Written by: Dallas Walsh

"I can't believe that any of this is happening," a pale faced Cole Rockwell says to his family as he paces back and forth in the living room of the Rockwell mansion. He recalls how he was with his father, Mac Rockwell, discussing how Celeste Baldwin revealed to Madi Stewart that he had an affair with Vivian Blackmore years ago. This sent Madi into a frenzy as Madi and Cole are engaged and Vivian is Madi's mother. When Madi confronted Cole, she slapped him and admitted she could kill Celeste. Mac and Cole tried to find Madi before something could happen but when they arrived at her office, they found Celeste's dead body. Now, they are waiting to hear more information from the police who are investigating. "How can Celeste be dead? After everything we've been through this can't be the end."

"We don't know all the details yet, let's try to stay calm until we do?" Mac suggest to his son, who runs his hands over his head.

"Well, I for one, am not surprised," Lydia tells everyone in the room, which include her other two children Stacey and Lex Rockwell. "Celeste always had away of rubbing people just the wrong way. Sooner or later that type of behavior catches up with you."

"Mom could you please try to have some respect?" Stacey suggests to her. "After all, Celeste was a part of this family for a long time."

"Stacey is right," Lex chimes in. "Celeste made mistakes but she certainly didn't deserve to die, especially not in this manner."

"I'm just scared what this means going forward," Cole admits to everyone as he pours himself a brandy. "The last words Madi told me was that she could kill Celeste and now…"

Before he can finish his sentence, Sam Watkins, a police detective, walks into the living room. "Officer, what is the latest? Please tell us what happened to Celeste," Mac moves up to the police officer.

Sam uneasily nods back to him. "Celeste Baldwin is dead," he admits to everyone as Cole puts his head down. "The cause of death was a wound to the head. It appears that she was struck with an object like a candle stick or something. We haven't located the a murder weapon yet."

"Who would do this?" Lex asks the officer, reeling from the news.

"That's what I'm going to find out," Sam replies to the family. "Mark my words, I will find out who killed Celeste Baldwin."

***
Sabine sits at her desk in her office, which is directly next to Madi's office. She types furiously into her computer as she looks at more details at the preserved land that was mined without permission. Of course, she knows that it might be difficult to obtain details on what is going on because this happened a number of years ago. Still, she would love to find out what exactly occurred.

"I will find out what happened," she whispers to herself. "I will find out who killed all these animals."

"Talking to yourself?" a voice calls out from her office door. "I like what you've done with your new office."
\
"Deacon, what the hell are you doing here?" she asks her former lover as she stands up from behind her desk.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" Deacon moves into her office. "I want those documents, Sabine. No, I need those documents that Kent has. I still want to run for office and I can't do it as long as those documents exist."

"I already told you that I will try my best but I can't make any promises," Sabine replies to him. "Besides, I'm not sure these documents even exist. Why would Kent keep something that could do him harm?"

"I am positive that he has those documents," Deacon tells her. "And either you give them to me or…"

"Yea, yea, I know," she rolls her eyes. "You will go to Kent and tell him we slept together. You've made your point."

"Good, then I'll expect those documents soon."

***

Sabine Andrews slowly walks up to the main office door in the Blackmore Ltd. building. She had heard that there was a family meeting at the Rockwell mansion, so she knew that Lex wouldn't be in the office when she arrived. After Deacon's visit pressing her to find the documents that he needs to destroy to before he can run for senate, she knew that she had to take action. Sabine hopes that Kent kept these documents and that Deacon was right about when she saw the documents she will know since he didn't give her any further details. Still, this feels like a long shot in her mind.

She opens the door and looks around the office. She digs in her large Burberry bag until she finds a flashlight and she turns it on. She moves over to the filing cabinet and opens a drawer. She places the end of the flashlight in her mouth while she goes through some files.

She shuts the top drawer and starts to open the second drawer. After she goes through that drawer she removes the flashlight from her mouth.

"Damn it," she whispers to herself. "I'm telling you Deacon, these documents probably don't exist anymore. There's nothing here! I guess I can look at the penthouse, maybe Kent left them there? I have to find something to keep Deacon quiet. I won't lose Kent again. I can't."

***

"Chase, I don't know if you've heard the news but Celeste Baldwin was found dead," Vivian Blackmore announces to Chase Cooper as she moves into the living room of her home.

"I heard that on the radio, yes," Chase replies to her as he moves up to her and kisses her on the cheek. "I don't believe I ever met the woman, so I'm not sure what you'd like me to say about it."

"I had my share of interactions with her," Vivian admits to him. "If you're having any more reservations about Madi marrying Cole, this could give us some time."

Chase arches his eyebrow back to her. "Why would you say that?"

"It's a long story," Vivian replies to him. "Needless to say, Cole and Celeste were engaged and almost married. He was very close to Celeste for a very long time. He might need time to grieve."

"Well," Chase huffs back to her. "I agree with you then. This will give us the chance to get all of our ducks in a row when it comes to this union. I must admit that Cole seemed like a nice fellow but I still have my reservations."

"As do I," Vivian admits to him. "I would rather Madi forget Cole Rockwell altogether."

"Then that's where we stand," Chase looks into Vivian's eyes. "We will not support this marriage. Madi will not marry that man, we will see to that."

***

Cole walks into the country club and immediately sees Madi sitting at the bar with a whiskey in front of her. He pauses for a moment and wonders how he is going to tell her that Celeste is dead; or if she already knows. He can already tell that she is still upset, the look on her face says it all. And, it's not like her to drink whiskey.

"Madi, I've been looking everywhere for you," Cole tells her as he walks up to her. "Where have you been?"

"Here, drinking," she doesn't look back at him. "Save your energy, I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now. I'm still processing that you slept with my mother."

"I told you that is water under the bridge," Cole stresses to her. "Listen Madi, something has happened. And I have to tell you about it."

Madi finally looks over at her fiancé. "Well just tell me then. What's happened?"

"Celeste was found dead in your office," Cole tells her as Madi gasps out loud. "I was just with the police and then confirmed it."

"My God, how did this happen?" Madi asks him back. "Who would do this?"

Cole sits next to her and grabs her hand. "You tell me," he looks into her eyes. "Did you…"

"Wait, what?" Madi moves back from him in absolute shock. "You think I did this?"

Cole shrugs his shoulders. "The last thing you said to me before you stormed out of the mansion was that you wished Celeste was dead!"

Madi turns and finishes her drink before she stands up and looks at Cole. "You have a hell of a lot of nerve," she glares at him. "First you keep the fact that you slept with my mother from me and now you're accusing me of murder! I'm beginning to wonder if I ever knew you at all, Cole Rockwell."

Before Cole can reply, Madi storms off from him. Cole turns and watches her leave, still wondering if Madi had anything to do with Celeste's death.

***

"You have no idea how proud you've made me son," Chase tells Deacon as they stand in the living room of Vivian's living room. Deacon just told his father that he would like to run for office; Chase, having been a senator for many years couldn't be happier that his son is finally following in his footsteps.

"There is still a lot of work to be done," Deacon nods back to his father. "But I think I'm on the right path finally."

"You know, I am concerned about a certain something," Chase looks back at his son with intent. "You know exactly what I am talking about."

"Yup," Deacon uneasily smiles back to him. "I know what you mean but Dad, don't worry about that. I have a plan that I am working on to remove our names from that potential scandal."

"You have a plan? You've peaked my curiosity now."

Deacon chuckles back to him. "The less I say, the better. Let's just say that I have someone who owes me a very big favor. She will come through for me, I am sure of it."

***

"I saw a police car drive away," a nervous Carmen Santos says as she moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion. She hopes that someone hasn't caught on her to the fact that she has been buying up Rockwell stocks in her name as it would ruin her plan. "What is going on?"

Mac looks over from the bar where he is pouring himself a brandy and watches his wife move into the room. "I'm glad you're here," Mac says as he puts his glass down and moves over to her. He pulls her into a hug.

"What's this for?" Carmen asks him as she feels his muscular arms around her. "Are you okay Mac?"

"I'm fine," he says as they exit their embrace. "It has just been a very long day and I'm glad my beautiful wife is home."

"You haven't answered my question," Carmen purses her lips together. "Why were the police here?"

"Celeste Baldwin is dead," Mac reveals to her as Carmen gasps in horror. "Cole and I found her body in Madi's office."

"I…I can't believe this," Carman stutters back to him. "I just saw her at the club? How did this happen?"

"We don't know all the details yet," Mac admits to her. "The police are still investigating."

Carmen grabs Mac hand and squeezes it. "I'm so sorry for your loss," Carmen tells her husband. "I know that you and Celeste were close once upon a time."

"Thank you for that," Mac says back to her. "I think I'm still in shock but it makes me realize how short life is and how lucky I am to have you."

"I am the lucky one, and I'll never forget that."

***

"Are you absolutely sure that this is correct?" Lucinda Rockwell asks Lydia as they sit in the living room of Lucinda's mansion. Lucinda can't believe that Lydia just told her that Celeste is dead; Lucinda never got along with Celeste but she certainly never wanted her to die. "Celeste is really dead? And she was murdered on top of it?"

"I was with the rest of the family when the police detective was at the mansion," Lydia replies to her quickly. "He confirmed that someone hit Celeste in the head with an object, like a candle stick or something and that caused her death."

"I never liked the woman but I never wanted her to be murdered," Lucinda says back to her before she takes a sip of her red wine. "This is very upsetting in some ways."

"I agree," Lydia replies to her. "The piece is, Celeste, she created a lot of enemies. I'm devastated that she was murdered but I can't say I'm surprised."

"At least it is one piranha that is out of our family for good," Lucinda quips back to her. "Now, we just have to figure out a way to get Carmen out of lives."

"Speaking of, tell me more about this man that you saw Carmen with at the club?"

Lucinda shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure what more I can tell you," Lucinda admits to her. "I had never seen him before. He was young, very good looking, and they appeared to be close."

"Close as it in having an affair?" Lydia asks her hoping that Carmen is straying from her marriage.

"It was so brief, it's hard to say," Lucinda tells her. "And they were in public so they were on their best behavior."

"We have to figure out who he is," Lydia says back to her. "He could be the key to Carmen's entire downfall.

***

"I can't believe that we just did that," Grant Shaw admits to Mateo Santos as they leave Mateo's room at the club having just finished having hot, intense sex. Grant went to Mateo's room looking to hang out with his new found friend, but they quickly ended up in bed. While Grant knows how great the sex was, he realizes that Lex can never know what just happened. While he and Lex haven't been that close lately because of Lex's job at Blackmore Ltd., he knows that they do have a good thing together.

"You're not complaining are you?" Mateo grins back to him as he closes the door and they start to move to the stairs. "Cause, I thought that what just happened was really, really great."

Grant uneasily chuckles back to him. "It was really great," tells him. "But I have a boyfriend, remember?"

They stop on the staircase and look into one another's eyes. "I get that you have a boyfriend," Mateo licks his lips. "I won't tell him what just happened. We can just use each other to blow off any additional steam?"

Grant blushes at the suggestion and then when Mateo leans in and kisses him. "How about you just think about it, okay?"

"Yea, I can do that," Grant looks back into his eyes.

"What the hell is going on here?" a stunned Lex asks as he looks at Mateo and Grant fresh from kissing one another. He had just arrived at the club looking to have a drink since he is still reeling from the news of Celeste's death; when he looked upstairs he saw his boyfriend kissing another man. "You're cheating on me now? How long has this been going on for?"

"Lex, I can explain…" Grant quickly tells him as he races down the stairs.

"I changed my mind, I don't want to hear about it," Lex tells him as he moves towards the door.

"Please, just hear me out!"

"Go to hell Grant," Lex doesn't stop as he moves out of the club, his blood boiling from Grant's betrayal.

***

Houston Blackmore opens the door to the main office at Blackmore Ltd. and moves inside when he sees that no one is inside. He quickly moves to the desk and puts his laptop down and turns it on.

"With Mateo working on Grant, it's time for me to take action here at the office," he whispers to himself as he starts typing into his computer.

"This ad campaign is something that Lex has been working so hard on," he continues to tell himself, knowing that he is working overtime to try to get Lex out of the CEO chair at Blackmore as he feels like he should have it. "If something goes terribly wrong, like all the footage they filmed is deleted by accident, it will cost money to re-shoot it all."

Houston finds the file of the footage and his lingers over the delete button for a moment until he presses it.

"Let's see how Dad feels about you wasting company resources now, Lex," he says as he gets a wicked grin on his face.

***

Grant opens the door to the condo that he shares with Lex and moves inside. He spots Lex pouring himself a brandy and slowly walks up to his lover, hoping that he can make it up to Lex somehow.

"I'm glad I found you," Grant slowly tells him. "We should talk, don't you think?"

Lex takes a big drink of his brandy before he turns to face Grant. "What do you think you can say that would make any of this okay? You are literally fresh from fucking someone else."

"I know I screwed up, okay?" Grant tells him. "I made a really stupid mistake. I am just hoping that you think that what we have is strong enough to try to move beyond this."

Lex chuckles back to him. "So, you get to sleep around with whomever you want, whenever you want and I'm just supposed to, what? Forgive and forget? Act like it's all okay?"

"Lex…"

"Shut up Grant!" Lex yells at him, finally losing his cool. "I don't want to hear any more of your pathetic excuses. I need you to go, I need you to get out of here! We are over!"

"Where am I supposed to go?"

"Does it look like I care?" Lex huffs back to him. "Go back to your boyfriend's hotel room. You are already familiar with the bed."

"Please, Lex…"

"GET OUT!"

"Okay," Grant puts his hands up defeat. "But eventually we do have to talk about this. I'm not letting you go that easily."

***

Mateo sits at the bar in the country club with a whiskey in front of him. He couldn't be happier with how the day went; he and Grant had sex much quicker than he thought they would. He knew that he would get Grant into bed but the fact that it was on their third meeting is impressive, even for Mateo. And, of course he didn't even have to plan for Lex to find out; now, he can tell Houston how his plan went and he can get his pay day that he was promised.

He picks up his phone and calls Houston's number. "Hey, it's me," he says into the phone. "Yea, Houston. You owe me big time. I slept with Grant tonight and Lex saw us in the afterglow. Lex was devastated, he rushed out of here as soon as he could … Yea, man. So, when is my pay cheque coming?"

Behind Mateo, Grant stands in complete and utter shock at what he is hearing. He left the condo and came back to the club to see if he could crash with Mateo; he saw him at the bar and approached him and now just overheard his entire conversation: Houston paid Mateo to seduce him to get back at Lex.

Grant, who feels gutted, slowly leaves unseen wondering what the hell he is going to do with the information he just uncovered, and if he can make it up to Lex somehow.

***
MADI/SABINE

"I'm glad that you two had a quick moment to discuss with me Celeste's death," Sam Walkins tells Stacey and Houston as they sit in his office. "I know it's late, so I'll make this quick."

"We will do anything we can to help," Stacey replies to the police officer. "But you should know that we are getting married tomorrow, so this might be our last set of questions for a while."

"The last time Celeste was spotted at the country club, witnesses say that she had a heated exchange with Madison Stewart," Sam reveals to them. "Do you know what this was about?"

"Yea, we do," Houston tells him immediately. "See, Madi is engaged to Stacey's brother, Cole. Celeste told Madi that Cole used to be romantically involved with Vivian Blackmore, who is Madi's mother. Madi was not pleased."

Sam arches his eyebrow as he takes some notes down. "How do you know Madi wasn't happy?"

"We were sort of there when she confronted Cole," Stacey admits to him. "She slapped Cole across the face and said she could kill Celeste…"

"Were those her exact words?"

"I'm afraid so," Houston nods back to him.

"That's all the questions that I have right now, thank you. And good luck tomorrow," Sam uneasily smiles back to them.

***

A short time later, Madi sits in Sam's office with her hands formed into fists, which she does whenever she is nervous. She knew that she would have to answer any questions that the police had about Celeste's death but she still doesn't like it.

"Ms. Stewart, can you tell me where you around 9:30 pm last night?" Sam asks her first.

"Uh, I'm not sure exactly. I had a long night and lost track of time, I guess," she nervously tells him.

"I see," Sam replies to her. "Did you see Celeste Baldwin last night?"

"I saw her at the country club earlier in the day but not in the evening, no."

"And, when was the last time you went to your office yesterday?"

"I don't remember the exact time," Madi admits to him. "Like I said, I had a very stressful day personally."

"So, you have no record of your whereabouts or when you were last in your office? Is that what you're telling me?"

Madi uneasily nods back to him. "Yes, that's what I'm telling you."

***

"I'm famished, I'm so glad you're going to the club to pick up some food," Sabine purses her lips together to Kent, who is standing at the doorway of the penthouse that they share together.

"You know that I'd do anything for you," Kent winks back to her. "How about you put a bottle of that 1973 Moet in the fridge to chill and we can have it with our dinner when I get back?"

"I love the way you think," Sabine leans in and kisses him on his lips. "See you soon."

Kent leaves the penthouse and as soon as the door has closed, Sabine races up the stairs and moves into Kent's personal study.

She pulls her phone out of her pocket and sees another message from Deacon Cooper come through. "Tick, tock. What have you found?"

"Ugh, shut up Deacon," she groans as she moves to Kent's filing cabinet, hoping to find something that will tell her what documents Deacon is looking for. She goes to open the drawer but it is locked.

"Of course it's locked," she whispers to herself as she stands up and turns his chair over. On the bottom of Kent's office chair there is a small black box. She opens the box and discovers the key. "You did the same thing at the office," she shakes her head knowing that Kent is a man of habit.

She unlocks the cabinet and starts looking through some files. Near the back of the cabinet, she finds a file that is unmarked. She arches her eyebrow and pulls it out. She opens it and starts reading the documents inside.

"My God," she whispers as she feels the blood drain from her face. "Kent mined the preserved land. He agreed to give Chase a percentage if Chase used his political connections to make it happen. This is what Deacon wanted … but, they could both be in serious hot water if this information ever gets out. And, this could also help my career…what am I going to do?"

***

"Why are you in the office today?" Kent asks Houston the next morning as he stands in the main office of Blackmore Ltd. with his two sons as he knows that Houston is going to marry Stacey later in the afternoon. "I thought you'd be at the mansion getting ready for the wedding."

"I'm heading there as soon as I finish this meeting with you and Lex," Houston tells his father. "You're both still coming to the wedding, aren't you?"

"I'll be there for my sister," Lex tells him. "So, yes you'll see me later."

"The reason for this meeting," Houston ignores Lex. "Is to tell you, Dad, that Lex is still not doing his job as CEO. The new ad campaign footage is missing and now we have to re-shoot everything."

"What? How the hell is that possible?" Lex asks him, stunned as this is the first he has heard about it. "Where did the footage go?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Kent folds his arms over his chest.

"No one knows," Houston lies to them. "But, I know that Lex caught Grant cheating on him last night, so maybe Lex's personal life is affecting his work?"

"How dare you!" Lex yells at him. "Whatever happens between Grant and I is none of your business nor is it impacting my work!"

"That's not what it looks like from my perspective," Houston slyly grins over to him. "And Dad, it's time that you see that too. It's time for you to remove Lex as CEO of Blackmore Ltd."

***

"Have you seen Madi since learning about Celeste's death?" Mac asks Cole as they stand in the living room of the Rockwell mansion already dressed in their tuxedo's for Stacey and Houston's upcoming wedding.

"I saw her briefly last night," Cole admits to him as he thinks about seeing her at the club.

"How did she seem? Had she calmed down at all?"

"She was pretty frazzled," Cole admits to his father. "I asked her where she was when Celeste was killed and she thought I was accusing her of murder."

"You have to admit that evidence does seemingly point to her?" Mac tells his son. He knows that Cole doesn't want to believe that Madi could have killed Celeste but based on the events it seems like it could have been a possibility. "We might not want to admit it but Madi did have a motive."

"Yes she did," Cole nods back to him. "And, I've never see her so upset before. She certainly could have killed her."

"Let's just hope that the police uncover the truth, regardless of what that could be."

***

Stacey sits in her bedroom and looks into the large vanity mirror as she finishes getting ready for her wedding to Houston that is in a few short hours. Lydia and Lucinda scurry behind her as they are helping her get ready for the event.

"Are you sure these earrings are too much?" Stacey asks her mother and grandmother as she turns and they see the large diamond earrings in her ears.

"Not at all darling," Lucinda replies to her. "You're coming from a family that has made its name from diamonds, you should be dripping in them today."

Stacey giggles. "I'm glad you said that because I really, really like them."

"Today is about you my love," Lydia tells her daughter. "You are about to embark on this wonderful journey with Houston. Nothing will stop the two of you from being together now."

They all pause when they hear a knock on the bedroom door. "If that's Houston, send him away!" Stacey tells Lydia, who moves closer to the door. "I don't want to see him until I walk down the aisle."

"I will send him away," Lydia smiles back to her daughter. Lydia turns and opens the door and gasps when she sees Marat standing on the other side. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to have a moment with Stacey?" Marat tells Lydia.

"She is about to marry…"

"Mom, it's okay," Stacey comes up behind her mother and sees Marat. "I'll see Marat for a moment. Could you and Grandma please give us a moment?"

"Darling, are you sure this is wise?" Lydia asks Stacey knowing her history with Marat.

Stacey nods back to her. "Just five minutes, I promise."

"Very well, we will be in the hallway if you need anything at all we will be just outside," Lydia tells her as Lucinda leaves the room and Lydia follows her.

"I'm sorry that I am interrupting you," Marat looks at Stacey. "You look so beautiful in your wedding dress."

"Thank you," Stacey replies to him. "And, you're not interrupting. I am glad that you came today. I realize that it is likely going to be difficult day for you."

"It feels like it is the end of an era, doesn't it?"

"In some ways, yes," Stacey nods to him. "But, this is for the best. Like I said to you before, I will cherish our time together Marat."

"I think of Christmas Eve every night before I go to sleep," Marat admits to her. "Feeling your skin next to mine…I'm sorry, I'll stop. I'm trying my best."

Stacey moves closer to him and pulls him into a hug. "You're a wonderful man, Marat," she tells him. "You will find your happiness, I am sure of that."

"Be happy with Houston," Marat says back to her as they exit their embrace and he continues to look into his eyes.

***

"I'm going to get some champagne," Lydia tells Lucinda as they wait in the hallway for Stacey and Marat to finish having their conversation. "It will be nice to have a celebratory moment with Stacey before the wedding. You wait here and I'll be right back?"

"Hurry back," Lucinda purses her lips together. "I'm dying for a drink."

Lydia scurries off and moves to the staircase in the mansion. She races down the stairs and moves closer to the living room, however something catches her eye as she passes Mac's private office. She moves closer to the door and peers inside when she sees Carmen talking to a man. Lydia arches her eyebrow wondering who the man is as she has never seen him before.

"What are you doing here?" Carmen asks Mateo in a hushed whisper. "You can't be here! If anyone found out who you are…"

"Don't worry," Mateo tries to calm his sister. " I will leave as soon as I can. I just had to see how you're doing? You know since…"

"Don't even mention it! Everything is going accordingly to plan," Carmen tells him. "I've done everything you've told me too. Nothing will get in our way now."

"I hope you're right sister," Mateo replies to her. "Because this is our pay day."

Lydia smirks to herself realizing that she has just busted Carmen in the most epic way possible. She doesn't move, however, as she wants to finish listening to their conversation.

***

Outside in the garden, guests begin to slowly sit in their seats as the wedding is getting closer to taking place. Kent and Sabine look around and see where they'd like to sit, just as Chase and Vivian emerge together. Sabine looks at Kent, who makes eye contact with Vivian.

"Kent, Sabine," Vivian says to them. "What a beautiful day for a wedding."

"I see you have wasted no time sinking your claws into another man," Sabine notes with Chase on her arm. "I'm terribly sorry for you," she tells Chase.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Chase replies to her. "I'm more than happy with my relationship with Vivian. You should take note and focus on your relationship."

"Don't you worry about that, I am very focused on my man," Sabine chuckles back as she pulls Kent into a kiss, which annoys Vivian.

"Come on Chase, let's find out seat. As the mother of the bride, I get to sit in the front row," Vivian storms off from the couple.

"Was that really necessary?' Kent asks Sabine as their lips part way. "You and I are happy now, let's leave Vivian in the past."

"You might be able to forgive and forget what that woman did to us but I will have a harder letting go," Sabine tells him. "Let's find our seats, shall we?"

"Yes, let's," Kent relies to her quickly.

"It will give us time to discuss the preserved land," Sabine replies to him, hoping that he will come clean with her. If she could get him to confess, maybe she could help him, she thinks to herself. "Do you have any idea what happened? Surely you would have known about it, since Blackmore Ltd. was already mining."

Kent arches his eyebrow back to her, knowing that his secret can't come out now. "I never thought about the aftermath of the mining before," he reveals to her. "Had I known, I might have done things differently. But to answer your question, I don't know anything more than what you've told me."

Sabine sighs back to him. "I thought it was worth a try. I still have to uncover what happened though."

"Do you know how you're going to do that?"

"No," she admits to him, thinking that she has to find a way to protect Kent. "But I will. Trust me, I will."

***

A short time later, the wedding march begins and the guests stand from their seats as Stacey appears at the end of the aisle that was created in the garden. Houston smiles as he sees his bride to be appear in her long, white wedding dress. He can't believe that after all this time, he is finally going to marry the woman of his dreams.

Stacey slowly walks down the aisle and looks at her family; Cole, then Lex, then Mac and then Lydia. Lastly, her eyes are drawn to Marat's and she is immediately taken aback to Christmas Eve when they made mad, passionate love. She turns and looks at Houston and realizes that she has to put that all behind her; It's her only option.

Stacey grabs Houston's hands when she arrives at the altar. "You look beautiful," Houston whispers to her.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and woman in the union of marriage," the minister announces to everyone. "Marriage is the coming together of two people who want to live one life. It is a union between two people that have a bond so strong that it can't be broken. Now, before we begin the ceremony, I have to ask if anyone knows a reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."

There is a hush in the crowd. Then, a figure appears at the back of the aisle. "You're damn right I have a reason why this wedding shouldn't happen you son of a bitch!" Grant yells from the back of the aisle.

"Grant, what are you doing? This isn't the time or place," Lex immediately stands up and looks at his ex-lover.

"Oh yes it is," Grant moves down the aisle. "You wanna know how I ended up in Mateo's bed? It's because Houston paid Mateo to seduce me! Houston is working overtime to get you out of the CEO position at Blackmore Ltd.!"

Lex turns to face his brother while his blood pressure rises. "Is that true? Did you pay someone to seduce my boyfriend?"

"Houston, what the hell is going on?" Stacey asks Houston, who feels his forehead start to sweat.

"I can explain…" Houston begins to reply to everyone.

"Save it," Grant cuts him off as he looks into his eyes. "Because I have a little bombshell of my own."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Houston asks Grant. "What exactly are you going to do?"

"Your precious wife," Grant sneers at him. "She slept with Marat on Christmas Eve. All this time, you thought you were the one pleasing her but she had to turn to another man to get what she really needs. Looks like karma came back and bit you in the ass, huh?"

Houston feels the blood drain from his face and he turns to Stacey, who gets tears in her eyes and the crowd starts to mumble to themselves.

"Tell me he's lying," Houston pleads with Stacey, who lets a tear fall down her cheek. "Tell me this isn't true!"

"I…" Stacey begins to say. "I…"

"Say something!" Houston yells at her.

"I…" Stacey says again as her eyes roll back into her head and her body tumbles to the ground.

"Stacey?" Mac yells as he stands up and rushes to his daughter's side. "Stacey, can you hear me? Someone call 9-1-1!"

***

A short time later, Stacey is laying in a hospital bed with Mac and Lydia by her side as a doctor reviews her file.

"Are you sure she was just dehydrated and there's nothing else wrong with our daughter?" Lydia asks the doctor, who looks up from Stacey's file.

"Yes," she nods back to Lydia. "I want to keep her in the hospital overnight for observation but she should be fine."

"Thank God," Mac breathes a sigh of relief. "We were so worried."

"Look guys, I'm going to be here overnight, I'm fine," Stacey tells her parents. "You two should head back to the house. There's a million things to do. You don't have to stay here with me."

"We do have a lot to do at the mansion," Lydia looks at Mac. "Are you sure you want us to leave?"

"I'm positive, I'll be fine," Stacey tells them.

"You'll call us with any changes?" Mac asks her daughter who nods back to him. "We love you so much."

"I love you two as well," Stacey tells them as her parents leave the room.

"I'm glad we have a moment alone," the doctor looks at Stacey. "There is something else I wanted to discuss with you in private."

Stacey looks back at her in surprise. "What is it? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, exactly," she tells Stacey. "You're pregnant, Ms. Rockwell."

"What? How is this possible?" Stacey gasps. "I mean, how far along am I?"

"Based on early results it will seem like you conceived around Christmas time."

"My God," a shocked Stacey says to herself realizing that she has no idea who the father of her baby is. "What am I going to do?"

***

Outside Stacey's hospital room, Lydia and Mac quickly walk towards the exit.

"Mac, while we are alone, I have to talk to you," Lydia tells him, hoping to tell him everything she uncovered about Carmen when she was listening to her talk to Mateo in the study.

"Lydia, not now," Mac stops her. "I just got a text from Cole saying that the police are the mansion and they have an arrest warrant for Celeste's murder."

"What? Who are they arresting?" Lydia asks him.

***

At the mansion, guests mingle around the mansion and the garden as the wedding ended abruptly.

Kent slowly moves up to Houston, who has a glass of champagne trying to forget everything that he just found out about Stacey and Marat.

"How are you doing?" Kent asks him.

"How do you think I'm doing?"

"Fair," Kent nods back to him. "I know everything that Grant said must have come from a surprise but you have to know that I am pretty surprised to find out what you did to Lex."

"Oh God," Houston groans back to him. "Do you really think I care about that asshole right now Dad? I could care less. Lex isn't fit to run that company. It's time you see that."

***

Cole opens the front door of the mansion as he heard the doorbell ring and sees Sam Watkins standing there. He arches his eyebrow wondering why the police officer is at the mansion.

"This isn't a good time," Cole tells him. "We are kind of the middle of a family crisis right now."

"This won't take very long," Sam moves into the foyer of the mansion. "I have an arrest warrant for the murder of Celeste Baldwin."

"What is going on?" Madi asks as she moves into the foyer, wondering what is happening.

"Ah, Ms. Stewart," Sam looks over at her as Madi looks over at Cole. At the same moment, Chase, Vivian and Deacon all move into the foyer. "You're just the woman I'm looking for."

"Why? What is going on?" Madi asks him in confusion. "I answered all your questions that you had."

"Yes you did," Sam nods back to him. "But the fact the remains that there is a lot of evidence against you."

"What are you saying?" Cole asks Sam.

"I'd like to know that myself," Chase interjects. "What's going to happen to my daughter?"

"She's under arrest," Sam announces. "Madison Stewart you're under arrest for the murder of Celeste Baldwin…"

"No," Madi says out loud. "I didn't kill anyone! Daddy, you have to help me," she says as Sam puts the handcuffs on her.

***

Lydia grabs a glass of brandy from the bar in the master bedroom of the Rockwell mansion. She and Mac returned home and he immediately went to see how Lex and Cole were doing, since their lives are in shambles currently. Lydia, however, knew what she had to do. She has to get Carmen out of their lives and she knows just how to do it.

Just then, the bedroom door opens and Carmen gasps at the sight of Lydia in her room. "What the hell are you doing in here? This is my bedroom with Mac!"

"I know where I am," Lydia sneers at her. "In case you've forgotten, I lived here as Mac's wife for years."

"Yes and you were cheating on him with Kent," Carmen replies to her. "Again, what are you doing in here?"

Lydia takes a sip of her brandy. "I was waiting for you, my dear. You see, you and I, we have to get a few things straight."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I heard you and your brother talking earlier," Lydia stuns Carmen. "I know everything."

Carmen feels the blood drain from her face. "You know…everything?"

"That's right," Lydia smirks over to her. "I know exactly what you did. And if you think that you're going to get away with it, you're wrong."

"Before you do anything rash, you should know that I've been buying stocks in Rockwell Mining," Carmen's admission stuns Lydia. "And, as of today, I own 51% of the company. So, if anything bad happens to me, the company will go down with me."

"You're lying!" Lydia yells at her.

"No, I'm not."

"But…" Lydia moves closer to her. "You killed Celeste! I heard you confess to your brother! You will pay for what you've done, Carmen. And you will get out of my family's life!"

"Yes, I did kill Celeste," Carmen glares at her. "And, now that you know the truth, you're going to be next…"

Carmen slowly moves closer to Lydia, who puts her hands up. Suddenly, Carmen picks up a candle stick from an end table and raises it in the air.

"Stop right there," Lydia shouts at her as she moves backwards. "Stop Carmen!"

But the candle stick comes down hard and hits Lydia in the head. Lydia's lifeless body tumbles on to the ground as a pool of blood forms beneath her as a wicked grin comes across Carmen's face.