Written by: Dallas Walsh

Everything seemingly moves in slow motion. Carmen Santos looks down at her leg, which is bleeding because Lydia Rockwell stabbed her with a pen while they were having a press conference to announce the merger between Rockwell Mining and Blackmore Ltd. Lydia, of course, was only trying to protect herself as Carmen had a gun to her back because Lydia, initially, was going to pull out of the merger to repair her relationship with her daughter, Stacey Rockwell. Carmen, who revealed that she shot Nathan Lockhart, told Lydia that she would kill her unless she proceeded with the merger of the companies; after everything Carmen did to become the CEO, the last thing she wanted was for everything to blow up before she could take credit of the merger.

Carmen, who dropped her gun after she was stabbed, sees Lydia rushing away from her and two police officers rushing towards her, reaches for her weapon. Without thinking, she takes fire and shoots two shots towards Lydia! At the same time, the police officers draw their guns and aim at Carmen!

Once the bullets leave Carmen's gun, the police fire back! Three bullets hit Carmen in the chest as she screams out in horror! At the same time, Lydia falls to the ground in a pool of her own blood!

The members of the media gasp in shock and horror as they begin to run away trying to find safety. Helena Grant rushes up to Lydia and checks for a pulse.

"She's alive, it appears to just be a flesh wound! How's Santos?" She asks her two officers, who look back at her.

"She's … dead…" one officer tells her, as Helena starts to call 9-1-1 on her cell phone.

***

"I can't believe what is happening," Stacey Rockwell says as she feels her heart move into her throat as she stands in the living room of the penthouse where Kent Blackmore lives. Together, they had been watching the press conference and they saw the chaos unfold in front of them on the TV screen. She was so sure that her mother, Lydia, was going to not go through with the merger of the two companies, but she had no idea that chaos that was going to erupt. And, just when shots were fired, the camera went off and there is a "please stand by" message on the screen. "What if Lydia is hurt? What if Carmen killed my mother?"

"Okay, let's take a deep breath," Kent tells her as he puts his hands on her shoulders. "The cameras went off because they don't want to air violence on live TV. We have to believe that everyone is okay."

"But," Stacey bites her lower lip together. "Carmen grabbed her gun and fired towards Lydia; if anything happens to her…"

"Despite everything, you still love her, don't you?"

"Of course, I do," Stacey lets a tear fall down her cheek. "And you know what? If my mother survives this, I must make things right with her. I can't continue on this path with her."

"I'd support you with that," Kent nods back to her. "As long as she can accept that you and I are the real deal, right?"

"I don't want to choose," Stacey admits to him. "I don't want to choose between my mother and the man I…"

"The man you what?" Kent smiles back to her. "Finish your sentence, Stacey."

Stacey gulps as she looks back into his eyes. "The man that I love."

"Love?" Kent asks her back in surprise. "Do you mean that?"

"God help me, yes," Stacey nods back to him. "I fought these feelings for so long, but yes, Kent, I do love you."

"Good," he licks his lips back to her. "Because I feel the same way," he tells her before he kisses her on her lips.

***

"I don't fucking believe this," Lexington Rockwell says as he storms into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and makes a beeline for the bar, where he starts to pour himself a brandy. He just got back from Casper Ross' office, where the private investigator admitted to him that he slept with Lex's brother, Cole Rockwell, last year. Lex though that he and Casper were growing closer but now, he doesn't know what to do with this information. "Why is it every guy that I am seemingly interested in, comes with baggage?"

He takes a healthy sip of the brandy as his mind continues to race. "How could I have been so stupid? This town is too damn small for a gay guy; all the guys have been with one another. But I did not expect Casper to have fucked Cole. I don't know if that is something that I can get over."

He takes another sip of his brandy before he recalls meeting his deceased husband, Jarek Williams, twin brother, Jaxson earlier in the day. "Maybe another visit with Jaxson will help me calm down?"

He sets the glass down and then quickly leaves the room.

***

Casper, meanwhile, opens the door to the country club and moves inside quickly. He had hoped to find Lex so he could try to explain what happened between him and Cole; their affair was intense, but it was brief, and it is over. He never expected himself to be attracted to Cole's brother, but he doesn't want anything to come between the possibility of a romance with him and Lex. Casper stops in his tracks when he sees Cole sitting at the bar with a drink in front of him.

"Are you happy now?" Casper asks his former lover as he moves up to the bar. "You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"

Cole looks back at Casper and immediately realizes that Lex must have went to him with the news of their affair. "I couldn't, in good conscious, let my brother get involved with you before he knew the truth about us, Casper. So no, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. If Lex is pissed now, imagine how much worse it would have been had he learned after you two started dating."

"You're still just trying to get back at me, aren't you?"

"Not at all," Cole shakes his head back to him. "I know that you liked what we had; for a while, it was exactly what I needed. But Casper, it was the right thing to end our affair. But if you think that Lex didn't need to know the truth, then Lex walking away from you is probably for the best."

"Lex didn't walk away from me!"

"Then why are you so upset?"

"Ugh, fine," Casper groans back to him. "He did walk out but I have to make him understand that we are in the past. I won't let your little bombshell ruin everything, Cole. I refuse to let that happen!"

***

"I still can't believe that Nathan is alive and going to make a full recovery," Quinn Cunningham tells her mother, Sabine Andrews, as they stand in the living room of the Rockwell mansion. Sabine just finished telling her daughter that her fiancé is alive and well; everyone has been stunned by Lucinda Rockwell's scheme to end Nathan's feud with Mac Rockwell.

"I didn't believe it myself until I saw him with my own two eyes," Sabine replies to her. "I just can't believe how far Lucinda is willing to go to get things back to her definition of normal."

Quinn chuckles back to her. "So, does that mean that you're wedding is back on? Are you and Nathan going to get married now?"

Sabine uneasily looks back at her. "Everything has happened so quickly that we haven't even discussed that. He must make a full recovery first, so we are just going to take this one day at a time. But I do need a favor from you Quinn."

Quinn arches her eyebrow back to her mother. "That's funny because I was going to ask you for a favor too," she purses her lips together. "So, tell me, what can I help with?"

"My miscarriage," Sabine replies to her quickly. "Don't tell Nathan, not yet anyways. I don't want him to be upset by anything that could hurt his recovery."

"My lips are sealed," Quinn tells her. "And now my turn," she continues to tell her mother. "Deacon and I are going to get married and I was hoping that you'd stand up for me. What do you say? Be my maid of honor?"

Sabine smiles as she moves up to her daughter and pulls her into a hug. "Nothing would make me happier my beautiful girl," Sabine whispers in her ear. "I would love to stand up for you."

***

Chase Cooper moves into Casper Ross' office and looks around before he clears his throat, which causes the private investigator to look up from his laptop. After Casper left the club, he came back to the office to get some work done, but the last person he expected to see in his office was Chase Cooper.

"Mr. Cooper," Casper slowly stands up from his chair. "What brings you here? You haven't been here in months, since your daughter was about to get married."

"Good memory," Chase chuckles back to him. "If you recall, I needed your help then and I had to resort to threatening you with the lease of this property."

"How could I forget? Are you here to do that again? You need something from me?" Casper asks him quickly back.

Chase nods back to him. "This time it has to do with my son, Deacon," he reveals to Casper. "You see, he is about to marry a woman that I believe is lying to him about the being the father of her unborn child. And, I think you know the truth, Casper."

Casper looks back at him in surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

"The woman is Quinn Cunningham," Chase explains to him as Casper gulps heavily. "I can tell by the look on your face that you know something, so start spilling Mr. Ross. Or, start packing your bags because this firm will cease to exist."

***

"How are you feeling with everything that has happened?" Cole asks Sabine as they sit next to one another at the bar of the country club. After Casper left, Cole texted his Aunt and asked her to meet him so they could catch up; he can only imagine how she is handling seeing Nathan again since he has been revealed to be alive and well.

"It's been a whirlwind," Sabine admits to him. "I still can't believe that Nathan is alive; my entire world has shifted back from being in such a dark place, you know?"

"I get it," Cole nods back to her. "Lucinda has always had these outlandish ideas on how to help the family."

Sabine chuckles back to him. "I still remember walking into her basement and finding Lydia and Houston in that cage…"

"I try not to think about that," Cole laughs with her. "I am glad that Nathan is back, but it still doesn't bring back your baby. Have you told him about the miscarriage?"

"No," Sabine shakes her head back to him. "And I don't want too, not until he's strong enough."

"That makes sense," Cole nods to her. "I still am having a hard time believing Celeste continues to try to apologize; like saying sorry isn't going to make it go away."

"That's true," Sabine tells him. "But, if you are thinking, even in the slightest, that you're going to forgive Celeste, I suggest you do it quickly."

Cole arches his eyebrow back to her. "What does that mean?"

Sabine casually shrugs back to her. "I saw her in this very country club, and she looked rather cozy with Houston."

"Celeste and Houston?" Cole asks her in surprise. "That doesn't make sense, are you sure?"

"I know what I saw," Sabine replies to him. "Frankly, I know you can do better than that rat, but I know the heart doesn't always see it that way. I'm just giving you the heads-up Cole; if you are thinking of giving Celeste another chance, you better act quickly."

***

Stacey opens the door to Lydia's hospital room and moves inside quickly. Lydia, who is laying in the bed with a large bandage wrapped around her arm, looks over at Stacey.

"Stacey," Lydia says as Stacey sits next to her. "You're the last person I expected to see."

"I was watching the press conference," she admits to her mother. "I was terrified watching the events unfold. How are you?"

"I'll be fine," Lydia nods back to her. "The bullet from Carmen's gun grazed me so it is just a flesh wound."

"Thank God," Stacey breathes a sigh of relief. "What happened with Carmen?"

"The police officers opened fire and shot her dead," Lydia reveals to her. "The reign of terror from the Santos family is finally over."

"Maybe now we can all start to get back to normal."

"I don't even know what that means," Lydia admits to her. "Everything has been so crazy around here."

"I know and I know that I am partly responsible," Stacey tells her. "But I did mean it when I said I wanted us to get back to normal, Mom. But in order to do that, you have to do something for me."

"There won't be a merger now that Carmen is dead," Lydia replies to her quickly. "So, you got your wish, Stacey. Can we, now, try to move on from this?"

"Only if you give Blackmore Ltd. back to Kent," Stacey looks back at her with intent. "You know that it is the right thing to do, mom. Kent worked his entire life to build his empire; he should have it back. So, if you want to make things right with us, you will make things right with you, Kent and Blackmore Ltd."

***

The following morning, Mac is pouring himself a cup of coffee in the living room of the Rockwell mansion when he hears someone enter the room. He turns around his mouth falls open in surprise when he sees Nathan standing behind him.

"Nathan," Mac tells his brother. "You're up and about? Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Nathan slowly nods back to him. "I just got the go ahead from the doctor," he explains to him. "He told me to still take it easy but that I am okay to roam around. I can't tell you how great it feels to be out of that damn hospital bed."

"I can only imagine," Mac replies to her. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"I'd love one," Nathan nods back to him, as Mac returns to the bar and starts to pour a fresh cup of the coffee. "I have to admit, I've been thinking about your visit to me yesterday."

Mac turns around and faces his brother before he passes him the coffee. "You mean when I asked you for a fresh start?"

"That would be the one," Nathan smirks to him before he takes a sip of his coffee. "And, I agree. This is the time for us to bury the hatchet. We should start to get along; I think everyone in the family would agree with that."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Mac tells him as he extends his hand to Nathan's. The brother's shake hands and smile to one another. "To the dawn of a new era."

At the doorway, Lucinda clutches her pearls as a grin creeps across her face at the sight unfolding in front of her; her children, shaking hands and agreeing to make amends with one another. It is a sight she never thought she'd see, but she couldn't be more pleased that it has finally happened.

***

"I must admit that I was surprised to hear from you this morning," Dane Ashby tells Mac as they sit across from one another on the patio of the country club a short time later.

"After everything that has happened the last few days, I feel like I have a new life to live," Mac admits to him. "I made amends with Nathan; we agreed to bury the hatchet."

Dane looks back at him in surprise. "Really? Wow, after everything you two have put one another through, that must feel good to know that the feud is over, or at least will try to be over."

Mac chuckles back to him. "For the sake of our family, it was time that my brother and I put the past behind us. But, that's part of the reason why I wanted to speak to you today, Dane."

Dane arches his eyebrow back to him. "I'm all ears."

"Well, the fact is, you're my father," Mac uneasily chuckles back to him. "I know that I have pushed you away because I was struggling with the truth, but, I don't know, almost dying has made me realize that is short and we have to make the most of these opportunities as they arise."

"What are you saying, Mac?"

"I am saying that, if you're game, I'd like to get to you know better, Dane," Mac replies to him quickly. "I'm not saying that we will become best friends over night, but I think we should start to have a relationship. What do you say…Dad?"

Dane gets a huge smile on his face. "I'd like nothing more than that, Mac."

***

Houston Blackmore rushes towards the front door of the mansion that his mother, Vivian Blackmore, lived in when she was in town. Houston is only wearing some grey sweatpants as he hasn't finished getting ready for the day just yet. He opens the door and is surprised to see Celeste Baldwin on the other side.

"Celeste, good morning," Houston says as he lets her into the foyer. "What brings you by this morning?'

Celeste shrugs back to him as she carefully eyes his toned chest. "I…I'm not sure. I guess I was feeling down about how things have been left with Cole and I and I found myself coming here. I hope that's okay?"

"Of course, it is," Houston nods back to her. "We have already agreed that we are in the similar situation with Cole and Stacey."

"That we are," Celeste replies to him. "It's just nice knowing someone is going through something with me."

"We are here for one another," Houston moves closer to her. "If you need anything else from me, you know I'm here for you."

"Yea, I hope you know that I feel the same," she says as she puts her hand on his chest. He looks down then they lock eyes with one another before they end up in a passionate kiss with one another. As soon as their lips break, Celeste gasps for air and looks back at him. "Make love to me, Houston. And don't stop until you've given me everything that I need."

***

The study of the Rockwell mansion has been transformed into the smaller venue for Deacon Cooper and Quinn Cunningham's small wedding. There are bouquets of white roses that surround the room and candles. There is a soft piano ballad playing in the background.

"Are you ready to make my daughter an honest woman?" Sabine Andrews smiles as she comes up to Deacon Cooper, who is wearing a tuxedo.

"More than ready," Deacon nods back to her. "I am just glad we were able to put this all together before the baby came."

"Me too, I know Quinn was eager to marry you before she gave birth."

Before Deacon can respond, the wedding march slowly starts to play, so he moves up next to the minister, while Sabine takes her place as the maid of honor and their witness.

The doors to the study open and a radiant Quinn appears in a long, white wedding dress that fits her pregnant body. She slowly walks towards Deacon, with a smile on her face.

"You look beautiful," Deacon tells her as he lifts her vail over her face and looks into Quinn's eyes.

"Thank you," she whispers back to her before the minister starts to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to bring these two together in holy matrimony," he begins to say to the three of them. "If anyone has any objections as to why Deacon and Quinn shouldn't be married, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

Sabine chuckles when both Deacon and Quinn turn and look at her as she is the only other person in the room.

"No one will object," Deacon looks back at the minister.

"Very well, let's continue," the minister explains. "Deacon and Quinn have come here today on their own free will and have expressed their desire to be joined together in marriage. Deacon, please repeat after me. I, Deacon, take this woman…"

"I, Deacon, take this woman," he repeats as he looks into Quinn's eyes.

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, as long as we both shall live," the minister says.

" To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, as long as we both shall live," Deacon smiles to his future bridge.

"And Quinn, you can repeat after me," the minister turns his attention to the bride. "I, Quinn, take this man…"

Quinn clears her throat before she grabs Deacon's hands. "I, Quinn, take this man…"

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, as long as we both shall live," the minister continues.

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, as long as we both shall live," Quinn repeats as she gets tears in her eyes.

"The rings please," the minister looks over at Sabine, who passes the couple their rings. "Deacon, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

Deacon starts to slide the large diamond ring onto Quinn's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"And Quinn, repeat after me, with this ring, I thee wed."

Quinn looks into Deacon's eyes before she starts to put the ring on his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" The minister explains, as Deacon leans in and kisses Quinn. "You may…continue to kiss the bride!"

Sabine claps as Quinn and Deacon continue to kiss. Just then, Chase, Dyhannah and Marat burst into the room in a panic.

"Stop! Stop this wedding!" Dyhannah shrieks, which causes Quinn, Deacon and Sabine to look back at her in surprise.

"Mother, you're too late," Deacon grits his teeth to her, furious that his family is trying to, once again, stop his wedding to Quinn. "Quinn and I just got married."

"We know the truth," Chase tells his son before he looks over at Quinn. "Casper Ross told us everything."

Quinn feels the blood drain from her face. "What are you talking about?" Deacon asks his father. "Who the hell is Casper Ross?"

"He's a private investigator that needed extra money," Dyhannah explains to her son. "He told us that Quinn paid him to change the paternity test results! It's all here; he gave us a confession; we recorded it on your father's phone. Quinn has been lying to you this entire time! Marat is the father of the baby!"

Deacon looks at Quinn in horror, who gulps heavily. Before Quinn can say anything, she doubles over in pain. "Ahhh!" she screams out.

"Quinn, baby, what is it? What's happening?" Sabine rushes up to her daughter.

"My water broke," Quinn looks up at everyone. "I'm going to have this baby!"

***

Cole pulls his bright yellow Lamborghini Veneno into the driveway of Vivian's mansion. He used his "Find my Friends" app on his phone to realize that Celeste was at the Blackmore mansion; once he saw where she was, he realized that he wanted to come see her to find out what she was doing. He can't stop thinking about the fact that Sabine warned him that Celeste was growing closer to Houston. He can't imagine that Celeste and Houston are anything more than friends, but he needs to find out for sure.

If he is honest with himself, he does still have feelings for Celeste. He always has, and despite what has happened, he thinks that a she will always have a place in his heart.

He moves up to the front door of the mansion and sees that it is slightly ajar. He opens the door and looks around; immediately, he notices that Celeste's purse is in the foyer. He moves up to it and he can then hear noises coming from the living room. He sneaks towards the living room entrance way and stands in shock as he sees Celeste and Houston on the sofa making love to one another!

Without saying anything, a rattled Cole turns and rushes out of the mansion, having not been seen by the two lovers but feeling like his heart is broken.

***

Lydia steps off the elevator and slowly moves towards the front door of the penthouse. Once she was released from the hospital, she came right to see Kent because she knew what she had to do after her last conversation with Stacey. She takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.

Within a few seconds, the door opens, and Kent is surprised to see his most recent ex-wife standing there.

"Lydia, hi," Kent says as he allows her to enter the penthouse. "I'm glad to see you doing okay; I was with Stacey when the press conference happened."

"Yea, that was something else," Lydia replies to him. "Carmen was holding me at gun point the entire time; stabbing her with that pen, it saved my life."

"You always were resourceful," Kent winks back to her. "Seriously, I know we have been through a lot, but I never want anything bad to happen to you."

"I know that," Lydia nods back to him. "After everything that happened this morning and with Mac, I realized that the most important thing is for me to make things right with my family, and that is starting with Stacey."

"I know that you don't want Stacey and I to be together, but…"

"I'm not here because I want to rack you over the coals for that," Lydia cuts him off quickly. "I'm here because I want to make things right Kent; that means giving Blackmore Ltd. back to you. You are the rightful owner of the company and I want you to have it back."

Kent looks back at her in surprise. "Are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure about anything else in my life," Lydia replies to him. "It's time for us to make things right, Kent. And this is the best start to doing just that."

***

"Lex, this is a surprise," Jaxson Spencer says as he opens the door and sees Lex standing in his hallway. "Come in?"

"Thanks," Lex says as he moves into his apartment. "I … I guess I didn't know where else to turn, so I came here. I hope that's okay."

"Of course," Jaxson tells him. "After our last visit, we ended up sharing a lot with one another. We are practically family."

"You look so much like Jarek, it is crazy," Lex turns and looks at him. "I often think that I was at my happiest when I was with Jarek, I mean before Odette convinced him to use me to get my family money."

"I'm sure Jarek was happy with you too," Jaxson tells him. "You seem like a caring, genuine guy. And, you're stunning, which helps."

Lex blushes back to him. "You're into guys too? Like Jarek was?"

"I guess it runs in the family," Jaxson chuckles back to him.

Lex licks his lips as he looks back at the man who looks like his dead husband. He can't stop thinking about the fact that Casper and Cole admitted that they had a torrid affair; he has felt like every man he has been with has a sorted past.

"Hey, are you okay? You look like you went a million miles away," Jaxson tells him.

Lex doesn't respond; instead, he rushes up to him and kisses him passionately on the lips. When their lips part, Lex looks into Jaxson's eyes. "Do you top?" Lex asks him as Jaxson nods back to him before Lex kisses him passionately again.

***

"My God, what is taking so long?" Sabine asks Cole as they stand together in the waiting room of the hospital. As soon as Quinn went into labour, Sabine rushed to the hospital and called Cole, who agreed to meet her there. Now, they are just waiting for any update on Quinn and the baby.

"Sometimes these things take some time," Cole replies to her. "How are you doing? You said that Marat, Chase and Dyhannah interrupted the wedding? What did they want?"

Sabine sighs heavily back to him. "Apparently, they got evidence that Quinn did alter the paternity test results; she hired some private investigator to do her bidding."

"Wait, so Marat is the father of her child?"

Sabine shrugs back to him. "It appears that way."

"What a mess this is," Cole replies to her as he pulls her into a hug. "All you can do now, Sabine, is be there for her. Because once she has this baby, Quinn will need you more than ever before."

***

Lex sits at the bar of the country club with a glass of scotch in front of him. After having intense sex with Jaxson, Lex found himself at the bar in need of a drink so he can try to clear his head with all the thought he has going on inside. He has no idea what came over him when he was with Jaxson, but he can't deny that the sex that they shared was very good. But, deep down, he was starting to have feelings for Casper before he learned of his affair with Cole.

"I finally found you," Casper says as he approaches to the bar. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"You have?" Lex asks him quickly. "I guess I just need time. It's not every day I found out the guy that has been kissing me has been sleeping with my brother."

"I know but you have to understand something," Casper replies to him quickly. "Cole and I were together before I knew you and we haven't been together in a very long time. I know I should have told you once I realized that you and Cole were related but…I didn't want to risk whatever it was that was developing between us."

"Well now it has changed everything."

"I know," Casper continues to plead with him. "Just know that I have fallen for you, Lex and the last thing I want is for this to come between us."

***

Quinn's eyes slowly open and she looks around the hospital room that she is in. She immediately realizes what happened: she and Deacon got married, but immediately after the ceremony, Dyhannah and Chase rushed in and announced that they had proof that she worked with Casper to change the paternity test results. She sighs heavily as she realizes that she is officially busted: if they have proof that Marat is the father, then Deacon will know the truth.

"You're awake," Marat says as he moves closer to her bed. "Our son is waiting to meet you."

"Son? I had a boy?" Quinn looks back at him as Marat nods back to her. "Wow, I can't wait to meet him. Where is he?"

"He's just getting cleaned by the nurses and checked out by the doctor, then he will be here," Marat replies to her. "It gives us time to talk, don't you think?"

"I can only imagine how furious you are with me."

"Why would you lie to everyone, over and over again about this?" Marat asks her as he grits his teeth. "You don't think that I deserved to know that I was going to be a father? You don't think Deacon deserved to know the truth?"

"I'm sorry," she bites her lip. "I just wanted to marry Deacon and be a family with him. I love him, Marat," she says as a tear falls down her cheek. "The good news is that we are married, Deacon and I are husband and wife, so we can get through this. We can make it through this crisis."

"Deacon left these for you," Marat replies to her as he passes her an envelope."

"He left me something while I was in labour? What is it?"

"I don't know," Marat admits to her as Quinn opens the package.

She pulls out the documentation and gasps in shock. "What is it? What did Deacon leave you?"

"Annulment papers," Quinn tells him. "He wants to end our marriage before it's even 2 hours old."

***
"You must be on cloud nine, considering how things have turned out with Mac and Levi," Dane tells Lucinda as they sit across from one another on the patio of the country club with a bottle of Moët on the table. "After all that drama, they have agreed to end their feud."

"You have no idea how pleased I am," Lucinda takes a sip of the champagne. "After everything we have been through, I do believe that the family is on the right track."

"Mac also told me that he wanted to try to have a relationship with me," Dane reveals to her. "It took me by surprise, to say the least."

"This entire ordeal has made him realize that life is short and he needs to make the most of it while he can," Lucinda takes another sip of her champagne. "You need to seize this opportunity, Dane. This is our chance to really become united with Mac and Levi."

"I couldn't agree more," Dane smiles back to her. "I just have to ask something, and I need you to be honest with me."

"Of course."

"This secret that we've been keeping," Dane looks back at her with intent. "That I am Mac's father, not Mortimer, it almost ruined everyone's lives. Now that we are moving beyond it, do you have any other secrets that you're keeping? Is there anything else hidden away that could change the course of futures?"

Lucinda takes a long sip of her champagne before she looks back at Dane and forces a smile on her face. "No, of course not, darling. I have no other secrets."

***

"I can't believe that you convinced Lydia to give Blackmore Ltd. back to my Dad," Houston smiles over to Stacey as he sits across from her and Kent in the main office of his family company. "How did you make this happen?"

Stacey chuckles back to him before she looks over at Kent. "I basically told her that the only way I would ever forgive her is if she gave the company back. After Carmen almost killed her, she realized that family is the most important thing in her life."

"I can't tell you how grateful I am for you," Kent looks back at her, while Houston gulps heavily as he realizes that they are still growing closer. "You did this, Stacey. You gave me back my company."

Stacey smiles back to him. "You have to know that I would do anything for you by now," she replies to him before she realizes that they have an audience. She looks back at Houston. "I'm sorry, Houston. I know this must be awkward for you."

Houston shrugs back to her. "It is but if this makes you two happy, then I guess I can try to get on board with it."

Before anyone can say anything else, Houston's cell phone starts to ring. He pulls it out from his pocket and arches his eyebrow when he sees his half-sister's name, Madison Stewart, on the screen.

"Hey Madi," Houston says as he answers the phone. "How are you?....Wait, what? My God, is she okay? … Yes, please tell me when she's here!"

Kent looks back at Houston in concern. "What was that all about son? Is Madison okay?"

"Madi is fine," Houston uneasily replies to him. "It's Mom."

"Vivian?" Stacey asks him. "What happened to Vivian?"

"I don't know all the details," Houston replies to them. "All Madi said is that she was in a bad accident and Mom is being airlifted to the Kelsey Lake Hospital."

Kent stands up and grabs his car keys. "Come on, we should be there when Vivian arrives. I'll drive."

Stacey sighs as she watches the men rush out of the door, wondering if Vivian is going to be okay.

***

"Here, this is a double," Mac passes Lydia a glass of scotch while she sits in the living room of the Rockwell mansion. "The last twenty-four hours for you must have been hell."

Lydia takes the glass and immediately takes a sip of the drink. "I was terrified when I realized that Carmen shot Nathan and that she had a gun in the desk at Rockwell Mining," she reveals to him. "I thought she was going to kill me."

"I can't imagine what you went through," Mac replies to her quickly. "At least she is dead, and she won't be able to hurt us anymore."

"That's what I keep telling myself, Mac," Lydia nods back to him. "These last few months have been total chaos; I am just ready for things to calm down, you know? Carmen and her brother are dead; Nathan is back but you two have buried the hatchet; all the charges against you have been dropped; the family seems like it is in a good place right now, I just hope it continues that way."

"I hope so too," Mac tells her. "Some normalcy will be good for a change, huh?"

Lydia chuckles back to him. "Do you think this family can handle that?"

Mac winks back to her. "We can sure try."

"What are you doing for dinner tonight?" Lydia asks him quickly. "Would you like to join me at the club?"

"I'll have to take a rain cheque," Mac tells her. "I already have plans tonight."

"Oh?" Lydia asks in surprise. "Whom are you dining with tonight?"

"Helena Grant," Mac reveals to her as Lydia looks back at him in surprise. "I asked her out and she accepted. Oh, come on Lydia, don't look so surprised."

Lydia blushes back to him. "I'm not surprised," she tells him. "You're a very attractive man Mac, of course Helena Grant would have said yes to your offer. She's a lucky woman."

Mac kisses her forehead before they lock eyes. "Thank you for that, Lydia. I appreciate that, more than you'll ever know."

***

"Well, I just heard Quinn and her son are doing fine," Sabine says as she moves back into the waiting room of the hospital, where Cole is sitting looking at his phone.

He stands up when his Aunt reappears. "Thank goodness, you must be relieved," he tells her with a grin on his face. "And, congratulations, you're a grandmother."

"Oh my God," Sabine chuckles back to him. "Never say that word again! I'm going to have to come up with a new name, but I don't want to be called Grandma."

Cole laughs back to her. "It's hard to think that you were going to have another child not so long ago yourself," he replies to her. "Have you told Nathan about the miscarriage?"

"Not yet," she replies to him, as Nathan appears at the entry way of the waiting room. He rushed to the hospital to be with Sabine once he learned that Quinn was in labour. He pauses while he realizes that Cole and Sabine are talking about him. "I don't want anything to get in the way of his recovery."

"That's fair but, you know, he's going to ask questions when you don't start showing."

"I know, I know," Sabine sighs back to him. "The fact is, Cole, I still am struggling with the fact that I don't know who fathered my child. I told Nathan he was the father, but it could have been Mac."

"You and my Dad?" Cole asks in surprise, while Nathan's eyes open wider in shock.

"It happened once but yes," Sabine tells him. "We both agreed it was a mistake but shortly after I was pregnant. The baby, it could have been Mac's."

Outside of the waiting room, Nathan runs his hand through his hair while he feels his blood boil. "You son of a bitch," he whispers to himself. "Here you are telling me you want to make amends with me and bury the hatchet when the entire time you were having an affair with my fiancé? Oh no Mac, you will pay for this. Mark my words, you will pay for sleeping with Sabine."