Written by: Dallas Walsh

"Okay, just remember what I said," Chase Cooper tells Mac Rockwell as they sit next to one another in the courtroom. Judge Sebastian Cartwright is looking over the notes on the case that are in front of him, so there is a brief pause in the trial, which gives Chase time to talk to his client.

Mac looks back at him trying not to worry. He still can't believe that he is on trial for murdering his half-brother, Nathan Lockhart. He has trusted Chase to represent him because Chase told him that he could get him off due to lack of evidence. He just hopes that everything goes according to plan.

"You've said so many things, I don't know if I remember which discussion you are referring too," Mac chuckles back to him.

"About staying calm during the trial," Chase reminds his client. "The last thing we need is for you to have any outbursts; it will only hurt your case."

"Okay, I will try my best," Mac takes a deep breath before he exhales. "I just need you to win this case, Chase. I can't go to jail for something I didn't do."

Before Chase can say anything else, the Judge looks over at the prosecutor, Ming Choi, and nods to her. "Ms. Choi, please call your first witness in case 57803 the people vs. MacKenzie Rockwell."

Ming slowly stands up and places her hands on the edge of her table. "The people call Lydia Rockwell Blackmore to the stand, your honor."

Mac turns and sees his former wife stand up from her chair and make her way towards the front of the court room.

***

A few minutes later, Lydia has been sworn in and is sitting on the stand. She clears her throat as she looks over at Mac and hopes that her testimony helps him because she, like the rest of the Rockwell's, believe that he is innocent and that he didn't shoot Nathan.

"Ms. Rockwell," Ming stands up from her chair and moves closer to Lydia. "Can you please explain your relationship with the defendant?"

Lydia purses her lips together. "Mac is the father of my children and we have been married, twice, actually."

"So, it is fair to say that you know Mr. Rockwell very well?"

"I'd like to think so," Lydia nods back to her.

"In all the years that you have known Mr. Rockwell, have you ever seen him have violent tendencies?" Ming asks her next.

Lydia gulps back to her. "I mean, we all have a tempter, Ms. Choi. Does Mac have a short fuse sometimes, sure. But, if you're asking me if I think he is capable of murder, the answer is no."

"Leave the questions for me, Ms. Rockwell," Ming sternly tells her. "A few years ago, your son, Cole Rockwell, was involved with a woman named Dixie Ryan, was he not?"

"I'm not sure what that troll has to do with anything!" Lydia hisses back to the lawyer.

"Ms. Rockwell," the Judge looks back at her. "Can you please answer the question and Ms. Choi, can you please get to the point. We would like to wrap this up today, if possible."

"Yes, your honor," Ming replies to him before she turns her attention back to Lydia. "The point of the question, Ms. Rockwell, is that Dixie Ryan turned up dead in your son's hotel room. Is it not true that your ex-husband, the defendant, helped cover up her death?"

Lydia gulps as she looks over at Mac. "Yes but…"

"It was a yes or no question," Ming cuts her off. "So, he has covered up suspicious death's before."

"Objection!" Chase stands up and shouts. "Leading the witness!"

"Sustained," the Judge rules with Chase. "Move along, Ms. Choi."

Ming turns and smiles at Lydia. "Nathan Lockhart, just before his untimely death, got engaged to your sister, Sabine Andrews, is that correct?"

"That's right. Nathan and Sabine were planning to be married."

"They threw a lavish engagement party as well, that you attended?"

"I was in attendance, yes," Lydia nods back to her. "Sabine is my sister, of course I would be at her engagement gala."

"And at this party, did your MacKenzie Rockwell show up?"

Lydia nervously nods back to her. "Yes, he did."

"So, we've established that Mac was at the event," Ming looks at the Judge before she returns her focus to Lydia. "At the party, did Mac make any threats to Nathan?"

"What do you mean?"

"We have eyewitness accounts claiming that Mac threatened to kill Nathan," Ming tells Lydia. "Is that true? Did Mac threaten to kill his half-brother at the engagement party?"

Lydia sighs heavily as she closes her eyes for a moment and recalls the scene that unfolded at the Rockwell mansion weeks earlier.

[FLASH] "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 your 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!"

[FLASH]

"Answer the question, Ms. Rockwell," Ming persists to Lydia, who opens her eyes.

"I…uh…," she nervously stutters.

"Ms. Rockwell, I won't ask you again, answer the question. Did Mac threaten to kill Nathan at the engagement party?"

"Yes!" Lydia gasps as she covers her mouth and looks over at Mac. "God help me, he did say he could kill Nathan! Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Ms. Rockwell, that's enough!" The judge smashes his mallet down.

"No further questions your honor," Ming gets a curious smile on her face as she moves back to her seat.

Lydia picks up her glass of water and takes a sip of it while Chase looks at Mac and nods to him, telling him that everything will be okay.

"Ms. Rockwell," Chase begins as he stands from his chair. "Neither Mac Rockwell, the defendant or your son, Cole Rockwell, were charged with any crimes surrounding Dixie Ryan's death, is that correct?"

"Correct," Lydia nods back to him, trying to calm herself down. "She overdosed on drugs; the autopsy confirmed this."

"And as for the allegations surrounding the engagement party," Chase moves closer to the witness stand. "In all your years of knowing the defendant, do you think he ever would have taken action on his threats? You claimed earlier that Mac has a temper."

"I don't believe that Mac shot and killed Nathan," Lydia firmly states. "It is not in his nature to hurt anyone, yet alone a member of his family."

"No further questions."

"You may step down," the Judge tells Lydia, who collects herself before she steps back to her seat, hoping that she didn't hurt Mac's case. Once Lydia has returned to her seat, the Judge looks back over at Ming. "Ms. Choi, please call your next witness."

Ming stands up and crosses her arms over her chest. "The people call Sabine Andrews."

***

"How do you think that went?" Mac quickly asks Chase as the court is in a quick recess before Sabine will take the stand.

"I'm curious to know that as well," Lydia comes up behind Mac and Chase. "I tried to spin everything in Mac's favor, but that woman is a piranha."

"It could have been worse," Chase nods to them. "I think we were able to dodge her major bullets."

"I'm worried about how this will continue play out," Mac admits to Chase. "The more people that heard me say that I wanted Nathan dead the worse it will make me look."

"Don't worry about that," Chase replies to him. "We can argue that with your character, Mac. No one that is being called to the stand believes that you killed Nathan. We have to use that to our advantage."

***

A short time later, Sabine is sitting on the witness stand trying to keep her heart rate down as she is nervous about having to testify in court.

Ming finishes reviewing her notes before she stands up and looks at Sabine. "Before we begin, Ms. Andrews, I do want to express my deepest condolences on the loss of your fiancé."

"Thank you," Sabine tries to hold back her tears.

"I don't want to spend a lot of time on the night of your engagement party since your sister already confirmed that she heard the defendant threaten to kill Nathan. But can you confirm that you also heard Mac threaten to kill your fiancé?"

"It was a saying," Sabine shakes her head back to the DA. "Nathan was purposely destroying Mac's life; Mac was just upset with him."

"I see," Ming moves closer to her. "Does that mean that you don't believe that Mac shot your fiancé?"

Sabine gulps back to her. "I don't know what to believe," she admits to everyone.

"Why is that? What makes you believe that Mac might have shot Nathan?"

"I…uh…"

"Answer the question Ms. Andrews," The judge tells her.

Sabine nods back to him slowly before she looks at Mac with a nervousness in her eyes. "I was with Nathan right before he flatlined," she admits to the court. "And I had asked him about Mac shooting him."

"And what did he say?"

"Objection!" Chase stands up and yells. "This is hearsay!"

"Overruled, I want to hear what the deceased would have told his fiancé before he passed away," the judge tells Chase, who sits down deflated. "Ms. Andrews, what did Nathan tell you?"

"He…" she begins to say. "He said that Mac shot him!"

"I didn't shoot anyone for crying out loud!" Mac stands up and yells in the court as the judge starts smashing his mallet. "He hated me! He is framing me!"

"Mr. Rockwell," the Judges booming voice echoes in the courtroom. "Sit down or you will be fined in contempt!"

Chase finally calms Mac down enough for him to sit down again, even though he is fuming at Sabine's revelation.

"I will not have any more outburst," the Judge looks back at Chase. "Mr. Cooper, I highly suggest you keep your client under control."

"Yes, your honor. We both apologize," Chase replies to him quickly, before he shoots Mac a disapproving look.

"Ms. Choi, do you have any more questions for this witness?"

"I do," Ming nods back to him, thrilled with the events that have unfolded. "Ms. Andrews, the night that Nathan was shot, did he tell you what his future plans were?"

Sabine dries her eye with a tissue before she looks back at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Ming replies to her quickly. "Did he indicate to you that he wanted to harm one of Mac's children to get revenge on him for his own son's death?"

Sabine feels her heart break in her chest knowing that she is about to give Mac another motive for wanting Nathan dead. "Nathan was a complicated man," Sabine tells her. "He thought Mac was responsible for Slate's death, even though it was an accident."

"So, what did Nathan want to do? What was Nathan's plan, Ms. Andrews?"

"He…he wanted to kill Mac's son, Cole," Sabine reveals to the court. "He was going to try to get an eye for an eye."

"No further questions your honor," Ming confidently walks back to her chair.

"Your witness," the Judge tells Chase, as he stands up and looks at Sabine.

"Ms. Andrews," Chase moves closer to her. "Do you think that Nathan actually would have followed through on his threat to kill Cole?"

"I don't know," Sabine admits to him. "He was so upset after Slate's death; I don't know what he was going to do."

"Did my client know about Nathan's plan to hurt Cole?"

"No, not to my knowledge."

"The feud between Mac and Nathan, it had gone on for months, is that correct?" Chase asks her next.

"Yes, Nathan was slowly replacing Mac in his own life, so tensions were rising between them."

"Do you honestly believe that Mac, a man that you were also engaged too, could have shot Nathan in cold blood?"

Sabine looks back at him before she looks at Nathan. "The man sitting over there, no I don't believe that he would have been able shoot anyone, yet alone his half-brother. But…I…I can't deny that Nathan told me that Mac shot him on his deathbed. I'm sorry Mac, I don't know what to believe."

***

"Jesus, this is not going well," Mac huffs to Chase as they are in a short recess of the trial. "Everyone is telling the court everything that I have ever done! When are we going to be able to prove that I didn't shoot this?"

"Because," Chase looks back at him. "They don't have any proof that you did this. It's all circumstantial. That's what we will use to help you beat these charges, Mac. But man, you must stay calm. If you have another outburst like earlier…"

"Damnit, I know!" Mac grits his teeth back to him. "I just get so damned upset when I hear that Nathan indicated that I shot him. He knew when he said that he was lying!"

"I know, I know," Chase tries to calm him down. "But we have to play by the judges' rules in here. We must stay calm, Mac. Please, you will only hurt your case if you have another outburst."

***

A short time later, Celeste Baldwin slowly moves up to the witness stand in the courtroom and is sworn in. Once she sits down, she looks into the crowd and sees Cole watching her every move. She wasn't clear as to why the DA would have called her to the stand, but she hopes that she can help Mac because she knows that is what Cole would want.

"Ms. Baldwin," Ming stands up and moves towards her. "Can you please tell the court how you and the deceased knew each other?"

Celeste smiles back to her. "Sure," she moves a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Nathan hired me at Rockwell Mining after I was in jail."

"You were in jail?"

"Yes," Celeste feels her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "It was not the proudest moment of my life but I have learned a lot. I was very grateful to Nathan for giving me a second chance once I got out on jail for good behavior."

"Would you claim that you and Nathan were close then?"

"Yes, we were. We confided in one another about many things," Celeste says as Sabine rolls her eyes in the audience.

"Ms. Andrews, Nathan's fiancé, just testified that Nathan told her he was planning to kill Cole. Did you know about this plan of Nathan's?"

Celeste nervously fiddles with her fingers. "Yes, I did. I overheard him tell Sabine the night he was shot."

"And what did you do with that information?"

"Uh, nothing, I guess," Celeste replies to her. "I was in shock. I ended up going to Cole and we…uh, we were together. I didn't want to leave him alone."

"So, you and Cole Rockwell are together romantically?" Ming asks her next.

"Cole and I have a very long, complicated history," Celeste reveals to the court. "But yes, we have reconnected lately."

"I see," Ming nods back to her. "So, you were with Cole to ensure nothing happened to him the night Nathan was shot."

"That's right. But deep down, I knew that Nathan wouldn't hurt Cole. He didn't have it in him."

"You say that with confidence," Ming notes back to her. "How close were you and Nathan?"

"Like I said earlier, we were close," Celeste replies to her. "We confided in each other a lot."

"Is that all it was? You and Nathan, you just confided in one another?" Ming asks her as she moves closer to the witness stand. "Or was there something else going on?"

Celeste gulps back to her. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you sleep with Nathan? Were you also romantically involved with Nathan Lockhart?"

Celeste feels her eyes swell with water. She never told anyone this, especially not Cole, but she and Nathan did cross the line. All of those long nights at the office, and the casual glances, the touching of their hands, it finally exploded, and they made love. It only happened once, but it was one of the best nights of her entire life.

"Do I have to remind you that you're under oath, Ms. Baldwin? Answer the question!"

"Yes! Okay? Yes, Nathan and I made love!" Celeste says as a tear falls down her cheek, as Cole and Sabine look at one another in horror. "We were slowly falling in love, but it was complicated because of Cole and Sabine! That's why I know that Nathan wouldn't have hurt Cole; he wouldn't have hurt anyone!"

***

A short time later, the court is back on a recess and Celeste is slowly stepping down off the witness stand. She moves another piece of hair behind her ear before she looks up and sees Cole rushing out of the courtroom. She can only imagine how upset he is that she had to reveal that she and Nathan had become lovers.

She picks up her pace and moves outside the courtroom and sees Cole pacing back and forth in the hallway.

"Cole," she says coming up to him. "We have to talk; I never wanted you to find out this way."

"Find out what?" Cole huffs back to her. "That you've been cheating on me all over the place?"

"You and I," Celeste replies to him quickly. "We only slept together again because you were trying to convince me not to tell Nathan that you were posing as Richard Coleman! You didn't want me, and you know that!"

"Maybe to start," Cole tells her quickly. "But the feelings I had for you, they were real, and they came back very quickly. But now I see why you were so loyal to Nathan, you were fucking him all over the place!"

"It wasn't like that…"

"Save it, Celeste," Cole cuts her off. "We have nothing more to say to one another."

***

"Hi, it's me," Quinn Cunningham says into her cell phone as she stands in the living room of the Rockwell mansion. She slowly puts her hand on her stomach while she talks into her phone. "I wanted to make sure that you took care of everything that I asked."

Quinn purses her lips together while she listens to the person on the other end of the phone. "Okay perfect, thank you Casper. I will wire you the funds that we agreed on."

She hangs up the phone and then makes another call immediately. "Deacon, hi, it's Quinn," she tells him Deacon Cooper. "I just wanted to let you know that the paternity test results are back. We should meet with Marat to see what they say."

"Your mother?" Quinn rolls her eyes after she hears Deacon's response. "Yes, fine, you can tell her. But I don't need stress, so she better be on her best behavior."

***

"Thanks for everything that you said about me on the stand," Mac looks at Lydia while the court is still in a recess. "I know that the DA is being incredibly difficult."

Lydia sighs back to him. "I wish I could have done more," she tells her ex-husband. "We have been through a lot together, Mac. I know with every fiber in my being that you didn't do this."

"Thank you for saying that," Mac replies to her. "I am just very worried that I'm going to go to jail for something I didn't do."

"We have to stay positive," Chase looks back at his client. "We will get through this. Mac, I have every reason to believe that we will still win this case."

"My God, I hope you're right," Mac tells him. "Because I can't go to jail for something I didn't do. I can't, I won't."

***

"I wish this place had a bar," Lucinda quips to Dane as they stand in the hallway of the courtroom. She knows that the trial has not going swimmingly so far for Mac and she could use a stiff drink. "I could have a brandy right about now."

Dane tries to chuckle back to her. "This has been a long day and it is not over yet, Lucinda. The trial isn't over yet."

"I am just worried that it is not going the way we want it too, Dane," Lucinda admits to him. "Mac can't go to jail for this; we know that he didn't shoot Nathan."

"I just found Mac," Dane replies to her quickly. "I don't want to lose him either."

"I have to believe that Chase will still get these charges dropped," Lucinda nods back to him. "We have no other choice in the matter."

***

Lexington Rockwell opens the front door to the private investigator's firm and moves inside. While the court is on recess, Lex came to see Casper Ross to see if he has any update on finding out if his deceased husband, Jarek Williams, is actually alive. Lex hasn't been able to stop thinking about the fact that he saw someone that looked like Jarek at the hospital. The last time he was at the PI's firm, Casper indicated that he was going to pull Jarek, and his mother's, Odette Williams, medical files to see if they could help explain what he saw.

"Hey, sorry I didn't call first, I only have a few minutes before I have to get back to the courthouse," Lex announces to Casper as he moves into the office. "I was just hoping to get an update on the medical files that you were going to get."

Casper stands up from behind his desk and moves closer to Lex. "I am still waiting on the files to arrive," he reveals to Lex. "As you know, medical files are private and confidential, so it will take some time for me to obtain them."

"I suppose I hadn't thought of that," Lex admits to him as he nods back to him. "I guess I will wait for you to give me a call then?"

"Of course," Casper moves up to him. "Since you're here, how are you Lex? This trial with your father can't be easy on you."

"It's not," Lex sighs back to him. "I'm scared that Mac is going to go to jail for a crime he didn't commit. The trial, it has been touch and go so far."

"If I can do anything to help you, or your family, you know that I'm here for you, right?" Casper asks him as he puts his hand on Lex's arm and feels his bicep. Casper gulps at feeling how strong Lex is.

"I appreciate that Casper," Lex smiles back to him. "You've been a great support to me, when I've needed you."

"I know we have a professional relationship, but it would be nice to consider us friends."

"I'd like that," Lex nods back to him with a smile on his face. "I'd like that a lot."

***

"Thank you all for coming," Quinn announces to Deacon Cooper, Dyhannah Cooper and Marat Kafelinkov as they move into the living room of the Rockwell mansion. "The paternity test results were just couriered over to me from the hospital."

"Is the envelope still sealed?" Dyhannah quips to her as she still believes that Quinn is plotting to lie about the test results.

"Yes, Dyhannah," Quinn rolls her eyes back to her. "The envelope is on the desk, you can take a look for yourself if you don't believe me."

Deacon watches his as mother moves to the desk and picks up the envelope. After she realizes that it hasn't been tampered with, she puts it back down. "It appears to be intact," Dyhannah turns and looks at Deacon before she looks over at Marat.

"Well then, let's get this over with?" Marat asks the group. "Let's see who the father of Quinn's baby is."

"If you recall, samples were taken from the baby and Deacon," Quinn tells them as she moves to the desk and opens the drawer to pull out a letter opener. "So, if the results are a match, then it would confirm that Deacon is the father of the child. And if they don't match, then Marat is the father."

"Very good," Dyhannah slowly claps her hands together. "She knows how DNA works!"

"Mother, please," Deacon shoots Dyhannah a disapproving look. "Okay Quinn, open it. We have all waited long enough to know the truth."

Quinn opens the envelope and pulls out the paternity test results. She exams them before she gets a sly grin on her face.

"Well, don't keep us waiting, what do they say?" an eager Deacon asks her as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"You're the father," Quinn looks back at Deacon with a smile on her face. "I told you that I was telling the truth the entire time."

"I don't believe this," Dyhannah hisses as she grabs the test results from Quinn and reads them. "You altered these results somehow!"

"I did no such thing," Quinn replies to her. "It's high time you realize that Deacon is going to be a father and, if you want to be a part of your grandchild's life, you will start treating me with respect."

"Mother, come on, let's talk," Deacon pulls her aside quickly.

Quinn, meanwhile, moves up to Marat and hugs him. "I'm sorry that this didn't work out for you," she tells him. "But I appreciate everything that you've done for me, Marat."

"I am disappointed," Marat looks back at her. "I love being a father, but I know this is the outcome that you wanted, Quinn. So, congratulations."

***

A short time later, Dyhannah sits at the bar in the country club with a martini in front of her. She takes a healthy sip of it as she wonders what she should do next; she doesn't believe that Deacon is the father of Quinn's child, but the paternity test results suggested otherwise. She wishes that Chase wasn't so busy with Mac's trial because she could really use his advice right about now.

"I'm glad I found you," a voice comes up to her at the bar. Dyhannah turns her head and sees Deacon moving up to her. "We have to talk, mother."

"If you want me to congratulate you, you have another thing coming."

"I won't expect that from you," Deacon looks back at her with intent. "But I will expect you to drop this vendetta against Quinn. The paternity test proves that I am going to be a father; you have to let this go if you're going to be apart of my child's life."

"Is that a threat?" Dyhannah looks back at him in surprise.

"Not at all," Deacon replies to her quickly. "It is a promise. If you don't drop this conspiracy theory, you will not be in my or my child's life mother."

***

"Court is in recess but I'm afraid I don't have much time," Stacey tells Marat as they move into the living room of the guest house that she is living in. Stacey got a text from Marat indicating that he wanted to see her, so she raced home while Mac's trial is on a short break.

"How is it going?" Marat asks her, curious about how the trial is proceeding.

"It's hard to say," Stacey admits to him. "Ming Choi is pulling out all the stops to show that Mac hated Nathan with every fiber of his being. I must have faith that Chase will get my Dad off on these charges. Anyways, your text made it seem important. What is going on?"

"Quinn had a paternity test," Marat reveals to her as Stacey's eyes open wider in surprise. "Deacon and I convinced her that we needed the truth once and for all about who fathered her child."

"And?" Stacey asks him quickly. "What did the results show?"

"I'm not the father," Marat admits to her. "Deacon fathered Quinn's unborn child."

"I see," Stacey nods back to him, knowing that they had been at odds since she found out about his affair with her cousin. "How do you feel about that?'

Marat shrugs back to her. "Mixed emotions, if I'm honest," he tells her. "I love being a father, so I am bummed that it didn't work out, but this means that you and I, we could try again? That is, if you're willing to be honest with me."

Stacey arches her eyebrow back to him. "That's not the first time that you have suggested that I haven't been honest. What are you getting at, exactly, Marat?"

"Enough with the games Stacey," Marat replies to her quickly. "I know everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Kent," Marat looks at her with intent as Stacey feels the blood drain from her face. "I know that you slept with your father in law. The question is, where the hell do we go from here, Stacey?"

***

Quinn slowly walks through the garden on the Rockwell mansion estate. She is so pleased with the outcome of the paternity test results because now she knows that now no one can say that Marat is the father; she longed for Deacon to be the father and now the tests have proven that.

"Now nothing will get in our way," Quinn whispers to herself as she continues to walk through the lush garden.

"Quinn!" a voice calls out from behind her. She turns around and sees Deacon rushing up to her. "The butler told me you were out here."

"I thought it would be a beautiful day for a walk," she replies to him. "After the morning we had, I thought it would be relaxing."

"I am sorry about my mother," Deacon tells her quickly. "I know that she was out of line."

"I don't care about Dyhannah," Quinn says back to him. "This isn't about her at all. This is about you and I and our child. We finally know the truth; we finally know that we are going to be parents together."

"It really does put everything into new context, doesn't it?"

Quinn smiles back to him. "This is our chance Deacon," she purses her lips together. "This is finally our chance to be together."

***

"I know that it has been a long day, but I still believe that we can get through this," Lucinda tells Mac as she hovers over the wooden barricade that separates the defendant from the attendees in the courtroom.

Mac sighs back to his mother as he runs his hands through his hair. "I don't know mother," he replies to her. "Everyone is being forced to mention some horrible things about my past. It is not looking well, I don't think."

"Don't you dare say that," Lucinda warns him. "I believe that Chase will get these charges dropped, Mac. We have to believe that."

Mac sighs back to her. "I wish I had your belief. I just have a horrible feeling about this."

***

"Cole!" Celeste calls out as she opens the door to the Rockwell mansion and moves inside quickly. After Cole rushed away from her at the courtroom, Celeste came to the mansion because she must make him understand her courtroom confession about her and Nathan being lovers. "Cole, where are you?"

She hears a groan come from the living room, so she makes a beeline there, where she sees Cole pouring himself a drink. "Cole, thank God I found you. We need to finish our talk."

"What is there left to say?" Cole takes a sip of his scotch. "You slept with Nathan! You were having my affair uncle!"

"It wasn't an affair," Celeste moves closer to him. "We slept together one time, that's all. We got caught up in whatever this was…"

"You didn't tell me though, did you Celeste? You never told me that you slept with him."

"What was I supposed to say?" Celeste asks him quickly. "I knew that this would hurt you, hurt Sabine and hurt Nathan. We just agreed that it wouldn't happen again."

"That's the thing Celeste," Cole glares at her. "There's always a lie between us. I can't do this anymore! I just can't!"

"What are you saying?" Celeste's lower lips quivers back to him. "Please tell me that we can get through this, Cole."

"We can't," Cole shakes his head back to her. "I want you to go upstairs, get your things and get out of the house! We are over, Celeste!"

"Please Cole…"

"No!" Cole cuts her off. "We are over! Now, go back your shit! I want you out of this house!"

***

"Lydia wait," Stacey calls out to her mother, who is about to re-enter the courtroom as the trial's recess is about to end. "We need to talk."

Lydia turns and arches her eyebrow back to her daughter. She hasn't seen her since she discovered that Stacey and Kent were having an affair; she can't help but wonder if they have continued to sleep together since she filed for an annulment.

"Stacey, what is it? The trial is about to start again," Lydia puts her hand on her hip as she looks at her daughter.

"You know damn well what this is about," Stacey replies to her. "I saw your little announcement with Carmen."

"I don't think you should say anything about that right now," Lydia tells her. "Mac doesn't need to know anything about this right now. He has enough on his plate."

Stacey chuckles back to her. "You should have thought about that before you made this public announcement! Merging the companies, mother? Really? Are you that desperate to hurt Kent?"

Lydia chuckles back to her. "You keep his name out of your mouth."

"Or what? Or what?"

"Nothing."

"Exactly," Stacey glares back at her. "Shut the fuck up, mother! You won't get away with this, I will make sure of it. You will be stopped, even if it's the last thing I do."

***

Sabine opens the front door of the Rockwell mansion and moves inside. She knows that the trial is going to continue shortly but she needed to come home and have a break. After hearing Celeste confess that she and Nathan slept together, she needed to have some time to wrap her heard around the fact that Nathan was having an affair on her. As she moves to the stairs, she puts her hand on her stomach and realizes that she also slept around on him with Mac. Now, she is left wondering how much of a relationship she and Nathan she even had.

As she walks up the stairs, Celeste emerges with one of her suitcases. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sabine asks her as she grits her teeth back to Celeste.

"I came to talk to Cole," Celeste replies to her. "He threw me out of the house."

"Good," Sabine tells her. "That's the least he could do. You slept with my fiancé!"

"I don't want to get into this with you," Celeste admits to her. "It's been a long enough day for another fight."

"Well that's too damn bad," Sabine grabs her wrist to prevent her from leaving. "You think that you can sleep with my fiancé and not have to hear what I have to say about it? That's not how this works, you pathetic little bitch!"

Celeste rolls her eyes back to her. "Great, I'm a bitch. I'm a whore, I know. Are you happy now."

Sabine slaps Celeste hard across the face. "Not even close," Sabine spits back to her.

Celeste puts her hand on her cheek before she looks back at Sabine. "How dare you!"

Suddenly, Cole rushes out of the living room as he hears the two women fighting. Just then, Celeste grabs Sabine's hand and forces her around to face her. While Sabine is spinning around, Celeste pushes her, which causes her to fall down the stairs!

"Sabine!" Celeste gasps as she realizes that she pushed her down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Sabine's body continues to roll down the long flight of stairs until it comes to a complete stop in the foyer of the Rockwell mansion. Cole looks at his Aunt in shock before he looks at Celeste in horror, wondering what she just did.