has been determined to start a new life and just be more at peace.

That being said, the fact that she can't place where she knows Richard from is troubling her. She is usually good with faces and names, so why can't she remember where she knows him from?

"It was something about his mouth," she whispers to herself. "Why do I know it so well?"

She freezes and looks up. "Wait, that's it? But it's impossible?" she asks herself. "He…he reminds me of Cole? But why?"

***

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

After Slate agreed to marry Carmen, she suggested that they hope on the Rockwell private jet and head to Las Vegas so they could be married. Slate, wanting to marry Carmen as soon as possible, agreed to head to Vegas with her so they could tie the knot. He's hoping to make the announcement that night at his father's engagement party.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Carmen looks at Slate, as they stand in a small Chapel with a horrible Elvis impersonate standing at the altar. "This is your last chance to back out."

Slate grabs her hand and kisses it. "I want to marry you, Carmen. Do you want to back out?"

"Of course not," she leans in and kisses him. "I want to be Mrs. Slate Lockhart more than anything else in this world."

"Then, shall we walk down the aisle to this horrible rendition of 'Love Me Tender'?" he chuckles back to her.

She nods back to him. "Let's get married baby!"

***

The Rockwell mansion has been converted into the venue for the engagement party for Nathan and Sabine. The doors to the living room are wide open and most of the furniture has been removed so the guests can mingle amongst each other. The French doors to the garden are also open and twinkling lights are hanging in the trees as the sun has already set.

"You look absolutely beautiful tonight," Nathan looks into Sabine's eyes as he admires her in her sparkling black mini-dress.

"Thank you my love," she kisses him. "You always look so dashing in a tuxedo."

"Tonight is the start of the rest of our lives," he tells her as he grabs two glasses of champagne from a waiter that walks by him quickly. "Just remember that tonight is about you and I and nothing will go wrong."

Sabine purses her red lips back to him. "To you and I, and our bright future," she toasts him before she takes a sip of the bubbly beverage.

***

"Stacey, hi," Kent approaches Stacey, who is in the garden with a glass of champagne in her hand. Stacey turns and sees the father of her daughter looking at her. She can't help but think that he looks incredible in his tuxedo tonight. He has just enough of a five o'clock shadow that it is driving her a little crazy.

"Good evening Kent," she manages to tell him, hoping to keep her cool. "Beautiful evening for a party, hey?"

"It certainly is," he nods back to her. "How is Poppy? I'm sorry I didn't get by to see her before she went down for the night."

"She's fine," Stacey replies to him. "As you know, I've moved out of the mansion and into the guest house that is on the adjacent property. She's with her nanny tonight."

"I'll be sure to stop by tomorrow to see her, if that's okay?"

"Of course it is," Stacey nods back to him. "You're welcome to see her anytime you want. Just because I told you nothing can happen us it doesn't mean that you can't see Poppy whenever you want."

"I appreciate that," Kent replies to her. "And for the record, I know that this hasn't been easy. And, I'm sorry for that."

Stacey gulps heavily. "We are both trying to do what's right and I stand behind that, Kent. We have to think of Lydia. We have no choice."

"I agree with that."

"That being said," Stacey sighs back to him. "Being her maid of honor and helping her with the wedding has been difficult. I…I can't…actually, never mind."

"No, tell me, what is it?"

"It's been difficult," Stacey restates what she just told him. "I'll leave it at that."

"I guess it wouldn't help to say if I can help with anything…" he chuckles back to her.

"No, it wouldn't" she winks back to him. "But I appreciate that Kent. You just focus on marrying my mother and everything else will take care of itself."

***

"Marat, Marat," Lydia rushes up to the Russian, who is standing by the fire in the Rockwell mansion holding a glass of champagne. "I'm glad I have a moment alone with you."

Marat takes a sip of his champagne before he looks back at her. "What is it, Lydia?"

"Well, I'm hoping you can tell me that things are still going well with you and Stacey?"

Marat chuckles back to her. "It seems like you are keen on having me be with Stacey, Lydia," he looks back at her. "Are you insecure about something?"

"Of course not," Lydia waves her hand back to him. "I just want to make sure that you're taking care of her need; her every last need."

"Don't worry about that. Everything is fine between Stacey and I," he tells her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I see some business associates that I want to say hello too."

"Yes, of course," Lydia says to him before he leaves her side. She takes a deep breath before she takes a sip of her champagne. "As soon as I marry Kent, this will all be irrelevant. I have to marry him and the sooner, the better."

***

Lex sits behind the desk in the main office of Blackmore Ltd, typing into his laptop. He decided to skip the engagement party because he has a million things to do at work and he isn't the biggest support of Nathan anyways; after everything he has pulled to take Rockwell Mining and the mansion away from Mac, the last thing Lex wants to do is party with him.

"Lllleeeexxxxx," a voice whispers in the air of the office, causing Lex to look up in confusion. "Leeeeeex…." It whispers again.

Lex stands up and looks around. "Who's there?" he asks out, still confused about who is talking to him.

"You killed me…" the voice whispers to Lex. "And you won't get away with it."

Lex feels the blood drain from his face. "Mateo?" he gasps as he turns to see if anyone is the office, but he just seems an empty space. Underneath the desk, however, the voice is coming from the small bug that Quinn placed there earlier in the day.

"You killed me Lexxxxxxxx," the voice says as Lex cover his hears with his hands.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Lex yells out in frustration. "Leave me alone! Just go away!"

***

"Ladies and gentlemen," Nathan taps his glass in the middle of the living room of the Rockwell mansion, while the guests at his engagement party start to quiet down. "Can I have you attention please? Everyone, everyone, please, gather around, gather around."

The crowd makes a circle around Nathan and Sabine, who are beaming as they hold their fresh glasses of champagne.

"We are here tonight to celebrate my engagement to this beautiful woman next to me," Nathan says as he looks over at Sabine. "I am so lucky to have Sabine on my arm and that I am going to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Yes, you are lucky," Sabine chimes in as the guests laugh in unison.

"Tonight is the start of our life together but also the start of a new era for the Rockwell family as I have officially taken over as CEO of Rockwell Mining and as of head of this mansion, so this is really the damn of a new day."

The audience claps back to Nathan. "So, please, raise your glasses and let's toast, to this joyous occasion."

The crowd toasts and all takes a sip as Mac quickly enters the living room, barely standing up. Lucinda looks over at her son, as he knocks over some furniture as he moves into the room. She sighs, knowing that he is drunk.

"Well, well, well," Mac says as he tries not to slur his words together. "Isn't this fucking special."

"Mac," Sabine nervously looks back at him, hoping that he won't spill the beans on their night of passion together. "What are you doing here?"

"You honestly," he struggles to stand up. "Didn't think I'd miss the chance to wish my brother well, did you?"

"What the hell is going on here?" Slate asks as he and Carmen move into the living room, fresh from their trip from Vegas. "Mac, why are you even here? Can't you see you're not wanted?"

"That's enough," Lucinda moves up to Slate. "You will not speak to him that way! You watch your tongue, you will answer me."

"Whatever, grandma," Slate rolls his eyes back to him.

"You taught you son no manners!" Mac shouts at Nathan, as Lucinda drags him out of the room. "You will pay for this, Nathan! Do you hear me, I could kill you for this!"

Lucinda, then, manages to drag Mac into the garden. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she asks her son, as they finally alone. "You can't come in her and make these threats to Nathan. You have to get control of yourself, Mac."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do," he spits back to her. "You're the entire reason this mess is fucking happening right now, mother. So save your self-righteousness for someone who gives a damn."

Back inside, Nathan hugs Slate before he looks at his son. "You're late, I thought you weren't going to make it. Where were you?"

"I'll explain later," Slate replies to him. "Are you okay? Mac had no right crashing this party and lashing out at you that way."

"I'm fine," Nathan waves his hand back to him. "I can handle my brother. Now you, you get some champagne and enjoy the party. We will catch up later, I want to hear why you were late."

"Sure Dad," Slate smiles back to him.

***

A few hours later, Mac is drinking another scotch as he lays on a lounger by the pool in the Rockwell mansion yard. He hasn't gone back inside since he threatened to kill Nathan. He can't believe that everyone, including his mother, is seemingly taking Nathan's side over his own.

"Well, if isn't the drunk himself," a voice calls out from behind him.

Mac slowly sits up in the chair and looks back at him. He has to focus his eyes together as he is wasted but he finally sees Slate standing there.

"What the hell do you want, Slate?" Mac slurs his words together. "You made your point clear earlier, didn't you?"

"You're pathetic," Slate sneers at him. "You can't accept that you've lost, can you? You are nothing now Mac. Absolutely nothing."

Mac stands up but almost falls over. He catches himself and looks back at Slate. "You have no respect for anything or anyone, little boy."

"Oh, I'm little?" Slate grins back at him. "Watch how you talk to me, I can destroy you."

"I'd like to see you try."

Slate's fist forms and finds Mac's nose. Mac stumbles back and moves his hand to his face. His eyes focus in on his hand which sees blood from his nose.

"You son of a bitch," Mac yells at him as Slate laughs.

"Come on, hit me with your best shot," Slate tells him. "Let's see what the drunk has in him."

"You know what?" Mac spits back to him. "You want me to hit you. But the truth is, you're not worth it kid. You're just a sad, spoiler little boy who is running off his Daddy's need for an ego boost. You, you can rot in hell."

Slate laughs as Mac walks away from him. "Yea, that's right," Slate watches as Mac rushes away from him. "You run away because you know I'd kick the shit out of you."

Slate starts to chase after Mac, but his foot catches on a hose that was left out in the grass. He trips and hits his head hard on the cement ground. He groans as he rolls over, not realizing how close he was to the edge of the pool. His body falls into the water and he lays face down in the water as a blood forms around his head.