Part 50 Review (Kidnappings): Brooke and Thorne find her home in shambles. Brooke meets with the art program and is surprised to find that Caspian is on of the founders. Brooke tells him that she can’t see him again; her life is with Thorne. Caspian tells Brooke he will leave her alone if she has dinner with him; Brooke is tempted. Morgan wakens to find herself locked in a room; Stephanie engineered her kidnapping. Rick tries to find Kimberly and runs into Honey who mentions her "job" for Kimberly. Rick realizes that he has been a fool and tries to talk to a heartbroken Eve who doesn’t want to see him anymore. Taylor comes home and talks to James about her plans to divorce Ridge. James asks Taylor to think hard about her decision regarding her marriage. Taylor makes a shocking admission of taking fertility drugs to have her twins, she laments that Ridge had her love and thrown it away. James questions Taylor’s friendship with Morgan and wonders if Taylor was using Morgan’s friendship to help her ignore her growing need to do something other than being a mother. Against All Odds Part 51 {Love and Regret} Eve crossed her arms over her chest. " You have 5 minutes and after that I want you to leave." " Eve" Rick gave her a pleading look. Before Rick could say anything more, Eve started to rail against him. Her hurt and her pain came out of her in a rush. "I can’t believe that you ran after her. You left me there standing alone in your mother’s home. What if your mother came home? Her house was a wreck and you left me there to run after Kimberly. It doesn’t matter, does it? As long as Kimberly is all right. Well Rick? Is the YOUR PRINCESS alright? I’m sure that you had all night to get her to forgive you; I mean it was my entire fault according to her. She’s the one you have chosen to believe, isn’t that right. After all, she is most likely STILL your girlfriend. " "Eve, if you would just listen to me." Rick reached out toward her but he stepped back when he saw the intense anger in her eyes. " Just like you LISTENED TO ME? Well I’m tired…" Eve suddenly felt defeated, why was she doing this to herself. She had tried and tried but it didn’t matter. She knew that chance that she had been taking when she got involved with Rick. She had taken a chance and she had lost her heart. " I’m tired Rick….tired all waiting for you, pleading with you and most importantly hoping that you would see the light. Yesterday, after you made promises to me, you let me down." Eve laughed cynically at Rick. " I should really be used to being used and left by now. The story on my life." Eve stared at Rick with a far away look on her face. Her voice sounded funny and she whispered the rest of her words. " Left on the side of a road, left in a empty hotel room, left in YOUR mother’s house to take a fall. You didn’t think about me at all. You just left like everyone else in my life. " Rick swallowed deeply trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. Eve had a pain in her eyes that he had never seen before. The hurt that he had put there. He was more sorry than he had ever been. He knew what it was like to be hurt by someone he loved, Amber had hurt him. He also knew that what he had felt for Kimberly was not love. Although he hadn’t wanted to hurt Kimberly seeing the real pain in Eve’s face did more to him than any of the emotional outburst that Kimberly displayed. He was sorry for the pain that he caused and he was going to do his damnest to prove it to Eve. Eve was special; she was warm, beautiful, funny and smart. Most of all she loved him and she even was starting to create a special bond with Little Eric. Eve shook her head; she was stupid to get into all of this with Rick. She had tried her best, played fair and in the end gotten hurt. " I don’t talk to you anymore. Rick, I thought that we had a chance, a real chance, but we don’t." A single tear rolled down her face. "I realized that now we never had a chance. Kimberly was always going to come first. You are a good guy Rick, but you aren’t ready to let go. To put your feelings first, to put me first." Eve didn’t Rick to see how much this was hurting her. She walked to the hallway that lead to the two bedrooms. " Just leave Rick. Just leave." Eve went to her bedroom, closed the door and started to cry. She cried for the love that she had finally found and lost. She had been foolish to think that she could have won. Brooke sipped more the delicious Merlot. Caspian had wonderful taste in wine as well as in food. They nibbled on an assortment of appetizers of clams casino, pate and fried zucchini and mushrooms it had been scrumptious. During the appetizers she had talked a great deal about Bridget. Caspian seemed to think that Bridget had talent that the institute could cultivate into something magnificent. Brooke was impressed in his knowledge about art as well as the actual interest he seemed to have taken in Bridget’s work She had a mother’s pride and she raved about both of her children. Before she knew it, she talked about her dreams and future for her children. Brooke placed the wine glass on the table. " The clams casino was simply the best that I’d ever tasted." "I’ll have to let Lawrence know he will be happy to know that you enjoyed his appetizers. I know that he’ll take special interest in the meal. It should be ready in no more than an hour or so. I know that once he meets you he’ll work even harder. He is a sucker for beautiful women." Caspian leaned back and wiped his mouth with his linen napkin. Brooke couldn’t help but to notice how the soft material moved over his very sensual lips, she remembered how those lips felt against her lips, how he tongue had stroked hers in the garden. "Stop it Brooke." She whispered to herself. "What?" Caspian gave her a coy look and she almost believes that he knew what she had been thinking. "Nothing." Caspian knew that she had been looking at him. He knew it every time that she glanced his way, his body knew it. Just as he knew when she was near, he felt it in his bones. Caspian stood and extended his hand toward her. " How about a tour of the yacht until the food is ready." "I had one earlier." "Ahh, but you didn’t have the entire tour." There are so many things that you still haven’t seen." Brooke took his hand and stood up. She lost her balance for a moment and Caspian steadied her in his arms. Brooke almost groaned outloud, he smelled like a mixture of sandalwood and spice. Electricity went through her body flooding her with want and need. She tried her best to ignore the feelings growing inside of her. Brooke followed Caspian throughout the yacht and the more she saw of the more was impressed. He had a full room dedicated for some of his artwork, three large bedrooms with spacious suite, large dinning and stateroom. Each of the rooms was beautifully furnished. His bedroom, God, it was fabulous; she couldn’t do anything but stare at the enormous bed covered in black sheets. "Having dreams of what we would do in that bed?" Caspian’s stood behind her whispering the words into her ears. His hands cupped her waist from behind. Brooke pulled away and walked away from the room. "Come one and show me your game room." After the tour was finished they went outside toward the deck. Brooke went to the railing watching the beautiful water and lovely view. She took of her suit jacket and placed in on the lounge chair. She closed her eyes, threw her head back and smelled the fresh air. Caspian watched her. The way she****led her face toward the sun. Just like…..just like Lark. Lark loved the sailing; she lived to be on the water. {Fade into memory} Caspian felt something tickle him on the nose. He rubbed his nose. He felt it again. He heard the distinctive laugher of his wife. He opened his eyes and found Lark smiling at him with mischief in her eyes. She was holding a tiny little flower in her hand. "Wake up sleepy head." "Lark" He caressed her face. "Come on Caspian it’s a beautiful morning. Get out of bed." Caspian gave his wife a sensual smile. " Now that you’ve awakened me why don’t we reenact the very sensual dream that I was having? After all I am up." Caspian pulled his wife on top of him so she would feel the evidence of arousal. He gently cupped his wife’s buttocks loving to feel of her in his arms. He caught her hand and gently nipped her fingertips. "I’d love to nibble all over you, you always taste so good." He watched as his beautiful wife blushed at his actions. "Caspian, you shouldn’t say such things to me." Lark sat up laughing. " It isn’t proper plus we made love last night." "It doesn’t matter love, I want you again." Caspian pulled her down next to him. "It’s natural for a man to want his wife over and over again. You make me insatiable, I love it." He whispered naughtily in her ear. " You love it too. If only you’d allow me to do the things I’ve really wanted to do to you." Lark blushed and jumped from the bed. Her husband was a very sexy man and he often took her breath away. He also wanted to do some things to her in the bed that she wasn’t ready for. He was just overwhelming and she often was amazed that a man like him would want her. He always simply stated was that he loved her. "Come one lets see the sun rising. It is going to be beautiful." Lark opened the doors that led to the outside deck and turned toward her husband who was getting out of their bed. He walked over toward her naked and fully aroused. He winked sexily at her. She blushed again and went out toward the deck. Caspian put his robe on and followed her onto the deck. She leaned against the rail looking lovely as the wind plastered the silky white nightgown she wore against her body. Her were eyes closed and face pointed toward the warmth of the sun. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She opened her eyes and found her husband watching her. She held out her hand toward him. " Come one silly, if you look hard enough you can see the island." He gathered her in his arms. "I’m already looking at one spectacular view." She leaned back in his arms feeling his body next to hers and smiled. {Fade to the present} Brooke watched Caspian with interest for he had a look of contentment on his face mixed with a sense of longing. "Are you alright Caspian?" "I’m fine." Brooke’s quick eyes studied him for a moment. "Where were you just now?" "Just remembering a happier time with …" His eyes darted toward the water. ". My wife…. Her name was Lark." Brooke was surprised; he never really talked about her. From the longing look on his face it was more than obvious that he was deeply in love with her. "Lark, what a beautiful name. I’m sure that she was just as beautiful." "She was." "What was she like?" Caspian hadn’t expected this, to talk about Lark with Brooke. He never talked about Lark with anyone. What could he tell Brooke that his Lark looked exactly like her? How could he explain it to her? When he had first decided to meet Brooke, it was just to see her. He never expected to have intense feelings for her or even to fall in love with her. Now he wanted her in his life and things were more complicated because of her resemblance of his wife. How could he explain to Brooke that he didn’t see Lark when he looked at her? He saw Brooke. It didn’t take any of his love away from Lark because what he had with her was special. He also loved Brooke for different reasons that he loved Lark. For as much as they looked alike and had the same gentle nature, Brooke was still different. But there was no way that she would ever understand it; hell he couldn’t understand it himself. Brooke was caught off guard by the long silence. His wife was obviously a subject that bothered him. She wondered what happened to Lark. " It’s alright Caspian, if you don’t want to talk about her, I don’t want to pressure you. I’ll leave you alone with your thoughts. Caspian caught her hand in his and lead her over toward the chairs where she could see the beautiful view. "It’s alright Brooke. I don’t mind talking about her with you." It took him a few moments to collect his thoughts. "She was an amazing woman. I knew it the moment that we first met. So gentle, so kind like a fragile china doll. So exquisite and lovely." Caspian’s sounded so lost that Brooke’s heart almost melted. "How did you two meet?" "She was riding a bicycle in Paris, going to the library or something. It had been raining earlier and I was in my little sports car going to a meeting. I accidentally splashed her with a puddle of water." Caspian shook his head. " Most women would have been upset but not Lark, she just laughed. She was standing there in a white dress that was splattered with mud, thanks to me. God, she was beautiful. Her golden hair falling around her shoulders, her hazel eyes sparkled in the sun. At that moment, I felt such an intense longing. Never have I felt like that my whole life until…." Caspian intense gaze found Brooke." One other time. It was like lighting hit me." Brooke turned away from his gaze. The story of Caspian and his wife intrigued her and she wanted to know more about Caspian and Lark. "She was a blonde with hazel eyes, like me. Interesting. " " My time with Lark was wonderful. She bought me so much joy. She was like a child seeing things as if it was the first time. I loved showing her new things, exposing her to new adventures." "She wasn’t worldly like you?" "No. Her parents raised her in a very structured and strict environment. They protected her and so did I. Maybe we both should have allowed her an opportunity to see more and do more." Caspian was caught again off track. That was one of the things Lark hated about him, his protectiveness. She said that he smothered her with his "protection", but he all did was protect her. He had protected her even to the extent of him; he hadn’t been all too truthful about his family. Once she found out the truth, she had been disappointed with him. Later on in their marriage, she had blamed him of something that he could never have done. She had thought that he had something to do with her parents’ death. In that moment, Caspian’s heart had almost broken into pieces. He loved her so. He had made a mistake and that mistake had killed her. Was he making that same mistake with Brooke? Having her watched, her office building bugged---was he doing it all over again. He didn’t regret having her watched since it saved her from her attacker, but was he taking some things too far? He’d think about it later. He knew that he would protect Brooke at all cost, she was too important.  Beth looked at her watch for the fourth time. She was nervous; it had been years since she had seen Carlos, too many years. She wondered to herself if he was still as suave as he had been in their youth. Carlos came into her line of vision walking toward her looking handsome as ever. His face lit with warmth when he saw her. "Beth" He leaned down and kissed her warmly on her check. Peppermints, his breath always smelled of peppermints. It only brought back memories, beautiful and sad memories. " You looked lovely Beth." Carlos sat down across from Beth. The little café in the south of Paris was quaint and just like Beth. She was one amazing woman, she has such a grace and style that was inbreed, it couldn’t be taught. "Carlos, although I’m very happy to hear from you. I’m wondering why all of the sudden after all of these years did you contact me?" "Beth, I’m sorry that I have to meet you under these circumstance but it’s about Brooke." "Brooke? What about her? I saw her around a month ago and she was fine." "I wish to god that I didn’t have to tell you but everything that we have worked is in danger as well as your family." Beth listened to Carlos intensely, not saying much just listening. Despair racked her face as she listened and she knew without a doubt that her family was in danger of being torn apart. She was frightened.  "Being on the water does something to you.." Brooke leaned back against the railing her head****led toward Caspian. His eyes found the beat of her pulse at the base of her neck. He wanted to kiss that spot and work his way down. He turned his attention back to his conversation with Brooke. "You like being on the water, did your parents take you sailing often?" Brooke tried to picture her father on a boat and started to laugh. Her father always seemed to have a bad case of motion sickness. " No, I was raised in the Valley. There wasn’t much time for sailing or anything like that. In fact I hadn’t ever spent a great deal of time on a yacht until I married Ridge." Brooke smiled. " We had this fabulous honeymoon on a yacht sailing around the Mediterranean. It was a wonderful time. I thought that we would last forever." She looked a little sad. " But it didn’t last. Sometimes things don’t work the way that we plan." "Your marriage to him was a painful thing wasn’t it?" "I loved him. I loved since I was around 19. For years all I could do was eat, drink and sleep Ridge, when he annulled our marriage it almost killed me. It is a hard thing to let go but I did let go. I did however have two children to deal with and they needed me. I had to learn to move on …without him. Thorne helped me with that, to let go and move on. He made me go out and have dinner and be silly. Soon the pain wasn’t there anymore, at least not the way it had been. " "Do you still have feelings for Ridge?" Caspian didn’t like Ridge Forrester; he had treated Brooke as if she was dirt. He had left her all alone, he and his brother were selfish and immature although they were grown men. Memories of Ridge filled her head. Lovely memories, painful memories rolled around her brain. "Do I still love Ridge? A part of me will always love him. But those days are over. I’ve accepted it, and we have made a peace with one another. He and Taylor were happily married. They are having some problems now but I’m sure that Taylor will forgive Ridge, she always does. In the end after very little begging on Ridge’s part, I’m sure that Taylor will get over it. " "You say that with conviction." Brooke grinned sarcastically. " Taylor worked too hard for her prize, I’m sure that she is not going to give him up." "You’re angry with her?" "How I feel about Taylor is strange. For a while I thought that she and I could bury the hatchet but just when I was in a position to trust her, she stabbed me in the back." Brooke looked at Caspian with a look of distain. " I’m not sure if I will ever forgive her for that. But I have a feeling that she has her own betrayal to deal with. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t wish what she is going through on anyone. But Taylor will survive, after all I’ve survived much worse." Caspian knew that she had. Brooke was a fighter; she would survive everything including Thorne’s betrayal. He would see to it. Caspian followed Brooke toward the railing. "Good. I know a little about surviving myself. It only makes me stronger." Brooke heard something in his voice. She looked at him, in all the conversations that they had his power and control was there and a sense that he could survive anything. " You are aren’t you? You are a survivor. Tell me Caspian, what have you survived in your lifetime?" Morgan was more than weary; she had banged on the door for what seemed like hours to no avail. No one was going to hear her, she was all alone, pregnant and had been kidnapped by her child’s own grandmother. She looked around her jail cell, the large spacious room wasn’t bad, and in fact if she hadn’t been locked in, she’d like it here. The soft natural pink tones of the wallpaper, conformable sofa, book shelves full of books and movies, a flat television was mounted against the wall. A soft rocking chair was in front of the fireplace. She had tried her earnest to open both of the locked doors connected to her room, only the bathroom was open for her. She wanted to lie down on the large canopy bed because of her exhaustion. She didn’t know where she was but it seemed the Stephanie thought of everything, even refrigerator filled with cool liquids and fresh fruits, and raw vegetables, there were meals in Tupperware and a microwave. She wondered how long it would take for anyone notice that she was missing. "God Morgan, you don’t have any friends here besides Clarke." Morgan was worried; it looked as if she would be here for a while. She wondered if anyone would look for her. She had no real friends in L.A anymore. Her best chance was Clarke; he’d look for her, maybe. Maybe her parents would come looking for her, but she wasn’t sure about that. She had acted unpredictable in her past and wouldn’t even know where to begin. The truth is that she didn’t have a while; her baby was to be born soon. She couldn’t possibility have her son here, not all alone. What if something happened to them, this was a dangerous situation. Why had Stephanie done this? She wondered if Ridge had told Stephanie about the stock. Or was this about Taylor? Of course it was about Taylor, Stephanie would do anything to protect Ridge and Taylor’s marriage, but to kidnap her was taking it too far. She wasn’t sure what Stephanie was capable of; she had tried once to kill her son, what would happen to him now? Morgan stroked her large belly. "Don’t you worry baby. Mommy isn’t going to let anything one hurt you. I’ve waited my whole life to have you." Ridge looked at the paper that his father had given him. "Are you sure that this is legitimate?" "Why would she lie son? Maybe all of the pressure of the situation was getting to her. All I know is that she wants out of her contract and we will be willing to pay her for her time here." Ridge thought about the stock that Morgan had gotten from him. " Don’t worry about paying her, she got more than she deserved." Eric gave Ridge a questioning look. "What are you talking about?" Ridge felt guilty, after his entire father had a right to know about the stock but now wasn’t the time. With Taylor and all of mess, he really didn’t want to get into it about the stock that he had lost. He’d tell them later. With Morgan gone, things would be a lot easier to deal with; still it meant that he would lose his son. He had already lost one child and now it seemed that he was going to lose another. He would always wonder about his son. He had scarified his child in order to save his family; it is an ironic thing because in the past he had sacrificed his family with Brooke for his child, Thomas.  Brooke leaned back onto the comfortable sofa. She was disappointed that her conversation with Caspian had been interrupted by his phone call. She had wanted to know much more about him and what made him tick. He was an intriguing man, she wondered about so many things. It was time that she found some answers. Brooke looked around the living room looking for any clues that would tell her anything about him. She found nothing, no pictures, no notes or files tell what he did for a living, not even change. Brooke silently made her way toward Caspian’s bedroom, she knew that she was wrong and she should have stayed in the comfortable living room where Caspian disposed her. Brooke silently opened the door to the bedroom. She could smell his sandalwood scent throughout the room. She didn’t know what she was looking for, just something that would tell more about the man who saved her. She looked around the room for pictures or something but she didn’t find any. She opened his closet door and found only immaculate clothes hanging very in an order. Brooke almost gave up when she noted his nightstand, she went to it and tried to open it but it was locked. Brooke sat down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. What in the world was she doing? She was invading his privacy, going through his things. She had no right to do something like this. If she wanted to know something about him, she should just ask. Just then a sudden feeling came over her, the feeling that only came when Caspian was near her. She turned her head toward the door. Caspian was standing in the doorway watching Brooke; he had an angry look on his face. "What were you hoping to find?" "I don’t know. I’m sorry. I just wanted to know more about you so…" "You decided to snoop in my things looking for something. Caspian walked toward Brooke and stood in front of her. You really aren’t good at snooping, I knew that moment that you entered here. I’ve got a quite a few silent alarms. I’ve known it the moment that you came into here." He caught her chin with his fingers. " I’ll admit that the for a second I was hoping that you came into here because you wanted me." Brooke’s eyes shifted with guilt. The entire afternoon that they had been together he had been a nothing but a gentleman toward her. Although there were times that she caught him looking at her with those sensual eyes of his. " Instead you are looking for something? What are you looking for Brooke?" "I was looking for pictures or something of that nature. I don’t know." Brooke sighed. " Pictures? Pictures of what?" "I don’t know, something to tell me more about you. I know absolutely nothing about you. I just thought…. I don’t know. I’m sorry Caspian." Brooke walked toward the outer foyer to his bedroom. Snooping isn’t really my style, it’s just my interest was peeked." Caspian should have been angered, she shouldn’t be snooping in his things but on the same note, he had done no better, having her watched and her office bugged. Besides there was nothing that she could find that he didn’t want her to find. He looked at the nightstand and then opened it with a key. Brooke saw him and watched as he opened the nightstand and pulled out what looked like a photo album. He walked over to the sofa and took her hand and pulled her down with him. " My name is Caspian Deangleo. I’m 39 years old. I’ve lived my entire life Venice although I have homes in different countries. I own quite a few companies and am consummate businessman, resorts, restaurants, and computer software. You name it, I basically own it." "Caspian …stop." "I thought that you wanted to know more about me." Caspian gave her a slightly annoyed look. "Not like this." Brooke licked her lips. " I’m sorry, It just seems that you everything about me and I don’t know a thing." "Then ask me Brooke!" Caspian softened his tone. " Ask me anything and I promise that I’ll do my best to tell you the truth. Just ask me." "Where to start? Well, I guess I know what you do for a living, you run companies." "Yes, I took over a few companies after my father died. Later in my life I took over a couple more companies and that is how I make my money." "Companies such as…" "Brockmann Tech" "Wow, I’ve heard of that company. Your computer software in amazing especially in there tracking devices. " "Yes, well we did really well with it." " I think that I read that you made close to a billion dollars for that idea. So you are filthy rich? You know what that means don’t you?" "What does it mean?" "That you aren’t after my Forrester millions." Caspian smiled and scooted closer to Brooke. " No, I’m not. Now that you know that I’m a least a billionaire, does that mean that I’ve become more attractive to you?" "NO" "I didn’t think so." Caspian sighed. " I thought that I’d give it a try. Are you sure that I can’t buy you an island or something?" " No. But I’ll try to remember that in the future. Why do you have all of these men around you?" "Brooke, my life hasn’t always been what it is now. I have, in the past, been involved with some shady men. I’m just making sure that I’m safe and the people around me are safe. Although I don’t have those connections anymore, I just need to make sure that everyone including me are safe. "You are dangerous aren’t you?" Brooke stood up and looked out of the porthole. What was doing with him, it was obvious that he was dangerous. "You weren’t involved in drugs or anything I like that because you told me before you weren’t a drug dealer." " No Brooke, I wasn’t involved with drug dealers but I know would know where to get drugs if I needed it, but I don’t. Yes Brooke. Some would call me dangerous. But I’d never be a danger to you or to your family. I’d protect you with my life." His words touched her heart. She turned toward him and knew it instantly that he was everything that she should not have, sexy, smart, intelligent and dangerous. She was a little afraid. She ought to be more than a little afraid. "Your wife, did she die because of the danger surrounding you?" "No.." Caspian looked at for a moment and she saw a glistening of tears in his eyes. Brooke felt alarm race through her and she was overcome. A man of his stature who was torn up inside of because of pain. Brooke went to him and touched his face gently. " I’m sorry, Caspian I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have bought it up." He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. " It’s alright. I’ve never been able to open anyone about Lark. I’m glad that I can talk about her to you. Some people say that my lifestyle killed her but maybe it is true." "How did she die?" "An accident, she fell down the stairs. She was running away from me." "She was running away from you, why? I can clearly see that you love her." Caspian moved over toward the fireplace and turned the electric fireplace on. Brooke sat down on the sofa quietly waiting for him to talk about his wife’s death. Caspian stared into the fire. " She hated my lifestyle, my old life. She didn’t know about it when we married it or some of the dangerous people who I knew. She didn’t like being watched even though it was to keep her safe. Things were much different back then. I should have been honest with her and because of that she thought that I did something I didn’t do." Caspian was caught up in his horrible memories of the night Lark died. " I tried to tell her the truth but she wouldn’t listen to me. She wasn’t looking where she was going and she fell down the stairs. She fell and there wasn’t a thing that my money could do to save her or…….our child that she was carrying." Caspian stood up still looking into the fire. " It is my fault that she died. If I had just allowed her to leave and walk out instead of arguing with her, she never would have died." The regret was there in his voice along with the pain. Brooke slowly got up from the sofa and made her way over to him. She reached out and touched him on his shoulder. " It wasn’t you fault Caspian." Caspian turned toward Brooke and for a moment she was Lark, she was telling him that it wasn’t fault. "It isn’t your fault. It was an accident. I know it." Brooke wanted to ease the pain that he carried. She cupped his face in her hands and brought his face down toward hers. Her lips touched his brow, his nose, and his cheeks and then she softly inhaled his scent. Finally when their eyes met. She leaned forward and her mouth found his. The kiss was sweet, gentle and caring. Her hands caressed his head and her tongue slipped in between his lips; she stroked his tongue softly with her own. Brooke gave herself into the kiss, wanting to give him a moment of pleasure taking away the pain. Caspian loved the feel of her in his arms, his tongue started to stroke her own. The kiss deepened and Caspian pulled her tighter into his arms. The intercom started to buzz overhead. Caspian uttered the words "No" against Brooke’s lips. The intercom continued to buzz, Caspian reluctantly ended the kiss when Brooke gently pulled her lips away and stepped back. She looked up into his eyes. He gently traced her bottom lip with his forefinger. "You had better get that, I think that they want you." Brooke’s eyes never left Caspian’s. " You are right, I should get the intercom." Caspian went to the intercom. "Yes." "Mr. Deangleo. You meal is ready. Would you like it set up in your bedroom, dinning room or the deck?" Caspian looked toward Brooke who looked flushed. He wanted it sent to bedroom so he and Brooke could eat it after they had made love. Better yet, he could feed it to her in bed. "The deck will be nice to have a meal on. It would be beautiful to watch the sun set." Brooke suggested. Caspian pushed the button on the intercom. "The deck will be fine." " I guess that I had better get ready for dinner. If you’ll excuse me I’ll get ready." Brooke left the room. Caspian stared into the fire. He had opened up about some of the pain that he had been through. She didn’t condemn him, she had comforted him instead. Eve had been sitting in the room, thinking about her feelings for Rick. What she and Rick had hadn’t been real, she had been a fool. She heard the door to her bedroom open, she didn’t turn around. " True, I just had to worst day. Rick…" She turned and found Rick. "What are you doing here? I asked you to leave." " You said what you wanted to say and know I’m going to talk." Rick sat down next to Eve on the bed. Eve moved away when Rick caught her hand. "Don’t, don’t turn away from me. I need you Eve. I need your love." "Yes, now that Kimberly is mad at you." "No, I don’t even know how Kimberly is feeling at the moment and I don’t care. I haven’t seen Kimberly." "You ran after her!" "Yes because I was feeling guilty. I was also shocked by what I saw between you two. I wanted to make sure that she was alright." Eve rolled her eyes. "But I was wrong to do that, I should have been concerned about you. I know that know. Look, I’m not sure what happened between you and Kimberly and at this time, I don’t care. I only care about how you are doing and feeling. I’m so sorry about what I did yesterday. You have been there for me so many times and I’ve haven’t been there for you. I couldn’t be there for you the way that I should have been before because of my relationship with Kimberly, it would have been wrong. But it won’t be wrong anymore." "What are you saying Rick?" "I’m saying that from now on YOU come first with me." Rick saw the indecision in Eve’s eyes and felt hope surge through him. He got down on his knees and took her hands in his. " You mean everything to me Eve. When we first met, I thought that you were wonderful but I had no idea the feelings that I would come to have for you. That first night…" " The night we had sex?" "Yes, well, I didn’t treat you the way that I should have. After that night I couldn’t stop thinking about you." "Because you obviously thought that I was an easy lay." "No, never. " Rick gripped her hand tight. " I never thought that way about you. You were just so different. You listened to me. You cared about me. Everything time I went on and on about Kimberly, you were still there for me." Rick looked lovingly into Eve’s eyes. " CJ out of all people helped me to realize that life is too short. Too short to let someone like you go. In my life, I thought that I loved 2 other women but I didn’t love them, not the way that I love you. I’ve been a fool; I’ve treated you worse than I treated Amber. I defended her and I didn’t defend you. I made a mistake. I care about Kimberly and I always will but I LOVE YOU! I want to be with you Eve and I can only pray that you still want me." Rick paused, he hadn’t been this scared in his life except when he thought that he was going to lose Little Eric. He didn’t want to lose Eve. She made his life better and that was all that mattered. " Please Eve, please say that you will forgive me." Tears started to sting Rick’s eyes. He tried his best to keep control, he wasn’t one to cry and he certainly didn’t want to cry in front of her. " Please.." His voice cracked. He’d do whatever she wanted, he loved her. Eve studied him, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. He wanted her, that is what he said. Her head told her not to listen, that his words were meaningless, she didn’t have a real chance with him. Her heart told her to grab on to the one thing in the world that she had been waiting for, a real chance at love. Rick pulled Eve down and she kneeled in front on him. " Please Eve. I love you. Give me a chance." He whispered. "Give me a real chance." Rick didn’t wait for a reply afraid of what she might say to him. His mouth softly found hers. He kissed her gently and used his tongue to softly taste her sweet mouth. Eve couldn’t help herself, tears slipped down her cheeks when she closed her eyes and gave herself up into the kiss. Rick felt her sigh and knew it was an act of submission. His mouth and tongue caressed her, sipping her sweetness. He found her neck and softy kiss the curved slope, loving her scent that was nothing more than shampoo and deodorant, but to him it was the sweetest thing in the world. Eve’s hands found the buttons to Rick’s shirt and quickly unbuttoned his shirt, her hand skimmed across his nipples eliciting of groan of desire from him. Rick caught the ends of Eve’s T-shirt and pulled it over her head, she wore nothing under it, her small beautiful breast were so sexy to him that his mouth and hands covered them in only a matter of moments. Eve closed her eyes, his mouth was suckling at her, tasting her nipples. Desire raced through her, his hands teased her nipples and then descended toward her jeans. Quickly, his hands pulled at the button until it opened and then pushed her pants down, she kicked at her feet to get the jeans off of her legs. Rick’s fingers slid down under the scrappy pink panties, feeling her heat, dying to be inside of her. He stroked her softly with his fingers, his mouth played with her nipples. " I want you. I need you." He whispered against her breast. " I love you Rick." Rick watched her and felt such joy run through him. He saw the tears in her eyes and smiled. Rick studied Eve, her beautiful naked body under him; expect for the panties, he wanted her so bad that he hurt. Eve sat up, her long hair brushed against her sensitive nipples; she wanted Rick to make love her. She took her panties off dropping them on the floor. Her hand caught to waist to Rick’s khakis and soon they were off of him. Rick stood in his white briefs looking a little nervous, Eve smiled. How could Rick be nervous? Eve should have been the one who was nervous because to her, this was her first time. It didn’t matter that she had had sex with so many various men that she couldn’t count before she was even 17 years old. This was Rick and as far as she was concerned he was a first. The first man that she had ever MADE LOVE TO, she loved him. Rick looked down into Eve’s beautiful eyes, they both laughed. Eve held out her hand toward Rick. " You don’t have to be nervous. I know that this time is special, but I won’t break." Heat flooded her eyes. Eve got on her hunches and helped Rick to remove his underwear. Rick moved over Eve, giving her heated kisses with his tongue. Eve’s hand expertly massaged Rick’s back, and moved her body under his. Her hands traveled down toward his butt and gently squeezed him; one of her hands slowly made it’s way toward his member. She gently stroked his member, holding him and manipulating his expertly within the confines of her hand. "Eve, god…" Rick was sweating. Her scent and hands were starting to driving him mad, he was dying to be inside of her. Eve’s mouth found his chest and she softly kissed it while her hands worked their magic. Mouths met and tasted, hands caressed and stroked. The passion built and built between the two. Rick pulled his mouth away from his breath heated and sounding as if he had been running the 100 K. He moved himself against her soft heat and the tip of his manhood contacted her heated creamy center. Eve moved herself slowly against Rick, knowing of the control that he was trying to exhibit. She smiled wickedly. There were so many things that she wanted to show him. So many things that she could do to make him moan with pleasure. But that would wait; she didn’t want him to ask too many questions. It had been three years since she had last had a man since before Rick. She had given up on men and hadn’t wanted one sexually until she met him. Her tongue slipped inside of his mouth stroking his, playing and mating with his. She pulled her heated warmth away from him, her fingers trailed over the tip of his manhood feeling the wetness of a bit of his essence that had formed at it’s tip. Rick’s eyes narrowed with intense heat. Eve pushed Rick until he was lying on his back. Rick watched with amazement as Eve slowly lowered her head to his chest. Her fingers stroked his nipples and then her tongue slid over them. She softly bit at his chest and then slowly moved down his, down softly and slowly toward his stomach. His breath caught in the back of his throat. Her mouth moved down and down. Rick closed his eyes in anticipation. Eve’s mouth moved down until her mouth softly covered his raging manhood, her tongue stroked, her mouth suckled. Rick’s hand gripped the sheets of the bed, her mouth pleasuring him intensely. Eve continued to pleasure him until she knew that he couldn’t take it anymore and then she moved her head away. " I don’t have any condoms, but I’m sure that Trudie does somewhere. Wait here." Eve left the room naked and quickly came back. She opened the foil package and put the condom on his erection. Eve moved over top of Rick and lowered herself on top of him. Rick closed his eyes in ecstasy. She moved over him, his hands cupped her breast and played with her nipples. She moved, he moved, they created an intense heat together. Their bodies mingled together, sweat rolled bodies, mouths tasted and caressed. Eve moved against Rick while he thrust up inside of her. They moved together until they exploded together. Eve collapsed on top of Rick who was trying his best to catch his breath. Rick had never been happier than he had been at that moment. Eric finished off the scotch in his glass. " Stephanie, that meal was delicious. When did you have time to cook such a meal? Let alone my favorite cookies?" She patted him on his cheek." I thought after a day like today, I thought that we both needed a good meal." "Does this good mood have anything to do with Morgan leaving?" Stephanie thought about Morgan and laughed. There was no way that she was going to get out of that house. She had taken all precautions to insure that Morgan would be locked up tight. Sending that fax took care of anyone looking for Morgan at work. "I will admit that knowing that she is gone for good keeps my mind at peace." Eric took Stephanie in his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. Stephanie leaned back. "What is that for?" "Are you complaining?" Eric kissed his wife again. " I’m just so proud of you Stephanie. I thought for sure that you would go over there and declare war with Morgan, but you didn’t. Stephanie, believe me, after what she did I wanted to ring her neck. I’m just so proud of you. I’m quite sure that if you and Morgan went at it, it would have only ended up messy for all involved." Stephanie said nothing, she did what she had to do Eric hugged Stephanie. "Since it looks like Rick isn’t going to make it to our house, why don’t we call Jonathan and tell him to come over later. I think I’d like to make love to my wife." Ridge pulled the comforter over his sleeping wife. Her bruises were evident as well as the cast on her wrist. He watched her sleep for a while. God, he loved her so much and he had almost ruined it because of Morgan. " I promise you Doc, that I will make this up to you. I love you. I promise that I’ll never hurt or betray you again." Ridge got up to check on his children. Taylor opened her eyes. Bitterness and pain were there. "You love me Ridge. Yes, I’ve seen how much you love me." First she’d take care of Ridge and then Morgan once she had her baby.  Brooke turned around at the sound of the sliding door closing behind her. Dinner had been excellent. The chief was master at what he did; everything from the Waldof salad, seasoned sting asparagus to the seasoned rare swordfish was perfect. She and Caspian had talked endlessly during the meal, she had stayed away from the topic of his wife, she didn’t want to remind him of the pain that he went through. Caspian moved toward the sofa and sat down. "Are you alright? " "Yes, it’s fine. The meal was just perfect. The music, the scenery, everything was wonderful. Brooke smiled softly. "You were wonderful. You kept you word." "By keeping my hands off of you, it was and still is a very hard thing." " You kept your word. I thank you." Brooke didn’t want to think about what could have happened between them in his bedroom. She had kissed him. She had kissed him and that broke the ground rules when she did." This night had been wonderful, she really didn’t want it to end, but it had to. They had been making their way toward home since the middle of the meal. Caspian studied the woman sitting across from him. He pulled out a photo album and put it down in front of her. "What is this?" "Pictures, a little glimpse of my past." Brooke opened the photo album and smiled at the different of pictures of Caspian. He as a baby, a young child, and school aged boy and a teenager holding a laughing girl in his arms. "A girlfriend?" "No, my sister Isabelle." Brooke touched the picture of Caspian and Isabelle. " She is very beautiful." "Yes, she is." Caspian looked sadly at the photo. " I don’t think that I have any other pictures of her older than this with her smiling." "Why not?" Caspian got a dark look in his eyes." Our father died soon after this. Things changed after that, in many ways." " You were close to your father, weren’t you? Brooke looked at the picture of Caspian and his father. " He was a very handsome man. You look like him." "He was a great man, powerful, yet caring. He loved me and Bella was the apple of his eye. When he died, I had to be the man of the family and take care of things." Caspian frowned with disgust. "My mother wasn’t a very strong woman; she latched to her lover. She didn’t have time to be a mother to me let alone to Bella. Later, I ended up taking care of Bella and raising her." "How could you have done that if you were just a teen yourself? "I was strong Brooke. I had good business sense and a mentor who looked after me. I loved my sister and I knew that her place was with me. I’m not sure if I did a good job raising her, Isabelle is very different than most women. I often wonder how things would have ended up if my father had lived." "It must have been hard on you, becoming a man a without your father." "It was harder on Bella." "I know what it was like to lose a father. I lost mine when I was young. My dad left and it was hard on me. Sometimes I wonder if I married Eric because I missed my father. Maybe that is why I have been so insecure in the past with dealing with men. It has taken me a while to really love myself and believe in myself. I think part of it is because I didn’t have my father’s love but now I do." Brooke was a bit embarrassed by her admission. She continued to look at different photos of Caspian when he was younger. "You don’t have any pictures of Lark?" Caspian eyes darkened. " No. I took her death very hard. I didn’t want any reminders of her around. I had my memories, they would never go away." " I’m sorry. I just wanted to see what she looked like." Brooke’s eyes were draw to his. "She had to be an extraordinary woman in looks and everything to capture a man like you. To still have his love after even after death." Caspian touched a tentacle of Brooke’s hair. "She was everything that I ever wanted. I never thought that I feel anything like I did with her until now." Caspian moved toward Brooke his hand cupping her face. " You don’t what it is like to replay the same event over and over in your head. Night after night filled with nightmares. Waiting for your life to be over so you can be with your beloved. Year after year just barely living, going through women like water, making money but finding no please in it and being all alone. Then one day, I met someone who brought everything back to me. I had the color back in my life, the food tasted better, music sounded better, everything…everything is better." Caspian held her head between his hands stroking her face. " I found the person who brought the passion back into my life. This incredibly beautiful woman who has such fire and fever within her soul. A woman who makes me ache with just a look, aching to be inside of her sweet, sweet warmth. A woman who I think about day and night, have dreams about. Dreams, which are now taking place of my nightmares." His fingers traced her lips. "A woman who I’d do anything for like not making love to her because it would hurt her even though we both want it." He leaned forward his mouth an inch away from hers. "A woman who makes me want to become a better man, better in everything that I do." Brooke closed her eyes. He was making this hard on her. " I know you Brooke. I know what is inside of you, the passion, the pain, the love, the hurt. It is all there living inside of you. Now it is starting to live inside of me. You make me feel ALIVE." His fingers traced her collarbone. " I make you feel alive. I know it. I’ve can feel it inside of me, you can feel too. "Don’t.." "Please tell me the truth. Be honest Brooke, if this is the last time we are going to be together. Be honest with me for once. Tell me the truth." "I…." Brooke would never have a chance to tell him the truth. "You make me feel alive. You create such feel inside of me. You make me feel so much….that is why I can’t.." Caspian grabbed her and kissed her passionately, his mouth inhaling hers, inhaling her totally. He pulled her tightly against his body, his arousal evident. He rubbed himself against her. His mouth trailed down her neck. "I’m so sorry …. I’m sorry." He was sorry that he was breaking his word about dinner, about not touching her. He needed her. " I need you…oh god, I need you." His control was slipping. His hands cupped her breast through her blouse; his thumbs stroked her nipples while his mouth moved over hers. Brooke was losing control; her mouth accepted the thrust of his tongue, while her breast strained against his fingers. Her hands wrapped around his neck, pulling him tighter, her breath was labored. His fingers found the buttons to her blouse and before she knew it her breasts were bared and she was bringing his head down toward her breast. His mouth captured her nipple; he stroked it, played with it and then suckled it. Intense pleasure flooded throughout her body, she wanted him. When his mouth pressed kisses against her breast softly a memory echoed throughout Brooke….Thorne. Thorne had his head against her breast last night, they had made sweet love, it had been special, and it had been wonderful. This time with Caspian was intense feeling, hot, carnal, sultry, hedonistic and wrong. Maybe it could have been right if they had met long ago, but it wasn’t right now. "No. Don’t" Caspian’s mouth was still trailing her breast while his hand was running up her thigh toward her aching center. Brooke pushed up against him. " Please, please stop." Concern raced through Caspian. "Brooke, are you alright. I didn’t hurt you did I?" Caspian touched her swollen lips wondering if she was reliving her trauma. Brooke sat up and clasped back her bra. She buttoned her blouse and looked at him. "I can’t do this." Tear filled her eyes. " I want to. I want make love to you so much that I’m aching. But it wouldn’t be right. I love Thorne. I’m make so many mistakes in my life but I’ve learned from them." Brooke closed her eyes and prayed to patience. "I can’t make the same mistakes again and doing this would be a mistake. I can’t do this to Thorne. No matter what you feel or I feel." Brooke started to cry; she wasn’t sure why but something inside of her was breaking. "You make me come alive but I can’t do this to the man that I love." " Brooke.." ‘NO! Listen to me. I can’t keep doing this. It’s wearing me down Caspian…saying no, staying true to Thorne is becoming harder when I’m near you. He deserves better that. He deserves my fidelity, my love for him deserves that." Brooke got up. " I will miss you. You saved me and I will never forget that but my place is with Thorne. I don’t know what would have been with us. It doesn’t matter anymore." Brooke softly touched his face. " I’m so sorry about Lark. I even sorrier that I can’t allow these feeling between to grow anymore. I hope that you find someone, to make you feel alive again. You deserve that much. You deserve to find happiness. It just can’t be with me." Brooke dropped her hand and looked studied Caspian’s handsome face once more. "We can never see each other again. Please honor my wishes and stay away. Don’t make this harder on me than it already it." Brooke headed toward the door. " I’ll ask one of the crewmen to take me home in the speedboat, I think it will be better that way." " Brooke, I’ll never hurt you." " I know you won’t mean to but if this continues I will be hurt. One day I won’t say no and you won’t be able to hold off like you did the other night." Surprise jumped into Caspian’s eyes. " You remember? You were delirious." " I thought that it was a dream until now. You turned away from me when you didn’t have to; you put me before your own needs. You are such extraordinary man. I’ll never forget it, I’ll never forget you." "Brooke" Caspian approached her and she backed up toward the door. "There isn’t anything left for you to say. Please don’t make this harder on me. Goodbye." " If you ever need me. You know where to reach me. The little card that I gave you. You still have it? If you ever need me, please call me, day or night." " I won’t need too but thank you. Goodbye Caspian." Brooke turned and left the room. She found crewmen to put her on the speedboat and they sped away. Brooke looked back at the yacht and found him staring silently at her. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Stephanie smiled at her sleeping husband; he was still a most satisfying lover. He had been so happy with her she was sorry that she had to lie to him; still it was important to protect her family from the likes of Brooke and Morgan. Stephanie walked down into the study locked the door and then pushed a button, the bookshelf moved and behind it was a TV. She watched as Morgan slept. She had made sure that there was enough food for at least two to three days. She’d let Morgan sweat it out and then she’d talk to her to get what she wanted. Morgan was never going to hurt her son or Taylor again. She’d see to that. Then there was Brooke, soon she was going to lose everything, and it was only in a matter of days. In less than a week for now, Brooke would lose custody of Bridget and her hold over Forrester. Thorne sat drinking in his bedroom. Pictures of Brooke were spread all over his bed. She was beautiful and sweet. After the showing, he’d tell her the truth. He’d tell her about Kimberly. Rick stroked Eve’s naked back, she lay on her stomach while he on his back. He was in heaven, pure heaven. Eve’s fingers drew lazy patterns on his chest. "Didn’t you have to go to your dad’s hours ago?" Eve asked sleepily. " Yes, but I’m staying here." Eve smiled. " You can stay forever." Rick gently pulled her on top on him; her hardened nipples caressed his chest. Rick felt himself harden against her. Eve bent down kissed Rick’s nose. She laid her head on his chest. "I want to stay like this forever." Eve closed her and drifted off to sleep. She was happier than she had ever been. Rick stroked her hair and watched as her body raised and fell with her sleep. He kissed the top of her head. Kimberly was the in the past, he’d find her and tell her that it was over. He regretted that she found out but now was the time to be truthful. Their relationship had been over for a long time. He would still use his stock to make sure that he got her job back. Rick laughed to himself; he had been so busy that he hadn’t been able to talk to Connor to get all the necessary papers signed about his inheritance. He’d have to do some pleading again to his mother, although he knew that she was most likely steamed about her house, at least that is what Bridget had said. Still he’d see that Kimberly got her job back, he owed her that much. His mind thought about Honey, he wondered what job Kimberly had paid her for. Brooke glanced at the clock, it was 1:30 am and she still couldn’t seem to sleep. She opened the dresser on her bureau and placed the anklet into a small box that held the letter Caspian wrote her and also the note with the flowers. She put the box away; she was putting Caspian away out of her mind. She had made a choice, her life was with Thorne. Caspian was gone forever; she would never see him again. Brooke silently cried. She cried for herself. She cried for Caspian who had already lost so much in his life. =-=-=-=-=-= missing chapter 52?Against All Odds Chapter 52 Review: Brooke learns more about Lark from Caspian. She hears about Lark’s death and feels sorry for Caspian. Caspian gives Brooke information about himself and the two enjoy a cozy dinner. Brooke is again tempted to make love to him, but she pulls away and begs him to leave her alone. Brooke says goodbye for good to Caspian. Rick pleads his undying love to Eve who is tired of being left alone. He promises to but her first and the two make love. Stephanie and Eric enjoy the night together, Eric is proud of the way that she left Morgan alone. Morgan realizes that Stephanie plans to keep her locked up for a long while. She worries about the effects it may have on her son, who is due any moment. Ridge wonders if Morgan is really gone for good. Against All Odds Chapter 53 (Show Time)Models went running around in different stages of dress, some in robes, other half dressed, some in bikinis and others in dresses that still shaped and molded their body.KC looked up at the model whose dress she was still trying to fit. " You’ve got to hold still or this isn’t going to work." "I’m sorry but I’m not feeling well at all. My roommate caught some sort of stomach flu and I think that I’ve got it too." Susan held her stomach. "Did you take that medicine that I gave you?""Yes, but I don’t think that it is working." Susan turned an unnatural shade of green and took of for the bathroom in a run. KC stood up. "Wait, come back!" KC looked after the model, what else could possibly go wrong today. Scott ran toward KC. " There is a problem.""What type of problem?""The showstopper." "What about it?""Apparently Laurie isn’t going to be wearing it." "If she isn’t going to wear it then who is?""Beats me, it is supposed and that is the problem. No one knows seems to know anything." Taylor finished the last touches of her makeup. It had taken her hours to do her hair and her makeup, thanks to her broken rib and her wrist. Taylor painfully reached for her pain pills; she decided to take two pills. The pain was killing her. Living with Ridge was killing her. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at her face and her figure. She was beautiful woman in her and she knew it. She had been the perfect wife to Ridge. Helping him, being there for him. She had given up her job with an exciting man such as Pierce Peterson for Ridge. Dealt with the stress of Brooke, year after year. She had almost made herself sick with those fertility drugs and almost died from TB in order for her babies to be born safely. She was the mother of his children, had been his friend and his lover. Taylor thought about the last time that she and Ridge made love. Hadn’t she done everything that he wanted? Hadn’t she given him what he wanted sexually? It still wasn’t enough, was it? He had to cheat on her with Morgan out of all people. Anger contorted Taylor’s face. "I told you all about my marriage and you used that against me, didn’t you. You bitch. You lied and you were after my husband the entire time." Morgan’s betrayal hurt her to the core. Taylor thought about the lunches that she had with Morgan, all of the talks that they had together and the entire time, Morgan had been sleeping with her husband. Taylor had spent most of the day before thinking of clues that she missed that would show her of the betrayal that she missed. Ridge had tried his earnest to be loving toward her planning a trip to St. Thomas. She had said nothing and had pretended to be excited. It took will power for her not to throw up on him, he was having an affair with a woman who was pregnant, and he was disgusting. She never thought that she’d think it, but it would have been better if it had been Brooke. She would have understood if he had had an affair with her, he had once loved Brooke. But Morgan, her friend. Her husband was a liar and a whoremonger. Taylor thought about all that she had lost, her husband, her friend and her child. Taylor opened the painkillers and took another pill. "Eric, the press is asking all sorts of questions about Morgan. I’m not sure what to say. They are wondering if she is fired because of her affair with Ridge."Eric ignored Megan. " Caitlin, Cindy, please tell Mark to have your dresses in order." Eric turned toward Megan. " Tell them that she has resigned and that all questions will be taken care of after the showing. We will not be answering any questions about our personal lives. We are here for a showing and that is what we will be talking about. Make sure that you make that clear Megan." Eric looked in the mirror and checked his tux. " I don’t have time for this, we have a fashion show to put on." Megan watched as Eric walked away."Just great, leaving all of this to me." Megan walked toward the showing room full of people. Eve positively glowed; she had never been to a fashion show before. She checked her dress to make sure that it was on straight. Rick kissed her gently on her neck. "I’m not sure why you keep doing that, you look beautiful." And she did look beautiful wearing a light blue strapless dress. Eve turned toward Rick and blushed. Rick wrapped his arms around her. "I’m going to have to watch you very closely all the men in room aren’t going to be able to keep their eyes off of you." "The only man that I’m going to be looking at tonight is you Rick Forrester." Eve leaned forward and her lips met Rick’s in a passionate kiss. Rick’s hands moved down to cup her bottom and she opened her mouth to receive his stroking tongue. Brooke came to the doorway and found Rick and Eve kissing passionately."Excuse me love birds but I think that my office isn’t the place for making out." Rick turned to find his mother looking at him with a smile on her face. Yesterday he had went home and talked to his mother about the mess in her house. She hadn’t been happy about the fight between Eve and Kimberly and had asked quite a few questions about what had happened. She had reamed him out but seemed to have calmed down when she found out that he had decided to be with Eve. She spent an hour asking him questions about Eve and their relationship. She had spent more than an hour lecturing him on being a gentleman and not stringing Eve along. She had talked about love and commitment and how he couldn’t hurt someone he loved by cheating on them. After he had convinced her that he really loved Eve and was serious, she made it be known that she was happy for him. Thorne had come by and even seemed to be happy for Rick although he asked a few questions about how this affected Kimberly. Rick had also noticed that his mother seemed a little preoccupied and a little quiet afterwards. As much as he wanted to ask about Kimberly’s job, he didn’t think that it was the time to get into that argument with his mother. He had asked her if everything was all right and she simply stated that everything would be fine from then on. He wondered what she had meant by that. Rick turned his attention back to his mother and grinned at her. "Sorry mom." Brooke couldn’t help but to smile at the lovely couple that her son and Eve made. "Hello Eve."
Eve moved out of Rick’s arms. " Hello Mrs. Forrester. Rick was just showing me around Forrester." "Yes, well I have a feeling that isn’t all that my son wants to show you." Brooke raised her eyebrow at Rick."Mom!" Rick gave his mother an embarrassed look.
Brooke laughed. " Don’t worry, I’ve been young." Brooke reached out and stroked Eve’s hand. Yesterday the teen had called her on her own to apologize for the fight in her house. Rick had no idea that Eve had called. Brooke liked the girl, she seemed to be honest and her son hadn’t been this happy in a long time." Rick pulled Eve back toward him and wrapped his arms around Eve’s waist. "Actually mom, I know you don’t have a lot of time, but I tried to get in touch with Connor yesterday about my inheritance. He was really busy. I wanted to get the paperwork signed." Eve immediately felt uncomfortable; this wasn’t something that she wanted to be privy to. " I had better go Rick. I want to try to find Trudie." Brooke looked surprised. " You know Trudie?""Yes, she is my roommate. She is excited about her new job here." Rick didn’t know what Eve and his mother were talking about. "Trudie, your roommate works here?"Brooke put her file down. " Yes, Trudie is the newest model for the WOW collection. She is a beautiful young woman and I was smart enough to hire her. You should see these photos that Giovanni has take of her. If fact you will see it. The add department did a wonderful job with those pictures."Rick grinned. "Wow, I guess that I’ve missed quite a bit around here." "Well, you have been busy lately. Rick you’ll find out all about Trudie’s job. She is a great model.""Speaking of models, mom we have to talk." Eve knew where this conversation was going. She kissed Rick quickly on the cheek and headed for the door. "Eve, it was nice seeing you again. I’d like to have lunch with you if you have the time in a day or so when all of the ruckus calms down." Eve glanced at Rick who nodded. A beautiful smile appeared on her face. " I’d like that Mrs. Forrester." " You can call me Brooke." "Okay, Brooke."Rick watched as his mother interacted with Eve. It warmed his heart to know that his mother seemed to like Eve. She was important to him, Eve was his future. Now it was time to deal with his past. "Mom, I know that you are busy but I have got to talk with you." "About what Rick. I’ve got a few things to do before the showing starts.""I’ve got to talk to you about Kimberly."Brooke put down the program for the fashion show. "Kimberly? Why do you want to talk about her? You are with Eve now, there isn’t any need for you to concern yourself with her." Kimberly nodded as the makeup artist finished applying the makeup on her face. It would match the beautiful dress that was the showstopper. She glanced up and found Stephanie Forrester smiling at her. " Mrs. Forrester, the gown that Eric created is wonderful." Stephanie smiled. She couldn’t believe that Brooke had tried her earnest to fire this poor girl. "It is beautiful, isn’t it? Eric outdid himself.""Mrs. Forrester, are you sure that this is going to be alright? Brooke is going to be livid when she finds out that I’m going to be wearing the showstopper. Kimberly glanced in the mirror to make sure that her nose was looking fine, it still had be stinging a little since that bitch Eve had hit her in it. "I don’t give a damn what Brooke thinks. That contract that you signed is unbreakable; there isn’t anything that Brooke could do to get rid of you. " Kimberly smiled. " That is good especially after today.""What is special about today?"Kimberly held Stephanie’s hands and led her over toward the sofas in Kimberly’s dressing room. Kimberly’s heart was beating a mile a minute, today was D-day. She really needed an alai like Stephanie. There was a chance that the older woman may become angry about what she had done to her son, but she was willing to take a chance. " Mrs. Forrester, there is something that I need to tell you. Remember how I told you that I had a plan to ruin Thorne and Brooke’s relationship for good?"Stephanie leaned forward; she had been wondering what the girl had planned for Brooke. "Yes, I remember." Kimberly smiled. "Well, it worked. After today, Thorne and Brooke are over for good." Stephanie patted Kimberly’s hand. " I know that you wish like I do that they were over, but I saw Thorne with that slut this morning. It didn’t seem like anything was the matter." " But there is Mrs. Forrester. I did something." Kimberly got a far away look in her eye. "I did something to them and they are never going to be the same again. Would you like me to tell you what I did? I’ve been dying to tell someone one." Bridget looked at the photo of her mother and Thorne. She had called Kimberly this morning to talk with her about Brooke and Thorne; she had overheard her mother planning her wedding. Kimberly had told her not to worry that Brooke and Thorne would be over by the end of the night. Bridget had said nothing while she had silently watched her mother dress for the showing. Her mother had looked beautiful and Bridget had felt bad about what was going to happen to her today. She had wished that her mother hadn’t forced her to do this, but she was only trying to get her family back together. Bridget put the picture down and looked at the newspaper, which had an article about Ridge and Taylor and their fallen marriage. Bridget thought that she’d feel glee; she knew that Taylor knew the truth and had planned on leaving Ridge. Bridget had been feeling guilty about Taylor losing her baby; she hadn’t wanted it to happen. But maybe it had been best that she found out what happened that way Ridge didn’t lose that Forrester stock to Morgan. Bridget had convinced herself that she had saved Ridge and her family, but deep in her heart she felt badly about Taylor’s dead baby. She had thought that maybe she would go to Taylor’s before the showing, but what could she say. The woman had been hurt, Bridget felt guilty about her accident, seeing her would only make matters worse. Bridget couldn’t help but to turn her thoughts to Scott. She hadn’t seen him since Rick’ s party. Bridget touched her lips. Last night she had laid in bed thinking about how his tongue had felt in her mouth, it had been like heaven. She wanted desperately to see him again and now she’d get a chance before the showing. Lauren had hurt her with her words about Scott, but Bridget knew that he had felt something for her. She liked Scott and maybe just maybe he had some real feeling for her despite her age. Bridget got her purse and opened the front door; she was surprised to find her grandmother standing at the door. Bridget smiled and embraced her grandmother in a hug. "Grandma, what are you doing here?" Bridget smiled.Beth laughed. " What? You don’t want to see me?""No, of course not. I’m just surprised to see you." Bridget looked around. " Is Grandpa Steven with you?""No sweetie. I decided to make a surprise trip here. I thought that I’d come and see the fashion show." Beth looked at her watch. "I haven’t missed it, have I. Maybe I should have gone straight to Forrester." "No Grandma, you haven’t missed the showing. I’m getting ready to go now, why don’t you come with me." " Alright." Beth watch as Bridget started to lock the door. " Bridget, I have a question to ask you. Your mother, is she all right?" Bridget shifted her feet for a moment. " Yes, she is fine why?"Beth thought about Carlos and the news. " I was just wondering. She hasn’t met anyone new has she?"Bridget was confused. " Met anyone? You mean like a man?"Fear stroke out in Beth’s heart. " Yes…No. I mean has she spoke to you about anyone new." "No grandma. Mom has been really busy lately with showing and with Thorne." "She and Thorne are they any closer to getting married?" Bridget frowned. " They are engaged, if that is what you mean. I heard her talking yesterday to this wedding planner, she is planning a wedding pretty soon." " Good." " Grandma, what are you saying? I thought that you understood how I felt about them." Beth saw the pain in her granddaughter’s eyes. " I know that you are upset about them and I can understand. But have you given them a chance Bridget. It seems to me that your mother has looked for love for a long time and maybe she has found it."
Bridget couldn’t believe this, first Ridge and now her grandmother was saying that her mother and Thorne could have a real relationship. "I can’t believe that you are saying this. I thought that you understood how I felt." Beth felt awful, it was true that Bridget had called her plenty of times to complain about her mother’s relationship with Throne and she had listened. But things had changed now. If Carlos was correct Caspian Deangleo was sniffing around Brooke. Her daughter had to marry Thorne and marry him quickly. Connor gave the man in the gray suit the papers. "Are you sure Mr. Davis? Won’t it be embarrassing?"Connor gave the man a stern look. " That is the way that she wants it done. You have your ticket don’t you?" The man looked at the ticket in his hand and the press pass. "Yeah, one ticket for the Forrester Fashion show." " Good, now go ahead and get going." Connor watched as Greg left his office. The telephone rang. " Davis." "Connor, hello this is Taylor." " Taylor, I was getting ready to call you. I’ve sent Greg to Forrester, he has the papers. Are you sure that you want to do this? Once he gets there, it is too late. I can still call him back." "No, I want it done. Connor has your detective found any leads about the videotape yet?""He is still working on finding it." Connor looked outside at the city below. " Taylor I suggest that you don’t go to the showing today." " I’m going to the showing." " I don’t think that is a good idea. You are still healing. You are going to be bombarded by the press and harassed. I’m not sure that you should go." "I know what I’m doing. I’m going to that fashion show. Now are you going to be there?""Yes, of course.""Fine, I’ll you there." "Taylor as your lawyer.." Connor heard the phone click on the other end. "Damn it!" Connor knew that he had better get to Forrester as soon as possible to calm her down, besides he wanted to see KC’s beautiful face and kiss her until she couldn’t remember her name. Caspian looked at the man lying on the floor in front of him. His men had found Gunter O’Neal late last night. He wanted to take his pound of flesh out of him before the police got to him. He wanted him to understand that what he had done was never going to happen to again. He wanted Gunter to understand that HE was the reason that Gunter was going to be in jail for a long, long time. Gunter’s whole body ached with pain, that man came closer to him again. Hatred spread thought Gunter’s body; he hated what this man did to him. "I’m going to ask you again. Why did you attack Brooke Forrester?" Gunter said nothing; he knew that no matter what he said, it wouldn’t make a difference. Gunter spit a glob of blood out of his mouth. "She was one beautiful lady. I was dying to find out what she tasted like." Caspian grabbed him by his throat and started to squeeze it tightly. "Don’t push me. I’m aching to get rid of you. If I think that you have any designs to look in the direction of Brooke Forrester, I’ll crush you where you stand." Caspian put pressure on Gunter’s neck until the man turned a bluish looking hue. "Don’t ever look, talk, or even breathe Brooke’s name again." Caspian watched the man struggle and at the last moment, he dropped him on the floor. He looked toward one of his men."Call the cops and let them know where this piece of filth is. He is no use to me." Caspian looked at the man on the floor. Pure disgust. The man obviously was a sicko, who had an obsession with Brooke. Still his gut feeling told him that there was more to him that met the eye, but what? Caspian didn’t have time to try to figure things out at the moment. Brooke was going to be safe and he had to get back home for business. All of yesterday he had thought about his dinner with Brooke, he had let her go because she had asked him too. He wasn’t sure if he could the next time, he wanted her plain and simple. He had no intention of letting go, not when he was so close to having everything that he dreamed of. Stephanie walked into the showroom. She couldn’t believe her luck, to think that little Kimberly could come up with a plan like she did to destroy Thorne and Brooke. She almost wanted to dance with glee. The plan would no doubt work; Kimberly had worked long and hard on this. She never knew how manipulating Kimberly could be but when it came to Brooke, she made perfectly sane women lose their minds. Although what Kimberly had planned would no doubt hurt her son, it would all work out for best. She had to protect her family against the likes of women like Brooke and Morgan. She’d do anything to make sure that her family stayed safe. She smiled happily. Brooke and Thorne would be over by the end of the night and Brooke would lose her company and her child. Kimberly had one more card to play and if she played it right, she’d lose Rick too. Everything and everybody who supported Brooke would be gone. Her children, Ridge and Thorne. It would be perfect. Brooke would run, hadn’t she done that before when she found out that Bridget wasn’t Ridge’s child. She had hoped and prayed that Brooke would never come back; she never thought that Ridge or Eric would forgive Brooke, but they did. Brooke was like a cat, she landed on her feet. Stephanie knew better than anyone that Brooke’s strength came from love around her, without Ridge, Thorne and her children, Brooke would be alone and she wouldn’t have anyone else to support her. Stephanie sipped a sip of champagne from the champagne flute. "Hello Stephanie." Stephanie turned and found Beth Logan standing behind her. Stephanie rolled her eyes, just great; this was all that she needed. Stephanie’s mind began to work; maybe this would work out fine after all. Maybe Beth would take that slut of her daughter with her when she went back to Paris. "Hello Beth. What brings you here to L.A" Stephanie made sure that she waved her ring finger in front of Beth. She wanted her to see her wedding band to gloat that she had Eric in the end. Beth saw the ring and shook her head at the other woman’s actions. " I’m here to support my daughter. I see that you are looking well Stephanie. It’s a really good thing that you survived that stroke of yours. I would have been a shame if you didn’t make it through that stroke wouldn’t it." "You would have liked that wouldn’t you. If your daughter had caused me to die." "Only you would blame my daughter for your own medical condition. My daughter isn’t responsible for your hatred, you are. One day that hatred is going to destroy your family.""No, one day, that hatred is going to save my family. And that day is today. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go and kiss MY HUSBAND. You know the man you and your whore of a daughter tried to steal. "Mrs. Forrester are you sure that you want all of this stuff moved on your front lawn?"Taylor nodded. " Yes, I want all of those things packed up and thrown on the front lawn. I don’t care what it looks like. And by the way, my name is Dr. Hayes. Mrs. Forrester died in a car accident." Taylor took a sip of her champagne. " Did you hear, me? Mrs. Forrester died. Ridge killed her." The man looked at the woman and felt bad for her. He had heard the rumors about her marriage, or at least his wife did. She was never going to believe that Taylor Forrester was having her husband’s things thrown on the front lawn of her house. " Mom, I know that you don’t like Kimberly. But that doesn’t change the fact that I want to help her." "For what Rick. Did you see what she did to my house? Unlike Eve who had enough decency to call me and apologies to me, that little tramp hasn’t done a thing." "That’s enough mother! Just because I’m with Eve doesn’t mean that I have given up my friendship with Kimberly.""Is that what she says that you two are now, friends? Rick I just can’t believe that Kimberly has given up on you so quickly, I’m surprised. I was quite sure that little manipulator would have something up her sleeve."Rick was getting annoyed. Why did his mother constantly treat him as if he were a child? "Mother, that is enough. I’m going to ask you one more time. She had lost everything, her sister, her father and now me. Would you please give her her job back, that way she will have something to live for?" For a moment, Brooke said nothing. She thought about Kimberly and all that the girl had been through, and then she thought about the way the girl had been behaving. "I’m sorry Rick, but there is something wrong with her. I can’t take the chance that she could hurt someone. She needs some serious help. I’ll pay for her counseling if she needs it, but she can’t come back here to work." Brook touched Rick on his shoulder. "Honey, I’m sorry but I can’t do this for you. I know what is best." Rick shook his head and stepped back from his mother. "I’m sorry mother then I have to do what I have to do for Kimberly.""What does that mean Rick?""My stock. Mother I’m going to use my 15% of Forrester stock to vote to get Kimberly’s job back. With dad’s, Stephanie’s and everyone else’s stock, we will all get Kimberly’s job back." "Rick, I’m sorry but you can’t do that." " Yes I can mother and I will." " Rick, you haven’t gone to see Connor have you?""I’ve been busy but not after today. I’m going to sign the papers and get Kimberly her job back, I owe her that much." Rick walked toward the door. "Rick, you will get your inheritance, but not in Forrester stock." Rick turned around. "What are you talking about mother?""Rick, I think that you should sit down.""No. I want to know what in the hell are you talking about?"Brooke sighed, she didn’t want to get into this today with Rick especially not when he was so happy. "Rick, I don’t want to get into this right now." "Tell me mother, what about the Forrester stock?""Rick, I don’t think that this is the place right now…""Tell me about the stock mother. Tell me now!"Brooke sat down. " Rick, listen to me. I know that you think that you are grown enough to make decisions and you are on most things. I love you and I think that you are smart and an intelligent man. I also admire the way that you tried to stand by Amber and Kimberly although they didn’t deserve it. I want you to have things on your own and be your own man but at 20 I’m not sure if you are ready for all of responsibilities that would come with owning stock in a multi- million dollar company." Rick didn’t understand what his mother was saying."What do you mean you don’t think that I’m ready for responsibility?" " Rick, I just think that you need some time before you get your Forrester stock. I also have some major changes that will be coming dealing with the company and if you are patient, I’d like to give you more than 15% of Forrester. Rick, I’d like to give you….""What do you mean if I’m patient? What are you telling me mother? Are you saying that I don’t have any inheritance?""No Rick of course your have an inheritance. I’ve made sure that you’ve received quite a bit of stock in three different companies. You have a large monthly allowance for the next year adding up to two hundred thousand dollars and when you turn 21 you will receive a ½ million dollars. You will then get another an additional million dollars when you turn 22. Finally when you turn 23 you will get 25% of Forrester Creations provided that you finish college, and don’t waste the other money that you have received from inheritance." Rick looked at his mother with surprise. "So you are giving me money instead of Forrester stock? Two-hundred thousand dollars instead of 15% of a multi-million dollar company?""Rick, I made a decision. I will admit I made it at first because I needed all the stock for plans that I have for Forrester. I will be telling you all about it. I need 3 years Rick to do what I planned, but then I also realized that at 20 you aren’t ready for all that responsibility that would come with the stock and the money. However, at 23 you will be older and more responsible for your actions. You will be given almost a total of almost 2 million dollars to give you a practice when dealing with large amount of money. It will also allow you make smart business decisions. You will be ready to be trained to take over some of Forrester Creations. " Brooke approached her son. " I think that this is a good decision for you to wait to get your Forrester stock." "You think that it is a good decision for ME to wait." Rick looked at his mother with bitterness. She was manipulating the situation. " I think that you made the best decision for yourself.""What are you talking about Rick?""You couldn’t stand it, could you?""I couldn’t stand what?""You couldn’t stand that I was going to make a decision that you didn’t like so you changed my inheritance. I never thought that you’d do something as manipulating as that. You knew that I was going to rehire Kimberly so you changed things so I wouldn’t get my Forrester stock. You have to be in control at all times, don’t you mother?" Rick sneered at his mother. She had taken his chance to do the right things and ruined it.Brooke was shocked by the attitude by her son. " I don’t like what you are saying." "Too bad because it is the truth. You had to be in control so you took control on MY INHERTANCE! You don’t care about what this meant to be. All you care about is being able to control everyone with your power and your power is Forrester Creations."Brooke couldn’t believe her son was acting like this. " How dare you say something like that to me? I made this decision based on business not on Kimberly. You know what? I’m giving you a gift something that any young person would love to have. I’m giving you a great deal of money, more money than you know what to do with and you are being a spoiled brat." Brooke was irate and hurt to think that stock was that important to her son. "I’ve raised you with love and never have I ever put Forrester in front on you and your sister. But I did see that I spoiled you. You think that you deserve Forrester? What did you do to deserve it?""What did you think that you did to deserve it mother?"Brooke flinched at his words. Coming from her son, it was like a slap in the face. "I worked hard. I created a solution that made this company millions of dollars. I then took control and made decision after decision, each one had made this company a lot of money. I’ve worked hard. But I also made a lot of mistakes and one of them was with you. I’ve raised you thinking that you are owed something. I’m giving you more than any of friends would ever get at your age. Yet you are so ungrateful that you don’t even see the wonderful gift that I’m giving you." Brooke shook her head. "I’d never thought that I’d say this but I’m ashamed at you Rick.""Well I’m ashamed at you too mother. This isn’t about money it’s about you doing to damnest to keep Kimberly out of this company. You’d do anything to hurt her at any cost. She hasn’t done anything to you mother. " Rick headed for the door. " I thought that I knew you but I don’t." Rick left slamming the door behind him. Brooke was so shaken by her son’s words that she was almost in tears. She hadn’t believed that he had said such words to her. Her son. What had she done to deserve this? She had made a mistake and she had no doubt spoiled her son. Brooke sat down in her chair and tears started to fill her eyes. She never thought that her son would be like some of the kids that he went to school with a fucking spoiled brat. Brooke closed her eyes, she was weary. She had spent all of yesterday planning the fashion show, planning a wedding and thinking about Caspian. He had popped into her thoughts. What was he doing at this moment, was he still in L.A or did he go back at home. "It doesn’t matter Brooke." "Brooke, what’s the matter?"Brooke looked up to find Ridge standing in the doorway in her office. " Nothing. I just had an argument with Rick." " About what?" Brooke knew that she couldn’t tell Ridge the truth at the moment."It isn’t important at the moment. How are you doing?" Brooke looked at Ridge, even in his tux, he looked tired. " You look tired." Ridge stroked his growing beard. " Well, it’s been tough." "Trying to hide your affair with Morgan from Taylor? It isn’t going to work you know lying to Taylor." Ridge looked guilty at Brooke. " I’m only telling you the truth, come clean or you are going to have problems." " I’m not having any problems now that Morgan is gone." "Well, because of you I’m out of a designer." " You can’t expect me to be sorry do you?"Brooke gave Ridge an annoyed look. " You can’t expect me to be sorry. Fu(king Morgan just cost me a great deal of money.""Logan do you have to be so crass." " What you did it crass. Sleeping with your wife’s "friend"." Brooke gave Ridge a sad look. " You screwed up in more ways than one. Lying isn’t going to help especially when Morgan has your baby.""Who said that it is my baby?""I can count months Ridge and so can everyone else. You have to be honest with Taylor or it is going to cost you your marriage. I do have one question, would have cheated on me if we had been married?"Ridge was surprised by Brooke’s question. To tell the truth if he had married Brooke this wouldn’t have happened, there was no way that he would have ever thought that Brooke would ever considered allowing him to sleep with Morgan in order to get her pregnant. He also wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much, making love to Brooke was an experience you never forgot about. He would never tell Brooke that of course. Ridge looked at his watch."Brooke I’d better get ready, it’s almost time." Lauren looked around, seats were getting crowded. Everyone who was anyone was there for the fashion show. She was excited because two of her baby’s designs would be in the fashion show. Scott was a talented man. KC finished the making sure that last model had everything that she needed. She looked up and found Connor staring at her. Connor couldn’t help but to lose his breath at the sight of her. She was beautiful wearing a sexy black pants suit with a vivid purple, black and white striped silk shirt under it. "Do you think that you can spare me a moment?"" I’m not sure, you’ve been busy lately.""Just a moment. Please KC" " Okay, you are finished." KC said to the model. Connor grabbed KC by the hand and pulled her into a corner behind the dressing areas. He took her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly and passionately. KC wrapped her arms around him and sighed when his tongue started to stroke against her. He reluctantly pulled his head away from hers. "God, that was what I needed." Connor said ruffling KC short hair. KC leaned forward and kissed Connor. Eric walked pass the kissing couple. He couldn’t help but to laugh. The more he was around KC; the more he liked her. She had worked hard the last week or so to make up for the mess that was going on in Forrester. She was a great designer and he was glad that Brooke had hired her. " I hate to break this up, but we have a showing that is going to start in a moment." KC lifted her head from Connor. Connor glanced at Eric. "I’m sorry Eric but it isn’t everyday that I have a chance to kiss a pretty woman senseless. I’ll see you after the showing." Connor smiled at KC. She was a beautiful woman and the brightest spot in his whole day. He was going to need a bright spot because after today he had a feeling that every Forrester was going to hate him.Kimberly looked at herself; she knew that Eric would call her when it was time to get ready for the showstopper. She had her own television to watch the showing. She looked at her beautiful reflection."Everything is going to work out just like you’ve planned." "Really Kimberly. I want to know what in the hell are you doing here?"Kimberly turned to find Scott. He slammed the door behind him. Looking at her with anger in his eyes. " You are up to something and I want to know what it is!" Thorne looked down at the stage below him. After the showing, he was going to tell Brooke the truth. He couldn’t go on like he had been, lying. He prayed that he and Brooke had the type of love to weather this storm. He loved her and hoped that she would find it in her heart to forgive him. Taylor walked quietly into the dark room. Ridge had thought that she was going to stay home to get her rest. Little did he know that she was here to see all the fireworks? She looked at the television monitor; she could see her husband as he talked to one reporter. She had everything and he had thrown it all away. It was time that he found out what he had lost. Caspian slipped into the crowded room full of people within the fashion industry. He knew that she should be on his way home, but he wanted to see her for one last time before he had to leave. Beth looked all around. She had wanted to talk to her daughter but she didn’t have a chance, she did however talk to Thorne. She had asked him when he thought that he would marry her daughter. He said that he hoped it was soon. She hoped that it was soon also. Beth would talk to her Brooke after the showing and she’d do her darnest to help Brooke and Thorne make it. Beth dropped her program; she bent down to pick up when the lady next to her spilled her drink on Beth. Beth got up to get some club soda from the bar when she noticed a man in the corner in the room. Beth dropped her program, there he was. There he was! Caspian Deangleo was standing in the room, the man who wanted to destroy Brooke’s life with Thorne. The man who could destroy everything that she had worked so hard for. The man who was responsible for her daughter death, her daughter Lark.  Against All Odds Chapter 53 ( Show Time ) Review: Eve is excited to be at her first Forrester Fashion show. Brooke who is happy to see that her son has found someone new interrupts Rick and Eve. Rick tells his mother about his plans to rehire Kimberly when she refuses. Brooke tells Rick that he will be getting money for his inheritance and not Forrester stock, the two argue and Brooke laments that Rick has become spoiled. Caspian questions Gunter and tells him to leave Brooke alone; he leaves Gunter’s bloodied body for the police. Kimberly gets ready to model the showstopper and tells an elated Stephanie that Brooke and Thorne will be over by the end of the night. She also shares her secret plan with Stephanie. Scott sees Kimberly and wonders what she is doing at the showing. Brooke questions Ridge about his affair with Morgan and the paternity of Morgan’s child. Taylor takes too many painkillers and gets ready for the first phase of her revenge. She has movers throw Ridge’s items on her front lawn and plans to meet Connor at the fashion show. Beth shows up claiming to come to see the fashion show, she questions Bridget about Brooke. Beth worries and states that she will do anything to see Brooke and Thorne married, Bridget is upset at hearing this. Bridget feels sorry for Taylor but is committed to destroying Brooke and Thorne that day. Once the show gets ready to start Beth gets up and sees Caspian who is in the corner of the room. She becomes upset at the man who she feels is responsible for her daughter Lark’s death.  Against All Odds Chapter 54 (Big Announcements)Kimberly glanced at Scott and finished fixing her hair. " Shouldn’t you be helping, the showing is about to start." She pointed to the monitor in which showed Brooke greeting the guest on stage. "I want to know what you are doing here. You were fired."" It is none of your business why I’m here. If I were you I’d be worrying about my own job and not mine." " You are up to something and I want to know what it is?"Kimberly crossed her legs showing off some skin. " I don’t know what you are talking about?""I heard about your fight with Eve." " Ahh, so you know the little tramp. Tell me, do you like all of Rick’s leftovers. Did Eve give it up to you also? Tell me, did you call out Bridget’s name when you fu(ked Eve?"Scott looked at Kimberly with disgust. He wasn’t sure why he had ever allowed himself to sleep with the likes of her. She was a real bitch.""No?" Kimberly gave Scott a coy look. " Maybe because you’ve had that sweet, young virgin. I saw you at Rick’s party, talking cozying up to her. Maybe she spread her legs for you? Tell me, did you get a taste of her?" Scott grabbed Kimberly roughly by her shoulders."Don’t you ever talk about her like that!" Kimberly laughed wickedly at him. "All that passion for little Bridget. I wonder what mamma Brooke or poppa Eric would say about you sniffing about their daughter. You have a repetition with the women and I don’t think that you’d be able to keep your job here if they thought that you wanted their underage daughter." Kimberly whispered to Scott. " If you get fired, do you think that any other fashion house would want you? They have a lot of pull in the world of fashion. Especially Stephanie, she might not like Brooke but she does have a really soft spot for Bridget. She smiled wickedly at him. " Just look at what Brooke tried to do to me and Rick is a grown man. Think about what she’d do to you if she thought that you were getting that pretty little virgin all hot and sweaty, she’d eat you for lunch." Scott had never wanted to do physical harm to anyone before until now. " I suggest that you let me go." Scott reluctantly let her go. "You are a bitch, but you already know that. What I can’t figure out is what is it what you want. You don’t want Rick. I know that. But what is it that you want? You are seeing some older guy but you are still stringing Rick along, why? Why did you use me? Why did you lie to Rick about trashing Brooke’s house because we both know that you did it."" I know no such thing. You really shouldn’t listen to lies spread by that trashy girl. She didn’t Ricky to be angered by the fact that we both messed up Brooke’s house in that fight.""You are lying.""Can you prove it? I don’t think that you can prove a thing.""Not if I tell Rick about what a lair you are. I could tell Rick that we slept together.""You go right ahead and then I’ll have to tell Bridget about us. What do you think that she is going to say about that.? Hmmm? Then I’ll also have to let Eric, Brooke and Stephanie know how you have been looking at Bridget like she was your last meal. That will keep you busy and all for what? Go tell Rick that I slept with you. Go ahead, please be my guest. If fu(k with me and I’m certainly going to do my damnest to fu(k you right back. Just remember that Scotty." Scott knew that he was caught. He was taking a chance telling Rick that he slept with Kimberly. No doubt Kimberly would tell Eric about his feelings for Bridget, it didn’t matter that he didn’t do anything to act on them. He would most likely be out of a job if Kimberly put a nasty little spin on it like he knew that she could do. Kimberly had him by the balls, he knew it and she knew. He just wished that he could get something on her, she was capable of anything. Brooke watched as the first set of models graced the runway. She couldn’t help but to beam, this collection was the best ever. Things were only going to get better with the addition of the WOW collection once it was done."They look great, don’t they." Brooke glanced at KC who had spoken to her. "Yes they do. That pants suit on the left was Morgan’s design. It’s too bad that she isn’t here to see it."" I know. I was surprised that she resigned the way that she did. I know that she wanted to speak to you the other day but I wasn’t sure what she wanted to talk about." " I wish that I had been here to talk to her. I would have a least given her a position at Forrester International." KC was surprised by that tidbit of information. " You would have? I thought that maybe you would have been a bit upset since it seems that you and Ridge have made up." " Yes, Ridge and I have made up but that doesn’t mean that Morgan should be fired. She was a great designer. It is going to cost me a great deal of money to replace her. Thank god, I have enough sense to hire you." Brooke put her arm KC shoulders. " I know that I haven’t had a chance to tell you lately but I really do appreciate all of the work and the time that you’ve given the last week or so cleaning up the mess that Ridge created. I know that we wouldn’t have been ready for this showing without you.""I’m only doing my job.""No, you did much more. I really appreciate it KC. Besides I know that Connor has been dying to spend some time with you." KC couldn’t help put to peep around the curtain looking for Conner. " I hope so, the last two days he has been really busy working on some case." KC thought for a moment. " He really is one hell of a man." " Yes he is. And mostly importantly, he is crazy about you. I haven’t seen him look at a woman the way that he looks at you." " You don’t find our relationship strange?" " Because you are black and he is white?" " Yes.""NO, I don’t think that it strange. KC, it is 2001 and I’ve seen many mixed relationships. It never bothered me at all. I know that there are people who will be upset by it, but it doesn’t matter what those people think. I know that it is hard to get past people prejudices, no matter what they may be about. But I also know how hard it is to find the right man." Brooke smiled. " I’ve found that with Thorne and I think that Connor has found something special with you. When I look at you two interact, I don’t see a mixed couple, I simply see a couple. You make him really happy KC. Just keep doing whatever it is you are doing to him. I think that you’ve waited a long time for someone like Connor and I have the feeling that he has waited a lifetime for you." KC shifted her eyes so Brooke wouldn’t see the tears that had suddenly appeared in them. KC didn’t know what had gotten into her. Brooke saw the tears and understood. She hugged KC who was speechless by Brooke’s words and kindness. Eve stood in the crowd waiting as models strutting sexy swim suits on the runway. Trudie was standing next to her, her eyes glued on the models. "Can you believe that is going to be me very soon." Eve noticed how skimpy the sexy black bikini was. " I’m not sure if I could do that. Walking around in nothing like that in front of a group of people.""Are you kidding, it would be a total blast. I love the feel of people’s eyes on me. I can’t wait for that to happen. Getting this job is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I just can’t believe our luck." " Our luck?"" Yes." Trudie sipped a glass of champagne from the flute in her hand. She looked gorgeous in her black sleeveless wrap around dress with a vee neckline. Her hair was pulled up with a white orchard in her hair while simple fake diamonds were on her ears; she still looked like a million dollars. " Our luck. First, I get this wonderful job here. All I have to do is to look beautiful for one sexy Italian photographer. I get to wear some clothes from Forrester and Scott. I’m going to get recognition and handsomely paid. The only thing that I have to deal with is one old bitch, but I can handle her." " What old bitch? Trudie are you having a problem with someone here?""Nothing that I can’t handle" Trudie winked at her best friend. " My job, a new apartment and if I play things right, I may have a date with a certain dark haired man.""CJ?""Yes, CJ"Eve remembered how Rick had told her earlier that CJ had been the one to convince him to look for her because of that she owed CJ. "Then there is you and Rick." Trudie have come home the other night to sounds of Rick and Eve making love in Eve’s room. At first, Trudie was a bit upset with Rick, she thought that he was using Eve as he had done in the past. It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when Rick left to get Eve some food that he and Trudie had a chance to talk. Trudie found that he was sincere about wanting to be only with Eve. Trudie had even gone as far as kissing Rick on his cheek. As long as he kept Eve happy. She was happy. Eve’s life had been fucked up so far and Trudie was going to make sure that the rest of it would be happy. Caspian watched the showing with a new perspective. Forrester fashion house had an excellent collection. Everything they showed was top-notch and elegant. Brooke had done an excellent job as CEO. He was happy to see that this would be as successful as the other fashion shows. He turned and felt a pair of eyes watching him. It was Beth Logan, Brooke’s mother. He had seen her photos in his file of Brooke. The moment, he looked at her, she turned her eyes and pretended that she had been studying the fashion show. He wondered what that was all about. Normally, he would have went and asked her, but not right now. He had something to leave for Brooke. Seeing her on stage had done something to him, she had been so beautiful and he wanted desperately to see her again. He couldn’t do it right now, he had made a promise to her and it wouldn’t look right if she had thought that he had broken his promises. He knew that if he’d gone near her that she would feel it. It was time for him to return home. He’d already ordered to have the bugs and the surveillance removed from her building. He did however to keep her personal office bugged just to make sure that she was safe. He also planned to continue to have her watched. He still would have Dirk watch Kimberly to be safe for a least another month or so. There was something about the girl that worried him. She obviously needed some help; it was confusing because he hadn’t seen any footage of her and Thorne together. Sooner or later he’d catch them and then he’d make sure that Brooke found out. There was no way in hell he’d allow Brooke to marry Thorne, plain and simple. Caspian silently slipped out of the showroom. Beth watched as Caspian left. Hurt and anger filled her heart. She had wanted to go to him and tell him to leave her daughter alone but she knew that she couldn’t. Wasn’t it enough to know that her daughter who she had only laid eyes on once in her life had died because of him? Yes, she knew that he had loved Lark, but that didn’t matter because in the end, Lark had died trying to get away from him. Lark, her beautiful little girl had ceased to live because of this man. To this day, the pain of her daughter’s dead made her heart ache. Why was he interested in Brooke? She couldn’t believe that her daughter was involved with this man, yet Carlos had said that they had seen each other. Now, he was here at the fashion show of all places. She had watched his reaction when Brooke had come up on the stage, it was obvious that Brooke had mesmerized him. She has seen it with her own two eyes, the way that he watched Brooke. If Brooke somehow were involved with Caspian, it would be only a matter of time before she saw a picture of Lark. Then Brooke would start to ask question about a woman who looked exactly like her. She’d started to investigate and then she’d know that she had had a twin sister. What would this do to Brooke? What would this do to her own marriage to Stephen? Even if this secret didn’t destroy her family’s world, how would Brooke feel if she knew that she was dealing with her own twin’s husband. Caspian Deangleo had come into both of her daughters’ lives like a whirlwind. There was no way that she was going to let him destroy Brooke the way he had destroyed Lark. Beth was worried, both Caspian and Brooke were intense people. They both felt things deeply. If they ever fell in love, it would be such an intense relationship. Hurt and pain could only come from it. Caspian had loved Lark with his soul if he felt a fraction of that for Brooke, it would only spell disaster. Caspian would allow nothing to stop him from being with Brooke and she wasn’t sure how Brooke would react. Beth knew Brooke; she had held onto Ridge for years, she had a sinking feeling that with Caspian it would be worse. She knew that Brooke loved Thorne but something in her heart told her to worry. Beth had to get Brooke married to Thorne, her life and the lives of Beth’s family depended on it. If Brooke married Thorne maybe she’d be safe. Beth prayed that it wasn’t too late. Thorne made his way through the crush of models running around and found Brooke and Ridge watching the newest set of models on the runway. The showing was going well. He stood there for a moment, just watching her in wonder. She looked beautiful wearing deep burgundy spaghetti strapped silk dress that clung to her beautiful body. The matching diamond and ruby necklace and bracelet only accented her beauty. He could only stand there and stare at her. He loved this woman more than he had loved anything in his whole life. What they had gone through as a couple was a testimony to their love. Most couples would have fallen under the pressure but they hadn’t. Most women would have given up on him by now, but not her. She was special and she was his. She was his world and his life. He couldn’t help but to look at her flat stomach encased in the dark silk and wonder if a life was growing there already. He prayed to god that Brooke was carrying his child because he wanted that bond. He wanted her to swell with his seed, to watch her body change naturally because of his child. Brooke felt like she was being watched, she turned to find Thorne looking handsome in his tux looking at her with a look of love. Pure happiness filled her heart. She held out her hand to him and he took it. Thorne then turned her so she could see the showing. He kissed her on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ridge watched the two of them and grinned. He slipped away unnoticed by the two." I think that this is my favorite part of the showing." Thorne kissed her neck this time. " Is that so?""Yes, being in your arms. Seeing our beautiful collection on the runway and know that…" " Knowing what?" Brooke was silent. She was going to tell him about the wedding after the showing. "Nothing." A sensual smile covered Brooke’s face. She turned in his arms and pulled his head down toward hers. Their lips met in a soft genteel kiss. Brooke slowly pulled her head away from Thorne’s. She loved the feel of being in his arms. She looked deeply into his eyes. God, she loved this man so much and knowing that in little than a week he’d be her husband made her feel wonderful inside. " It’s a secret. I’ll tell you all about it later." "Brooke, everything is alright isn’t it? I mean you are alright?"Brooke saw that Thorne looked a little worried. She figured that was still worried about her near rape. Yesterday he had come into her office and spent almost an hour just watching her. She almost had to chase he out of there so she could get some work done. Brooke had wondered if he was all right, she also wondered what he had thought about Rick and Kimberly’s breakup. Thorne hadn’t said a thing about Kimberly and as far as Brooke was concerned that was fine with her. She was still hurting by her son’s words, he was angry with her all because of Kimberly. If it hadn’t been for Kimberly, he wouldn’t have been upset over the stock. At least she hoped that he wouldn’t have been upset, she really couldn’t believe that her son was spoiled." Everything is fine between us Thorne, almost perfect. Its just Rick." " What about Rick?" " It’s nothing. I’ll tell you all about it later, but not tonight. Tonight we are going to be celebrating and I don’t want to talk about anything that is going to upset me." Thorne’s heart constricted, she didn’t want to be upset. He didn’t want to upset her but it looked like he didn’t have a choice. Tonight, after the showing, he was going to tell her the truth and he prayed that she loved him enough to forgive him. Brooke noticed that Thorne had a strange look upon his face. " What is it honey?""Nothing. I was thinking how beautiful you are and how much joy you have brought into my life. I can’t imagine how I got this far without you. I love you more than words can say."" Ahh, sweetie. I love you too. I’m not sure what I did to get someone like you. For years you were standing there right in front of my eyes and I didn’t see you. I see you now. I love what I see. I love what I am with you. I can trust you, I can count on you and be myself with you." Thorne didn’t know to say, she trusted and believed in him. He was going to destroy that trust. He wondered if he’d ever see that love in her eyes again. Thorne hugged Brooke tightly. He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent, hoping against hope that it wasn’t over between them. Connor leaned looked at his watch, he wondered where Taylor was. Maybe she decided to stay home like he asked her. She had been through the ringer and after today things wouldn’t get any better. He cell phone started to ring. People around him gave him an annoyed look and he moved to take his call.  Ridge walked over toward his father in a hurry. "Dad, we’ve got a problem." "What problem?""I was just talking to Scott and he said that Laurie wasn’t wearing the showstopper?"" I know son, I decided that I wanted someone else to wear the wedding gown."
"Who?""Well, if you must know, Kimberly.""Kimberly? I thought that Brooke fired her.""She did, but I rehired her."" Dad, you know that you can’t do that without Brooke’s permission. Why would you do something that you know is going to upset her?""Brooke was being silly. Firing Kimberly for no good reason. She had no right to do that." " It’s her company…" "No! It’s my company. I did what I wanted to do. Kimberly is going to look exquisite in that dress. The change of her hair color has given her an exotic look and she will look beautiful. Ridge shook his head; he knew that Brooke was going to be steamed about this. " I hope that you know what you are doing." "Of course I know what I’m doing. I ran this company before Brooke and I’ll be able to run it after Brooke."Rick came up behind Eve who was talking to Trudie. " Eve, I’m ready to go." Eve who loved the clothes that was on display was having a great time. " What are you talking about, the showstopper hasn’t been shown yet. I can’t wait to see what it is going to look like." " Please Eve, I don’t want to be here any longer. I’m so mad that I don’t want to say anything to my mother until I calm down. I certainly don’t want to see her." Trudie who had been listening to the conversation wondered what Rick was so upset about. Eve too was confused about what Rick was upset about, was it about her? Was it possible that Brooke didn’t really like her and had said something to Rick? She had really thought that Brooke had liked her. " What’s wrong Rick? What happened between you and your mother?"" I’ll tell you all about it once we get out of here. Please Eve, I just want to get the hell out of here." Eve looked at Trudie. " Don’t worry Eve, I’ll tell you all about the dress later." Eve started to follow Rick toward the doors when she realized that she left her purse in Brooke’s office. " Rick, I left my purse in your mother’s office."" I’ll get your purse and you stay here." Eve stood near the door when someone came in the door and bumped into her. The man’s hand and shot out to steady her from falling." I’m sorry I didn’t…" Eve looked up. "Angel? Angel is that you?"Fear leaped into Eve’s heart. Angel, she hadn’t heard that name in years, she never wanted to hear that name again. " I think that you have me confused with someone else." Eve turned and the man grabbed her by the arm." I know it is you. You are older but still have the same sweet body." The man in the suit gave her wicked smile. " I’ll never forget a face and I’d never forget that body. You were so sweet and hot …" Eve struggled against the man trying to get him to let go of her. " I told you to that I don’t know who you are. You have me confused with someone else. Now get your hands off of me!" "Hey, she told you to get your hands off of her. I suggest that you do that." Rick was incensed to find a member of fashion’s elite manhandling his girlfriend. "Have you lost your mind?" He pushed against the man who was hurting his Eve. The man let her go. Eve turned toward Rick and took his hand." Come on Rick. Let’s go. This man had me confused with someone else. Don’t you sir?" Eve’s heart raced, she didn’t want this man anywhere near Rick. The man looked at her for a long time. " I’m sorry Miss. I must have you confused with someone else." Eve took her purse from Rick and hurried from the show room. The man stood there, he needed to get back to his job, and his store would be nothing without Forrester fashions. Still he knew the girl was lying. It was Angel, he knew it and she knew it. She was with Rick Forrester, he wondered what the Forresters would think if they knew that Rick was hanging out with a girl with a past like hers. Eve followed Rick to the hallway. Rick took her into his arms and he could feel her shaking. "You aren’t all right. I’m going to get security and have that man thrown out." " NO! Don’t do that, he made a mistake. Please leave it alone. He made a mistake." Let it go, please." Rick nodded his head. "Rick I have to go to the bathroom and then I can go with you. Okay?" Rick reluctantly showed Eve where the ladies room was. Eve went into the bathroom and collapsed against the door. Tears poured down her cheeks, her hands shook. She had to pull herself together; she couldn’t afford to fall apart. She finally had everything she ever wanted. She had a home, she was doing well in school and she had Rick, the love she had waited her whole life for. There wasn’t anyway that she was going to let anyone or anything destroy it. She hurried over toward the sink and splashed cold water on her face. She wasn’t Angel anymore; she had given that life up and there was no way she was ever going too look back. Angel had died, bleeding and battered on the side of the road. Chris and Trudie had saved what was left of her and then she had been reborn again. She had a second chance. Eve was a survivor. There was no way in hell she’d ever let Rick find out about her secret. He’d never understand and she’d lose him and then she be alone, like she always been. Damn her mother, if only she had wanted her. If only she hadn’t left her all alone, maybe her life would have been different and then she’d be someone Rick could be really proud of. Brooke heard the music for the showstopper, the sound of __ filtered through out the room. The model slowly came on stage. The dress was exquisite, it had a daring halter like bodice with a beautiful v curved neckline that saw traced in tiny crystals and hinted at a peek of beautiful breast. The satin of the dress encased the model’s body like a second skin with a long beautiful train. It was simple, elegant and beautiful. The model’s body was perfect for the dress made her way partly down the runway when she pulled the veil back. The crowd gasped at the beautiful dress, while Brooke gasped for a different reason. Walking down the runway looking stunning in Eric’s showstopper was Kimberly. Brooke watched in total amazement as Kimberly strolled down the runway, looking beautiful as the cameras flashed. She turned and the audience had a chance to see the daring back of the dress, which was backless and plunged down to the base of Kimberly’s spine with the same crystal beading. Brooke’s eyes went toward Eric who was standing on the other side of the runway. He had planned this, he went against her and obviously hired Kimberly back. With her face splashed over fashion magazines in his beautiful showstopper, she wasn’t going to fade out of the line light. Kimberly walked down the aisle and pretended that she was marrying Thorne in the beautiful dress. In her dream Thorne slipped a beautiful diamond ring on her finger and promised to love her forever. Kimberly basked in the glory of it all. People rose and applaud and cheers filtered through out the show room. Eric was suddenly at her side and her picture was being taken. Everything was wonderful. Stephanie applauded loudly, Brooke was obviously upset by Kimberly on the stage and that made her feel even better. Kimberly looked and found Thorne who was smiling and clapping and then she saw Brooke who had a murderous glint in her eye. She smiled even wider. Brooke started toward the stage when Ridge grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. " No you don’t Logan." " Ridge, let go of me." " I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. I know that you are angry right now." " You don’t know how I feel. Did you know about this?""No! Look you have every right to be angry but this isn’t the time or the place." " This is your mother’s doing. I know it. I can’t believe that Eric would rehire her after I fired her. She was fired! That little manic attacked me.""She attacked you?""Yes, she attacked me. Right after Macy’s death she came into my office, started throwing things and then she tried to push me through a window. My mistake was not to press charges. I didn’t want to get into it with anyone." " Logan, I just can’t see Kimberly doing something like that. Brooke you know that she took Macy’s death really hard. Don’t you think that maybe it was grief that caused her to do what she did?""You are defending her?""No. But Logan she was going through a rough patch. Can’t you just let this go right now?" " No, I can’t. Your father and mother are meddling in my decision. When was the last time any of you spent any time with Kimberly? There is something wrong with the girl. She is losing it." Ridge looked at the girl who was smiling next to his father on stage. "Logan, I think that you are mistaken. The girl was just upset. She shouldn’t have attacked you. Tell me, has she attacked you any other time besides that one time." "No. But I guess for anyone to be concerned she’d have to kill me." " Logan, I didn’t mean that…" " What does this girl do to make everyone come to her defense? Rick, Eric, you and even Thorne. I’m telling you that girl is trouble. I don’t want her here, this is my company and heads are going to roll." Brooke walked angrily away from the stage and out of the showroom toward the conference room. Bridget had been watching her mother and boy was she livid. "Bridget honey, what is wrong with your mother?""I guess she is upset about Kimberly.""Rick’s girlfriend.""Yes, she is modeling the gown up there." "Why would she be upset about Kimberly being in the show, didn’t your mother hire her?""Yeah, but she fired her too." Models were leaving the stage and the reporters were getting ready for the press conference which would he held in the next room. She spied Scott who was standing next to KC. Bridget’s heart started to flutter. Scott looked so handsome in his tux. She wanted desperately to go to him. Lauren walked over to Beth and Bridget."Hello Beth." " Lauren, how are you doing?""Fine, did you enjoy the show?""Yes. I heard that your son works here." "Yes, two of the designs shown today were his. I can’ t believe that Eric asked for two of his designs to be in the showing. Plus he is working with KC, who is such a great designer. I’m proud of the work that he had been doing here at Forrester. I just can’t think of a better place for him to be than here at Forrester." Lauren noticed that Bridget’s attention was on her son. "Don’t you agree Bridget?""What?"Beth touched Bridget on her shoulder. " Sweetheart. Lauren asked you a question." Bridget turned her attention toward Lauren reluctantly. " I’m sorry grandma." Beth also noticed where Bridget’s attention seemed to be. " Looks like she is a little preoccupied with your son Lauren to pay attention to us old folks." Bridget’s guilty eyes went to Lauren. " Well I’m quite sure that Bridget knows that Scott admires her. He really has worked hard to be a good friend to Bridget." Bridget knew the meaning behind Lauren’s words. She didn’t understand her at all, Lauren was much younger than her father but that didn’t stop her from being Eric’s lover. She didn’t understand her at all, she had always been nice to her and now she made it clear that her son was off limits. "If you don’t mind grandma, I’m going to find Rick. I think that I saw him earlier with Eve. If you don’t know, that’s his new girlfriend. She really nice, not like Kimberly." Bridget kissed her grandmother and left. Beth shook her head. "Teenagers, they seem to be in and out of love in a matter of moments." Lauren looked at Bridget; the girl was beautiful. She just hoped that Bridget understood that there could be nothing between her and Scott. Bridget was too young for her son; she’d only get a broken heart." Brooke that was one exquisite collection. I’m wondering how many of those designs were actually from Morgan Dewitt?" "Cindy about 7 pieces in the collection were from Morgan." "About Morgan, where is she now? I did notice that she was missing. ""Morgan has taken a leave of absence from Forrester Creations. ""Because of her supposed affair with Ridge? Brooke how do you feel about that? After all you and Ridge were twice married." " Cindy like I told you before the press conference. I’m not going to comment about Morgan or Ridge unless it is about their designs." "Brooke! Brooke!" Brooke looked at the crowd of reports. " Yes, James." "Rumor has it that you’ve hired KC Hunter to be one of your head designers." Brooke smiled. " Well yes. Forrester is fortunate to have a designer of her caliber working for us. In fact, I have the distinctive feeling that you will be running quite a few articles about her." Brooke looked toward KC who was standing at the side of the room. Cameras flashed and people took pictures of the beautiful new designer." I’m glad that you asked about KC, James. Because she is part of a team along with new designer Scott Grainger to design a new collection of ours. In fact there will be another press conference in less than a month about this collection.
"What type of clothes will be show in this collection?""Ahh. Sherry, you’ll have to be very patient. But I will give you a sneak peek. Gentlemen and Ladies, here is a look at WOW. Banners on the sides of the room were lowered and large pictures of Trudie graced the walls. Three pictures, in vertical banners hung. Trudie posed with her hands above her head in a sequenced sexy bikini showing lots of sexy skin her hair blowing and a sexy tattoo on her pelvic bone was showing. Trudie wearing a sensual halter style dress with a daring peephole neckline, the light gold dress was made from light see-through material, which encased Trudie’s golden tanned body and showed lost of leg. It also showed off lots of skin, you could see her breast through the material and almost her nipples. The last one of Trudie sitting her arms crossed over her breast wearing only the sequenced bikini bottoms. On each banner was the words WOW in gold. The reports started to take pictures and murmurs echoed throughout the room about the sexy bikini and woman wearing it. "Ladies and gentlemen, later this month you will met our newest model Trudie, who will exemplify WOW, our newest collection."Reports started asking questions at once. " Ladies and gentlemen. I will only take a few questions about this line. You will have to wait with anticipation like everyone else to find out more about this line."" Brooke, who is going to head up this new line?""KC, Scott and of course Ridge.""So Morgan won’t be part of the line?"" I didn’t say that." Brooke smiled. "What is going to make this line any different from your couture line?"" Just look at the bikini. It is sensual and alluring. The dress that she is wearing it daring and sensual. WOW will be a different collection from our couture line because it will be pushing the limits. These designs for women with bodies that kill and aren’t afraid to show it off. It will still have the excellent quality that all Forrester clothes have, but it will be different. I also predict that it will be just as successful as our added lines the International line, Men’s line and our Princess line.""Brooke, the model. Obviously she is a new model?""Trudie Hasting. Mark my words, she is something and she is the new signature model for WOW.""Brooke, how come you didn’t use Kimberly Fairchild? With her new hair color and style of dress, she seems to have a different look."Brooke worked hard not show her annoyance about that particular question. " Kimberly had a look that we wanted for our Princess Line. You are right, she has changed her looks and maybe she isn’t right for that line now. However, Trudie is perfect for WOW. I’m pleased with her work so far. Just look at her, she is lush and beautiful. This is a real woman with breast, hips and all. She is the type of woman to wear these clothes.""Are you going to give us any more hints about what we are going to get from this line Brooke? I know I’d love it see it." "Now Johnny. You don’t expect a girl to give away the milk away for free when she expects to see you the milk dairy? The crowd laughed at Brooke’s antics. KC was impressed at how Brooke was getting them to eat out of her hand and they hadn’t seen nothing more than three photos of Trudie in a bikini and one dress. Trudie was watching in awe, she was mesmerized by banners with her on it. She was doing her best to stay out of way; Brooke had warned her that after the showing reports might want to talk to her. She had told her not to talk to reports yet, she wanted to tantalize them. Trudie wished Eve could have been here; she had no idea that Brooke had this planned. " You are going to have to wait for the next conference to get more information. However if you take a look in certain fashion magazines, there will be three additional adds for WOW. I’m not going to tell you which magazines it will be in. You’ve have to look for it." Reports called out Brooke’s name some more." Sorry, that is all the questions that I’m going to answer right now. Eric and Ridge however will be answering on the current line." Brooke left the conference. Trudie looked at KC who smiled. "Trudie, I think we were a hit." " I know." Trudie knew at the moment, her life was never going to be the same again. She owed it all to Brooke Forrester.  Brooke slammed angrily into her office. She couldn’t believe that Eric and Stephanie had done this, but then again. She wasn’t surprised. Kimberly had been whining to Rick about her job when she obviously had some deal with Eric and Stephanie. She wasn’t going to let them get away with it. Although she had seemed calm during the press conference, she was plain furious."Brooke honey?"Brooke looked up to find her mother standing in the doorway of her office. "Mom, what are you doing here? Brooke ran and hugged her mother. " I’m so happy to see you." " I’m happy to see you too." Beth looked at Brooke. " Are you alright, you obviously are upset." " Oh mom, it just business. Eric and Stephanie are up to their old tricks. What are you doing here mom?" " I came to see the show and visit you. It is alright isn’t it, for a mother to visit her daughter and the way that things look, I’m glad that I have come." Beth smoothed a piece of he daughter’s hair."Mom, of course I’m glad to see you. After the last couple of days, I’m happy to see someone on my side." "Brooke what happened? Are you alright?""Yes. No. I’m not sure." Brooke thought for a moment. "Lately things have been like a whirlwind around here. The showing, Rick’s birthday party, Kimberly.""Kimberly? Rick’s girlfriend?""Ex-girlfriend, that god for that. Although he is mad a me about her.""Brooke, I’m not sure what you are talking about. Start at the beginning." "Kimberly was Macy’s sister and she blames me for Macy's death." Beth simply nodded. " Anyway she had this hold over Rick, I could understand it because he thought that he loved her. She attacked me mother.""When did this happen? Brooke why didn’t you call me?""Mom don’t worry, Thorne and I handled things, or at least we thought that we did. Anyway, I fired her, she was acting strange. I wanted her to get some help for her anger. Long story short, both Thorne and Rick were upset because I fired her. It seems somehow Eric and Stephanie hired her back. Rick is now mad at me because he was under the impression that he could hire her back with his Forrester stock that he was going to get for his birthday, but I changed his inheritance and he can’t get his stock until he is older. And although he dumped Kimberly for a Eve, his new wonderful girlfriend, he is upset it me.""Brooke, honey. It is understandable that Rick might be upset but he will get over it. Rick has that Forrester gene and he wants things his way. He will just have to learn that he will have to wait. As far as Kimberly goes, if you think that this girl doesn’t belong here, fire her again. You’ve dealt with Stephanie and Eric before, this isn’t any different. Although I’ll admit that Stephanie was her normal nasty self when I saw her earlier." Brooke rolled her eyes. " Yes, well she is on a rampage. She is blaming me for this mess between Taylor and Ridge.""The mess with their marriage?""You know about that?""I watch entertainment television.""Well, Stephanie is blaming me for this mess. She thinks that I hired Morgan to seduce Ridge. She is on the warpath so I’m sure that she is gunning for me in some way." Brooke glanced at her mother, " Don’t worry, I’m not worried about her, I can handle her. Besides, soon I won’t have to worry about her much longer." "Why is that Brooke?""I’m marrying Thorne. Now before you start mother, my mind is made up." Relief swept through Beth. " Good." Brooke was surprised by her mother’s acceptance. "I’m a little surprised. The last time we talked about Thorne, you weren’t so accepting." "Brooke, I was worried about Bridget, and I still am but I want you to be happy. Thorne is a good man and he loves you. He was willing to give up his family to be with you. I just wanted to make sure that you both knew what you were doing." "Thanks mom. I only hope that Bridget sees it the way that you do. I really want to marry Thorne and I decided that I’m going to do it next week. Bridget will get used to things, in fact lately she hadn’t been as mean to Thorne as she usually is. I’m hoping that once we are married she will accept it. I also think that moving to Paris will help her adjust more." "Move to Paris, Brooke what move to Paris?"Ridge stood next to his father who had been managing questions about the newest line. The reporters were interested in the line but there were also interested in some gossip. He couldn’t wait to get the hell out of here. The Forrester Jet would be leaving in three hours and he had call Catherine two hours ago to make sure that the children and all of Taylor’s things were packed. By tonight, they would be in St. Thomas where he had rented this beautiful house right on the beach. There would be no way that reporters could get to Taylor. He’d help here heal and then soon all the noise would die down, at least he hoped it would. He knew when he got back he would have to tell his mother and father about the stock he had lost. He was willing to give up the Forrester stock if that meant that he had Taylor and children. He also knew that by the time that he came back, his son would have been born. Ridge knew that he would never see him and he was sorry for that. He would always regret the night that he spent with Morgan and he would regret that he would never see the face of his son. Taylor watched Ridge as he stood by the podium. Her handsome sexy husband. Her loving caring husband. Her lying cheating husband. Tears fell down her cheeks. She had worked hard to help people; she had tried to be a good wife and mother. Today, her marriage and her life would be over. Connor knocked on the door to Ridge’s office. Taylor opened the door. "Are you ready Taylor? I can take you home if you want too."" No. There are plans that are set in motion. I’ve taken all the shit that Ridge has given him. I don’t plain on taking it anymore." Beth thought about the conversation she had just had with Brooke. Although moving away from L.A and Forrester might be the best thing for Brooke, Thorne and Bridget, it would bring Brooke closer to Caspian. She didn’t know how to broach the topic to Brooke without giving up too much information. She had to know why Caspian was here and what his connection to Brooke was. Beth looked at her beautiful daughter; Brooke had always been special to her maybe because she had known that Brooke’s sister Lark had been somewhere else. There were times that she looked at Brooke and wondered what Lark was doing at the moment. Her beautiful daughters had never had a chance to know one another; it was a shame, because they would have liked each other. Beth glanced down at her watch, she knew that Brooke had a great deal of work to do, she’d leave her daughter to deal with the rest of the showing and talk to her later. She wrote a short note to Brooke when she noticed an envelope with Brooke’s name on Brooke’s desk. Beth picked up the letter when Brooke came back into the office. "What’s that mom?""I don’t know, it was on the desk. It is for you." Brooke took the note from her mother’s hand and noticed the handwriting. She whispered a name that made Beth’s heart stand still. "Caspian""What? Brooke who is Caspian?" Beth’s heart was beating faster. She looked at her daughter whose face was pale. " Brooke, tell me who Caspian is." "Mom." Brooke licked her lips, her heart was beating so face. He had promised to leave her alone but this note, what did it mean. Brooke ignored her mother and sat down in the chair. She opened the letter. Brooke, Today at your showing, you looked beautiful as usual. It was nice to see you in your natural element. I am sure that your show is going to be a success, with your flare and your style, there is no doubt in my mind. Forgive me for not coming to you with this information but I am working hard to keep my word to you, for now. The information that I am going to give you will help you relax more. The man who tried to rape you, I have found him. His name is Gunter O’Neal and he will no longer be a treat you ever again. Earlier today, he was arrested by the police for drug possession and dealing drugs. I beg of you not to get involved in this situation. Gunter will be prosecuted and he will go to jail. As you can see, I have kept my word to you. I want you to keep yourself safe. Continue to see your health, talk to James about your feelings. Please, above all things take care of yourself. Know that I will be thinking of you. I hope that you will be thinking of me too. If you ever need me, please call. I will be there in no time. You are special to me Brooke and I care a great deal about you, more that you will ever know. Until we meet again.Caspian Brooke’s hand began to shake a tears weld up in her eyes. Pure relief filled her heart, she was grateful that the man who had tried to rape her had been caught. Caspian had caught him and he had kept his word. " Thank God." Brooke started to cry. Beth was alarmed. "Brooke, what is it! Brooke" Beth snatched the letter from her daughter’s hand. She read the letter. " Brooke you were almost raped?" Brooke weakly looked at her mother. "Yes. At Rick’s party there was this man and he tried to rape me. Caspian saved me. He saved me from being rapped." " Who is this Caspian? What is this man to you Brooke?""What is Caspian to me? I don’t know mother. He came into my life like a whirlwind. He seems to be there when ever I need him to be there, without me knowing why. He is strong, so sexy, so everything. Every time he is near me, it feels such intense emotions." " Ohhh, God. Brooke, tell me you are not involved with some man! Not when you are building a life with Thorne. Who is this man?""I’m not involved with him. We just met when I was in Paris. I’ll be honest with you; Caspian invokes strong feeling inside of me. It was like I’ve known him my whole life. A feeling comes over me when I am with him. I don’t really know a great deal about him but there are times that I want to know more." Brooke got a tissue and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. " If I were honest, there have been times that I’ve wanted desperately to make love to him. The feelings that he creates inside of me are so strong. But I’m not a fool mother, I know what I have with Thorne and I love him so much. There is no way that I would be willing to ruin what I have with Thorne for an affair. I told Caspian to leave me alone." Beth frowned. She waved the letter at her daughter. "You call this leaving you alone?" Brooke pulled the letter out of her mother hands. " The man was here at the showing." " He could have seen me mom, but he didn’t. It must have killed him to be so near to me and not to…" Brooke sighed. " He has been through so much and I know that he cares about me.. He is leaving me alone because I asked him….no begged him too. He could have come to me with this information but he didn’t he left the note. He was protecting me mother. Just like that night. That man, he had his mouth and hands all over me. You don’t know what that was like mother. That bastard was tearing at my dress and pulling down my panties too force himself inside of me!" " Honey. I’m sorry that happened to you. " Beth held her daughter and stroked her hair. "I’m sorry baby. I never would want anything to happen to you. I’m glad that this man was there to protect you but I’m worried." Brooke held on tight to her mother. "There isn’t anything to worry about. I’m all right. I’m going to be alright momma." " I think that you did the right thing. If you want to future with Thorne, honey and I know that you do, you must leave this man alone. Brooke he seems to be pure too temptation to you." Brooke laid her head softly on her mother’s shoulder. " I know mom. I can’t see Caspian again." Beth was relieved to hear her daughter say that. But she also heard a tinge of regret and pain in her daughter’s voice. There was no way that she was going to let that man hurt her daughter. She would find a way to stop him. She had read the letter and knew that on his end it wasn’t over. She’d find a way to see that it was over. She had lost Lark; she wasn’t going to lose Brooke too. Ridge took another round of questions from the reporters. "Tell us Ridge, how close where you and Morgan working to create this line?"" Morgan and I are only friends. I worked with her just as I worked with my father and any other designer here." " I don’t think that you worked with your father the way I heard you worked on Morgan." One of the reporters said. Snickers could be heard throughout the room. Stephanie shook her head with shame. Brooke caused this, this whole mess. She looked up at the banners of that trampy looking girl was now being hailed the newest look of Forresters. Not for long, that girl was going to go right out the door along with Brooke. " Like I said before, I am only taking questions about the line." Ridge took a few more questions. " I’m going to take one more question and then this press conference is over." A man in a gray suit raised his hand. " Mr. Forrester, I have one for you." "Yes." " Mr. Forrester, I’m here to represent Connor Davis and your wife. The man walked up to the podium to where Ridge was. He handed Ridge an envelope. " Mr. Forrester, you’ve just been served divorce papers from your wife. Thank you." The man walked away and press was full of noise and comments. Ridge stood there, with cameras flashing looking at the paper in his hand. " What, I don’t understand this." Ridge started to shake his head. The papers stated that Taylor was filing for divorce. Reporters were calling out to Ridge. " Ridge what is this about? Your wife is divorcing you?""No" Ridge faced the crowd and it was as if here didn’t see them. " No, there is some mistake. I love my wife and we are not getting a divorce.""That is where you are wrong Ridge." Ridge looked toward the back of the room where his beautiful wife stood next to Conner. Her voice rang out. Reporters turned and cameras flashed. " Ladies and Gentlemen I’ll be more than willing to answer all of your questions. Especially the ones about my forth coming divorce to Ridge Forrester." Stephanie looked at Eric with horror. " What in the world is Taylor doing?"Thorne opened the door to Brooke’s office. He had thought that she might still be in here. He knew that she was going to be upset about Kimberly working here. He was shocked himself and had asked Kimberly why she hadn’t told him. She said that he had been avoiding her and since she had nothing left to hold on to, she took the job. Thorne had thought about how Kimberly had looked on the runway, she looked happy. It had been a long time since she had looked that way. Maybe she would get over all of things that happened to her and she could start leading a normal life. He hoped that he would be able to lead a normal life too. He had to find Brooke and he had to tell her the truth. The time of reckoning was upon him and he couldn’t look back. Kimberly slid the dress off her body. She stood wearing only a pair of sexy laced panties and a strapless laced bra when she heard the dressing room door open. She heard the sound of heels and figured out who it was. Perfect. She smiled and called out. "Thorne, honey, you please help me get out my bra." Brooke reached and grabbed Kimberly spinning me around." What in the world do you think that you are doing here at Forrester and why would my fiancée be helping you with your bra?"" Brooke…" Kimberly looked shocked at a furious Brooke" I asked you a question. Answer it now!" Against All Odds Chapter 54 Review (The Truth Comes Out ) Brooke and Kimberly have a heated confrontation. Brooke realizes that Kimberly has been using her son and tells Kimberly that she is sick and obsessed with Thorne, a man who won’t even want her. Kimberly tells Brooke that she has exactly what she wants, Brooke’s man. Brooke doesn’t believe Kimberly and tell hers that she will fight her in court to see that her new contract with Forrester is declared invalid. Kimberly taunts Brooke with her night with Thorne and mentions a scar Thorne has on her inner thigh, Brooke pretends not to be affected and orders the teen to leave the building. Scott and Bridget talk, he tells her the kiss they shared was wrong. Bridget is hurt, not knowing that Scott is trying to protect her from his feelings. Trudie warns Scott that Bridget is too young for him while Bridget thinks that Trudie is Scott’s new girlfriend. Pierce gives Isabelle a special gift. Ridge blames Connor for Taylor’s wanting to divorce him. He is horrified to listen to his wife address the reporters about their marital problems and her wanting a divorce. When reporters ask Taylor about Morgan’s child, she realizes that Ridge is the father. Stephanie and Eric try to get Taylor to go with them but she asks Connor to take her home. Connor tries to help his client but his surprised when Taylor asks for a restraining order against Ridge. Taylor takes another pain pill. Thorne finds Brooke home alone and starts to confess about his "rape" of Kimberly. Brooke cuts him off thinking that he is confessing about his affair with Kimberly. Thorne begs for forgiveness thinking she knows about the "rape". Brooke is hurt and cries that what they had is over since he betrayed her. She gives a hurt and crying Thorne back his ring, saying they have nothing left. Beth comes to Brooke’s home to find her distraught and hurt daughter. Against All Odds Chapter 55 (Those Fighting Words) CJ handed Scott a cup of hot coffee with a grin on his face. "Why are you so happy this morning?" CJ laughed and finished off his breakfast sandwich. " I watched the news this morning and the Forrester fashion show was all over the news. Some fashion show….some conference." Scott gave CJ a perturbed look. "Remember that I do work for that company. By the way, the showing was a success." "Yeah, but how is anyone going to remember your showing when all they can talk about his Taylor Forrester handing Ridge Forrester divorce papers right there in front of the whole world. Man, I just wish that I had been a fly on that wall." " You could have more compassion…. I feel sorry for her." CJ frowned. " Well I don’t. When Macy was having a hard time with Thorne, my dad asked Taylor if she could help. She said no. So I don’t feel sorry for her in the slightest. All those Forrester men are alike, expect maybe for Rick. They go from one lady to another, I can’t wait for Thorne to do the same to Brooke." Scott didn’t say anything, he knew the Forresters were a sore subject with CJ and Stephanie.CJ looked at him. " All right, I won’t say anything more about the fashion show for the moment. Anyway, why are you looking so uptight? From what I heard, your designs went over well. So why are you looking like you’ve lost your best friend? Scott didn’t say a word; he didn’t want to talk about Bridget. She hadn’t been there last night when he came back from the reporters and he was worried. Bridget was most likely upset about Ridge and Taylor. He hated to think about her being upset. She deserved to be happy.  Bridget stood at her mother’s door. She wanted to go in but she was afraid. She had come home last night wanting to forget about what she had see with Trudie and Scott when she stumbled upon her mother crying in her grandmother’s arms. She had instantly become worried until she realized that her mother was crying about Thorne. She had only gotten a few details from her grandmother but basically she had said that Thorne had done something horrible to hurt her mother. Bridget thought that she would have been happier but she saw how bad her mother looked. She hadn’t looked that bad since---Ridge had left her. Bridget had a hard time sleeping all night because she could hear the muffled crying of her mother in her bedroom. Then Bridget had made a mistake of watching TV and she caught the press conference between Ridge and Taylor. She had no idea that any of that occurred. Taylor had looked bad as well as Ridge. Bridget felt a pain in her stomach, they were all hurting, and the people she loved. She didn’t know what to do. Maybe she had made a mistake doing what she did but there was nothing that she could do now. Soon, it would be fine. Ridge was free and so was her mother and they’d find there way back to each other. They just had too. Bridget opened the door to her mother’s room and found it pitch black; she walked over to the bed, her mother was curled up on her bed asleep. Bridget sat down on the bed and kissed her mother on top of her head. She was sorry about the pain that she has cause. "Don’t worry mom. Soon everything will work out the way that it should." Bridget silently left the room hoping that the rest would help would help her mother. Connor knocked at KC’s door and was surprised to see Lauren answer the door. "Lauren, hi. Is KC home?" "Yes, but if I were you I’ve hit the road." "Why?" KC came behind Lauren. " You have some nerve showing up here after what you did yesterday." "What are you talking about? KC.." "Have you looked at the headlines in the paper this morning. Or watched the TV. They are talking about YOUR press conference. I hope you are proud of what you did yesterday. I thought that I knew you Connor that you were above something like that. But I was wrong." " I think that I had better leave." Lauren didn’t want to be in a middle of a blow up. "NO!" KC turned toward Lauren. " You stay, he is leaving." KC slammed the door in Connor’s face. Connor stood there for a moment. "What in the hell is her problem?" Well he’d be damned if she stood there like an idiot. He opened the door to KC’s condo and walked in. " Just what in the hell is that all about. I thought that you not answering my calls last night was a mistake." "Oh no. I got your messages; I just decided that I didn’t take them. So if you don’t mind get out of my home." "I’m not leaving until you tell me why you are upset with me." " Ohh I’m upset? I’m not upset, I’m furious as hell with you!" KC’s little body shook with anger and if Connor hadn’t know what was bothering her he’d find her incredibly sexy with those chocolate eyes and that mocha skin. In fact, all he wanted to do was kiss the scowl off her face. KC who knew when a man was looking at her in a sensual manner became even more furious." You can forget about that too" "Forget about what?" "Forget about looking at me with lascivious look in your face! You aren’t getting as much as a handshake from me." Lauren looked at the couple and smiled. Anger was a great aphrodisiac. She got her purse and left the condo.  Isabelle studied the file sitting in front of her ignoring the eight pairs of eyes watching for any response from her. They had given an impressive presentation about a new piece of software that they had created. The research and development team wanted the okay for continuing. Isabelle knew that they had worked hard to get to that point, she and Caspian approved of hard work. "You research has been in-depth. Tell me, how long will it take you to have the model completed IF your department were awarded another 4 million dollars for this project?" Their eyes perked up, Isabelle knew they had only asked for 2 million because they didn’t want to seem greedy. She however knew that with 2 addition million they would work harder and would most likely be able to do more. 2 million dollars was nothing, just a drop in the bucket." Rachael a redhead woman turned toward her with hope in her eyes. " With the additional monies Ms. Deangleo it would make it easier to get the software completed probably 3 extra months earlier than the date suggested." " How about 6 additional months? You could hire additional staff to help with development correct?" Isabelle gave the woman a cool look. " It can be done, couldn’t it?" Rachael looked at the seven other members of her team and they nodded their heads at her. Isabelle nodded toward them. " It is settled then. You will receive the additional monies for the proto-type and I will receive a weekly report. Mrs. Thompson and since you’ve done much of the talking for your group, you will be responsible for the reports. YOU can handle that can’t you?" Rachael’s eyes shifted and she looked like she swallowed glass. " Yes…of course." The team got up from the table and left the conference room looking happy all expect Rachael who looked extremely nervous. "Bella, why are you terrorizing that poor woman?" Caspian walked in from the outer room of the conference room." Isabelle smiled at the sight of her brother and she reached out to him when he came close to her for a hug. Caspian squeezed her tightly; it wasn’t often that she reached out to him. Isabelle stepped out of her brother’s grasp. " I think that Rachael has potential but she doesn’t know it yet. She needs some urging to get her to go beyond her own boundaries. She will do a fine job and I think that I will give her a promotion. So how was L.A? More importantly, how is Brooke?" Brooke, the mere mention of her name brought on memories. " She was almost hurt Bella." " Hurt, how?" Isabelle was concerned, she didn’t want anything to happen to the woman her brother cared about. "She was almost raped." "Raped…" Isabelle whispered the word. "She wasn’t.." " No. Thank God Bella, I was able to save her. I got just in time and it took an act of god from keeping me from killing that son of a bit…" Caspian looked at Isabelle tying to judge her reaction. He shouldn’t have brought Brooke’s near rape up to Isabelle; it would only bring up painful memories. " Bella, I’m sorry…" Isabelle poured him a hot cup of coffee. " If you didn’t kill him what did you do to him?" "I beat the hell out of him. I was so worried about Brooke that I took her to my hotel to take care of her. Later I took care of Gunter O’Neal by setting him up for drug dealing." "Why didn’t you kill him?" " I promised her that I wouldn’t kill him." "You promised her….. You must have deep feeling for her to promise such a thing." Isabelle watched her brother closely. " I love her Bella." He waited for her to respond but she said nothing and drank her coffee holding him under that gaze she liked to use when she studied people. " I thought that first that I was attracted to her because she looks like….Lark. But she is different from Lark. Bella I will always love Lark, no one could replace her but Brooke is different. I love her for a different reason. It isn’t like me, falling in love so quickly but when I’m around her I feel so alive." Caspian looked out the beautiful view. " The passion that she stirs within me. I can talk to her about anything." "What things can you talk with her about?" "Lark. I talked to her about Lark. You know that I never discuss her with anyone but I could talk about that night….the night that she died." "You told her about that night?" Isabelle knew that he was serious if he talked about that night. He didn’t even like to talk about it with her. "I told her about Lark, my feeling about her and how she wanted to leave because of my lifestyle." "Caspian, you didn’t tell her EVERYTHING about our lives did you?" Isabelle knew that he could never do that it would be too dangerous especially now. Maybe if they were married but not know the way that things were." Caspian wore a sad expression. "No, I’d never endanger her like that. I did tell her that I had done some dangerous things and that Lark wanted to get away." "How did she react to the news of Lark’s death?" " That’s the thing Bella, she didn’t pull away. She tried to comfort me. It was wonderful feeling. I should have made love to her that night and made her mine." "Why didn’t you? You could seduce anyone. Why didn’t you claim her then?" "I made her promise. Bella … I don’t know why I promised her that I’d leave her alone." " You don’t mean that do you?" "No. But I had to promise her that so that we could have dinner. She ran away from me, she is afraid of her feelings." "Because of the man. She is tied to him. Break the tie Caspian. Use all of the power you have to destroy him and take her." "No, not like that Bella. I want something real, not manipulated. Thorne isn’t worthy of her. I know and soon she will know it. I have a distinct feeling that sooner or later he will show his hand. If he doesn’t then I will expose him for the liar that he is. He is cheating on her." " With who?" " Her son’s girlfriend. He doesn’t deserve Brooke." " Get the evidence and show it to her." "I will if I have to but I don’t want to do it like this. I want to have something honest with her." "You know that is almost impossible. To have something totally honest with her. You know that. She looks like your dead wife and when she finds out that could cause problems. Sometimes it is best to hide thing from each other. But you know that, don’t you. In our world, you can only be honest with other people who live in it and you can’t always be honest with our people for they might betray you." Caspian heard something in his sister’s voice. " You are talking about Benito aren’t you?" " He understood you. He understood me. He understood too well how to play the game." " There are times that I miss him too Bella. I’m sorry that he betrayed me but I’m more sorry that he betrayed you." " He was best friend. You loved him." "He was your husband Bella, you had deep feelings for him. You loved him, I think that you did." " He didn’t expect me to be anything other than what I was. I understood him. He just didn’t understand that my loyalty was forever to be with you." Caspian’s heart broke for his sister. She was right, there were times that he missed Benito. He had been like a brother to him, his friend, his confident. His betrayal had hurt him and Caspian hadn’t had a friend like him ever again, but what Benito did to Bella was most heartbreaking. His sister had loved Benito; at least come closest to what Bella could call love. Benito however had loved his sister. Caspian never questioned that. Benito knew all about Isabelle, how she ticked, her rape and her intense emotions that she had shut off. When Caspian had found out about them, it had angered him at first, his best friend sleeping with his sister. But then he saw something in his sister that he hadn’t since before her rape, emotion. He talked to Benito who had told him of his love for his sister. He didn’t object to them but he wished that he had. How was he to know that Benito was to betray him? Who would have ever thought that it would be Isabelle who would find out the truth and she’d be the one to take her husband’s life on her own wedding night. Caspian had failed to protect Bella again, for that, he’d always be sorry. Caspian moved toward his sister and gently kissed her on top of her head. " I’m sorry that I haven’t protected you as well as I should." "We protected each other. You always protected me, never apologize." Isabelle loved her brother, he did his best. It wasn’t his fault that things turned out the way that they did. She could never change how things are or the past. Taylor stroked her son’s hair a painted using paint by numbers. He always enjoyed activities like that; it was definitely Ridge’s influence. He most likely was going to become an artist. Ridge’s son. Last night had been hard for the children, they kept asking for their father. She had tried to tell them that daddy wasn’t coming back but she couldn’t deal with that and the shocking news about Morgan. She had only told them that daddy was going on a trip, however she knew that in the next couple of days, she had to tell them the truth. Taylor didn’t want to even think about Ridge’s other son. Morgan’s son. How could Ridge have done that to her, to sleep with Morgan using no protection, to get her pregnant? How they must have laughed at her when she suggested that she be the baby’s godmother. It didn’t matter, that baby didn’t matter. She’d protect HER children; there was no way that she was going to ever allow them to be around Ridge’s bastard. She hated him even more for this betrayal. Connor and her father tried to talk to her about Ridge but they didn’t understand how she felt. The sacrifices that she had made for him and their family. There was no way she’d ever forgive him. She had to divorce him quickly; she couldn’t allow Ridge to get close enough to hurt anymore  " You only have five minutes and then I need you to leave." KC picked up her red purse that matched her snappy cute red pants suit, and white strappy t-shirt with a red and gold design that was finished off with her red high-heeled sandals. Connor sat down on KC’s sofa. "I’m not leaving until you tell me why you are so upset with me." "I’m upset with you because of what you did yesterday. You had no right to do something like that." " I had no right to do what. Tell me you don’t believe those damn Forresters and think that I told Taylor about Ridge." " No… I don’t think that you did that. But using that fashion show in order to announce Taylor’s divorce is pretty low. Don’t you know what you’ve done…" " You feel sorry for that arrogant asshole Ridge. He deserves everything that he gets…" " I’m not worried about Ridge. Ridge is grown man but what I didn’t like was you using the place that I worked for to have your conference. I gave you that ticket for the showing because I wanted someone that I cared about to be there even though I didn’t have a design in the showing. You used it to for your own purposes… did you even think about how I’d react to this? Did you even ask me how I would feel? No, you used me and I don’t like being used." "KC, I didn’t mean to use you." " Well you did." She turned her back on him. Connor reached out to turn her around to face him. He tried to cup her face but she backed away. " I’m sorry if I hurt you. When you gave me the ticket, I had every intention of coming for you. To support YOU. Taylor called me and she wanted me to represent her." "So you thought that press conference would be the perfect place for this?" "No. But Taylor did. I tried to talk her out of it but she wanted to do it. I also made a huge mistake not telling her that Morgan’s baby was Ridge’s. She was really hurt by that news so I’m not sure if that conference was a good idea." " It did have the desired effect didn’t it… to get at the Forresters." " I’m not going to apologize for what happened to those people. They love to push everyone around including YOU." "I won’t let them push me around." " I know that KC and that is one of the things that makes me so attracted to you. But you aren’t Taylor. For years she has allowed those people to make her decisions especially Stephanie. This was hard for her to do and this press conference was hard on her. She needed to do this for herself, maybe to draw a line in the sand. She needed to do this and I’m glad that I’m could help her. I however am not proud that you were hurt in the process. I am sorry if you think that I was there solely for Taylor, I wanted to see you. I am sorry that didn’t consider how you’d feel about the conference. I honesty didn’t think that you would be upset by it." KC looked deeply in his eyes. He looked honestly sorry for hurting her. " Am I forgiven…" KC picked up her purse again. "I’ll let you know later, after I’ve thought about it. If you don’t mind, I have plans with Lauren and we are late." Connor looked at little forelonged. She wasn’t yelling at him anymore and that was a good sign. " I guess that I ought to be going …but before I go, could I get a kiss good-bye." KC thought for a moment. He was making it hard on her; maybe he didn’t really understand that the showing was important to her. Maybe he had been trying to help poor Taylor Forrester. KC started toward her door. " I’ll let you know about the kiss later also." KC opened the door for Connor. He reluctantly left but not before her grabbed her into his arms for a sultry hot passionate kiss that KC couldn’t help but to respond to. Connor pulled his head away and traced where her lipstick had smudged a bit on her lips. " Just something to help you think." He cupped her face and gently kissed the top of her head. " I am sorry if I hurt you. I promise that the next showing that you invite me to, I’ll be there solely to support you and only you." Connor left. She gently closed the door and stood thinking of that kiss. Damn that man, he was too smooth. Stephanie threw the morning paper down on the table; the headlines were all about Ridge and Taylor. " I can’t believe this. This is all Connor’s fault; he is the one who told Taylor the truth. I know it." "Stephanie, I told you to calm down. I know that you are upset but the chances of Taylor finding out where high. Who knows who could have told her, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t find out? Morgan could have come back into town at any moment, we couldn’t predict that. Stephanie said nothing; she wasn’t sure what she was going to do with Morgan now. She had planned on keeping Morgan locked up only enough for Ridge and Taylor to leave town. Only a few days and then she’d pack up Morgan and get her out of L.A, but now that Taylor knew, she wasn’t sure what she’d do with her. She’d have to think long and hard about that bitch, she wanted Morgan to pay especially now. "I tried to call Taylor’s all night long but she isn’t answering the phone. Eric, I know that she doesn’t mean it. I have to talk to her and then I know that she and Ridge can work it out. She loves Ridge and they will make it through all of this mess." . CJ finished cashing some patrons check when Bridget walked into Insomnia. " Hey Budge.." " Hi. CJ. Hey you haven’t seen Rick have you?" "Naw. Is everything alright?" "He left the showing and didn’t come home last night. I don’t have Eve’s number and he really needs to get home." "Why?" Bridget looked away; she didn’t expect CJ to understand. He hated her mother. " I don’t think that I want to talk about with you." "Bridget, you look upset. I just want to know what is going on. Is this about the press conference at the showing? Look I’m sorry if you are hurting about what happened. But it seemed to me that Ridge kinda got what he had coming after all he was cheating with that Morgan chick. Right?" "It’s not about Ridge… not really. It is about my mom…she and Thorne broke up." CJ stopped dead in his tracks. " Well, it finally happened…what did your mother do? Or did Thorne screw it up?" "I’m not talking about it with you. You are a nice guy CJ but when it comes to my family you aren’t rational." "Bridget, you can’t expect me to feel sorry for your mother. She caused my sister’s death and stole her husband." " My mom didn’t cause your sister to die. Look, I am sorry about Macy. I wish that my mother and Thorne hadn’t gotten involved with each other. They don’t belong with each other, they never did and never will. But that doesn’t mean that I want my mother to be hurt." " I think that you are right, we shouldn’t talk about this." Bridget looked hurt. CJ tilted her head up. " Bridget, I don’t want us to fight about your mom. I’m sorry that you are hurting, but don’t expect me to feel sorry for any member of your family especially your mother. I can’t forgive her for what she has done to my family." Bridget knew that asking CJ to understand her mother was asking too much. " I understand CJ, but we are still friends aren’t we?" "Of course, I’d never give up on you." CJ pulled Bridget into his arms for a hug at the moment that Scott walked up. He watched CJ hold Bridget and although he knew that CJ cared about her, he was jealous. CJ was a good looking and girls liked him. What if Bridget turned to CJ, could he live with that?" Bridget stepped out of CJ’s arms and turned, she was surprised to find Scott looking at her with heat in his eyes. At that moment, Trudie walked into the front door. She saw CJ and smiled, Bridget however thought she was smiling at Scott. She couldn’t stand to watch him with her. " I’d better go CJ." Bridget picked up her backpack and practically ran out of the door. "Hi Bridget." Trudie watched as the teen went past her. Scott didn’t know what was going on but he was going to find out. Trudie shrugged her shoulders and made her way over to CJ. " What’s up Doc?" She winked at him. CJ took his eyes off the door and studied Trudie. She was wearing and shimmering black tank top with circular designs in gray sequence. The tank top stopped above her navel, which was pierced with a silver stud, and a pair of the pair of black smooth black sweat pants rode low on her hips, she finished it off with gray tennis. Damn, she was fine and based on the news conference Forrester’s newest model. "Nothing Trudie." CJ went back to counting his receipts. Maybe if he pretended he didn’t see her she’d go away. Trudie found CJ’s indifference disturbing. They had chatted on the phone the other night and everything seemed cool. She would have been by the coffee house but she had been busy with school and work. "So…. What is the deal?" " What deal?" CJ refused to look up. " The chill factor in here. Did I miss something?" " No" " Then why are you treating me like I stole the secret sauce or something?" CJ put his receipts away. " Why are you here Trudie? Don’t you have some pictures to take?" "Pictures to take….what is this about? Is this about my new job at Forrester?" "Forrester it is always about Forrester isn’t it. You know how surprised that I was to see your face and your practically naked body on the TV as their newest model." "Why don’t you tell me which part has you upset. Is it the job itself or the fact that I’m modeling scanty clothing?" "I don’t care that you are modeling." "BUT you do care that I’m working for Forrester right?" " Why did you have to work for them? " I can’t believe this you are pissed off because of my job at Forrester. Just who in the hell do you think that you are?" " That family has everything and now, they have you.." " I belong to you right?" " I didn’t mean it like that." " It is alright that Rick FORRESTER is your friend as well as Bridget FORESSTER. You are friends with Scott who works for Forrester but I’m not supposed to work for them. You really arrogant little bastard aren’t you? What do you think that everyone was a business like you? I love my job at Forrester, it is a fabulous fashion house and who knows the recognition that I’m going to get because of it." "My sister died because of those people, you can’t expect me to want you to work there." "I’m sorry about your sister but I know what is like to lose a sibling. My brother died recently. He was ALL that I had." CJ hadn’t known that she didn’t have any family. "What about your parents?" " My dad died before I was born and my mother is a drug addict. She might as well be dead. All as she loves to do is to feed her arm. So, I’m sorry if we all don’t have coffee house or business like you or your friend Rick. I will tell you what. I thought that you were really cool and might be fun to hang with. Maybe do a little more than hang but I was wrong. Nobody owns me! No one tells me what to do OR where to work!" CJ watched the fire in her eyes blaze as she started to ream him out, god she was beautiful. She was also right; he couldn’t what an ass he was being. Truthfully he was more than upset because she worked for the Forresters, it was because she hadn’t told him about it. He however knew that he didn’t have a claim to her, he hadn’t even had a real date with her. Damn that is what he wanted, a date with her. It was time to let Becky go, he loved her but she wasn’t coming back, not now, not ever. "Look Trudie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…" " You are right, you shouldn’t have." She looked around at the coffee house and picked up the paper that someone had left on the front counter. " See you around." She moved toward the back part of the coffee house, sat down and started to read the paper. " Trudie, I’m sorry.." She looked up from her paper. " You already said that I agree. You are sorry." "You aren’t going to make this easy on me are you?" "Why should I. You are the one who acted like a complete jerk." " I agree. I was wrong." CJ sat down across for her. " I guess that I was just looking for something." " Looking for something? Like what?" "Like something to make me stop liking you so much." Trudie’s eye showed surprise. CJ shook his head. " You don’t know what is like to be married to someone and to lose them. I loved Becky very much and I haven’t gotten over her death. But then you come popping into my life. You with you sexy looks and you spunky attitude. Man, you were like a bolt of lighting. Full of everything and you made me feel alive. Alive in so many ways that I feel guilty when I’m around you and I’m wondering what you are doing. So when I saw you on that TV, I was jealous and relieved at the same time. Jealous that you were working for those Forrester and relieved that I had found a reason NOT to think about you anymore." " Well, if you feel that way then it looks like I’m wasting my time being here. I had better get going." Trudie stood. "Don’t leave Trudie." " I thought that is what you wanted." CJ looked down at the wedding ring on his finger. "I thought that is what I wanted too." CJ slipped the ring off of his finger. Trudie watched him with confusion in her eyes. " I don’t want you to go. Although I might not like it, I’m not going to let something like you working at Forrester get in the way of what I’m feeling." CJ put the ring in his pocket and reached up to cup Trudie’s face. " I want to feel what I feel with you." Trudie looked deeply into his eyes and stepped forward closer to him. She could smell the soft scent of KC1 that he was wearing. " Are you sure this is what you want. To feel? I’m not Becky and I can’t replace her. Are you sure that you are ready for this, for me?" " As sure I as I can be." CJ leaned forward and Trudie moved so that her mouth covered his. The kiss was gentle at first. Her mouth touched his softly and then she pulled away. Then she came close again and kissed his a little slower with softly drinking from his lips. Her teeth gently scraped against his bottom lip and suckled hit into her mouth. CJ’s made her way around toward her bottom and cupped it. Her breast brushed against his chest and his hard rock shaft was cradled against her warm heat. Trudie tilted her head toward the right and CJ slipped his tongue in her mouth. It was sweet and it was wild. His mouth and tongue sipped and tasted her, she pulled tightly on his head opened her mouth wider to accept his stroking tongue. She rubbed her tongue against his and her hands made their way down toward his butt and squeezed it. CJ groaned and pulled his head away from hers. He wanted her so badly and they had only shared a kiss. Trudie’s labored breathing matched his own. " Tell me. Was that good for you too?" Trudie’s eyes sparkled. " Yeah. Whoa… that was real good." Trudie rubbed CJ’s bottom lip with her fingers while she licked her lips softly. " Good. I think that you are forgiven." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her neck. " So when you going to ask me out?" CJ threw back his head. " Hell, you are the newsiest Forrester model. When are you going to ask me out?" "A liberated man. I like that. So Mr. Garrison, would you like to spent to day with me?" "I’d love to. If you don’t mind waiting a few hours. I’ve got to wait for Mark to come in to manage this place." "Sure. I have some work to do." Trudie left the coffee house and came back with her book bag. She picked a small table in the corner and started studying for her final. CJ couldn’t help but to watch her. That kiss had been something. A Few Hours Later Ridge shook his head as he drove up to his home. Last night had been horrible, first he found his things thrown over the front lawn of his home and then the locks had been changed. He banged on the door for what seemed like hours but Taylor didn’t answer. Then there was the news and the papers; his business was all over for the whole world to see. Connor was to blame for that and he planned on making a stop at his office. There was no way that shark of a lawyer was going to take advantage of his wife and make Ridge another suffering husband. Ridge rang the doorbell a few times with Katherine opened the door. "Mr. Forrester… I’m sorry but I can’t let you in." Katherine looked uncomfortable; Mrs. Forrester had made it clear that Ridge wasn’t to be in the house for no reason. She wasn’t kidding. " Katherine, this is crazy. This is my home." " Please.. Mrs. Forrester told me not to let you in. She is serious. She really is acting strange." " Katherine … I don’t have time for this. I love her, you know this." "What you did… it really hurt her?" " I know and I need a chance to explain everything to her. You know that I love her. Please… for the children. I miss my children. I just want to speak to her, I promise that I won’t upset her." Katherine felt bad; he was putting her in a strange predicament. She loved her job here and she loves the kids. She also felt sorry for Taylor; finding about Ridge’s affair had already changed her. Katherine also knew the children had no idea about what was happening, but she had stayed late last night and they had kept asking about their father. If she let Ridge in, maybe he’d work things out." " Please Katherine…." Katherine sighed. "Alright.. But if she fires me.." "She won’t" Ridge came in and kissed her on her cheek. "She and the kids are down by the pool." Ridge went down toward the pool and he stopped when he saw his wife and children. They were his world he had to get them back. Ridge walked toward his children. Thomas looked up and saw his dad. "Daddy…" Thomas took off running while the twins dropped their beach call and followed suit. Ridge scooped up Thomas hugging his son close to him. He felt his daughters tug on his jeans. Ridge put Thomas down and kissed them. "My sweeties, you can’t believe how much daddy loves and missed you." Thomas looked up his dad. "Are you growing away again?" Ridge understood what his son was trying to say. "Going away…no son, I’m not leaving you ever." Ridge hugged his children again. Taylor walked over toward her husband. " Thomas go and get Katherine." "Awright mommy." Thomas ran toward the house. Ridge stood up and his heart melted when he saw the shadows on his wife’s face. " Doc…" " Don’t you dare do this now!" Taylor said in a fierce whisper. " You have no right to be here." Ridge bent down and kissed his daughters’ hands. " I have ever right to be here." Taylor’s face became hard at his comments. " No, you have no right to anything anymore." Katherine came outside with Thomas. Taylor gave her a look of annoyance. " Take the children inside for a snack." "Dada, play with me.." Little Phoebe said to her father. Taylor painfully bent down making sure that her sling was out of the way. " I’m sorry honey but your father…..he can’t right now." She kissed Phoebe on her head. " Please Katherine, come and take them into the house. Katherine led the children away from their father. She hoped that she had done the right thing by allowing Ridge to come in. Ridge reached out toward his wife how easily eluded him. "Don’t, don’t you dare touch me!" Taylor had fire in her eyes. " I can’t believe you. I can’t believe that you had the nerve to barge into my house like this." " Taylor, it’s our house. I have the right to be here." " You have no rights to anything!" Ridge had never seen her like this; she looked at him as if she hated him. "Taylor, I know that you are upset about everything but you have got to listen to me." " Upset, no … I’m well past being upset. Upset is you forgetting my birthday or an important date not having affair and getting my best friend pregnant." Ridge blanched and in that moment, there was question in her heart that he was the baby’s father. "So it is true." Taylor looked away; she wasn’t going to allow him to see her cry. " The baby is mine." "Well…congratulations …" Taylor said bitterly. " Taylor, I know that you are having a hard time dealing with everything. I made a mistake." Taylor whirled around shaking her head at her husband. "You made a mistake?" "Yes… Taylor you don’t understand how all of this happened." " You had an affair and obviously unprotected sex with your ex-girlfriend. I know how it started. I don’t want to hear the details Ridge. I’m through with this and you. I want a divorce. Do you hear me Ridge! I want a divorce and I’m going to get one." Taylor tried to stride past Ridge when he reached out and pulled her into his arms. " Let go off me now." " Not until you listen to me. Taylor, I didn’t have an affair with Morgan. I was tricked." " What?" Taylor gave Ridge and incredulous look. " I was tricked into having sex with Morgan. It happened one time, one time that was all it was." " You expect me to believe that you were tricked into having sex with Morgan. God, you are insane if you think that I’m going to believe such a thing." " Taylor, please it is the truth." Panic was eating away at Ridge. " Please, please, you got to listen to me. I was tricked into having sex with her. I didn’t want to do it but I thought that you wanted me to… I thought you wanted me to have sex with Morgan and get her pregnant!" Taylor pulled away from Ridge and with her good hand slapped him hard across his cheek. " Damn you to hell Ridge. Damn you for all of your lies."  Thorne sat on the beach. The bottle in his hand was almost empty, he didn’t care. He had already emptied two other bottles earlier that day. He was so drunk that he could hardly see. It didn’t matter anymore, nothing matter. He held on tightly to the ring in his hand it bit so tight on his hand that it cut him. He didn’t care about that either. The ring that he had given her. She had planned on marrying him next week that is what she had said. He had been so close to having everything that he wanted. Now, it was all over. Last night, he had driven to Santa Monica and he had spent the night reliving his conversation over and over again. He kept trying to relive that night he raped Kimberly. He couldn’t seem to remember at thing but a bitterness started in the pit of his stomach. He wished that he had never laid eyes on Kimberly. He wished that he had never helped her. Thorne knew that he couldn’t go home and Brooke’s things in his home to relive the memories that they shared there. He couldn’t stand to even look at Kimberly’s house for fear of what he’d do to her. He knew he was wrong, it wasn’t her fault, but he didn’t want to see her face. He couldn’t do anything. He was lost. Thorne finished off the Jack Daniels and covered his head and cried. Brooke sat sitting on her window seat looking at the view from her bedroom in the dark. Sitting next to her was a photo album full of pictures of the happy times she and Thorne shared. She was numb. She couldn’t think enough to deal with work, to deal with anything at that moment. She sat circled up on the window seat wearing one of Throne’s shirts. If she inhaled hard enough, she could still smell his scent. A fresh set of tears started to fall from her lashes. Brooke pushed her hair out of her face and tried to wipe the tears. Her heart was breaking so much, she didn’t know how she would get over this pain. "Brooke sweetheart." Brooke heard her mother knocking at the door. The door opened and her mother turned the light on. Brooke turned away from her mother. "Honey…. It is already afternoon. Do you think that you might want something to eat?" "Mom… please… I don’t any food. I don’t want anything." Beth pushed her daughter’s hair away from her face. Brooke looked tired, her eyes had an awful shadows under them. Her hair was unbrushed and a disarray over her head. " You can’t stay in here forever." Beth sat down next her daughter. "I’m worried about you. You sitting here in the dark." Brooke didn’t say anything, she looked out of the window. Beth picked up the photo album, turned the pages and saw the happy faces of Brooke and Thorne. "It’s only natural to think about him honey. Brooke are you thinking about forgiving him?" Brooke clutched the shirt to her and stood up. " Mom…forgiving him?" She couldn’t think straight. She didn’t know where her mother had gotten that idea. " Brooke, honey. I’m not saying that you should or shouldn’t forgive him but I’m asking you to think about things. You are hurting right now and the wounds are fresh but you have some thinking to do. You have to decide what you are going to do about your relationship with Thorne." " There isn’t anything to think about mom. It is over. Thorne and I aren’t getting married. He cheated on me. It is over." Beth shook her head and hugged her daughter from behind. Brooke clutched her mother’s hand with one of her hand. " Honey, I think that you do have some thinking to do. Right now you are angry and hurting and you can’t seem to think straight. But eventually going to clear your head and the pain and hurt will subside and you will have to decide if you really can let go of Thorne that easily or do you want to forgive him work out your problems and go on with the life that you planned." Brooke moved out of her mother’s arms. "How can you ask me something like that? It’s over. I told you that I can’t marry Thorne. My life is no longer with him." " That isn’t true Brooke, if it was you wouldn’t be wearing his shirt." Brooke looked down at Thorne’s shirt. " It doesn’t matter.." " Yes it does Brooke. If you love him REALLY love him then you have to decide if this is worth it. He made a mistake Brooke. From what you told me he is sorry. Brooke I’m not staying that you should forgive him but I’m saying that you should think long and hard about what you are doing." Beth turned her daughter to face her. " You have to decide if you can live without Thorne. You have to decide if you are willing to let him go because of a foolish mistake that he made." "How can you defend him? He cheated on me and with that bitch…" Beth knew that her daughter didn’t understand but she had to help her daughter and Thorne overcome their problems. If Brooke were free then Caspian would come in for the kill. She had no choice; she had to convince her daughter to forgive Thorne’s indiscretion. " Brooke.. If you would just listen." " What are you saying mother? Are you saying that I should forgive Thorne?" "That is exactly what I’m saying. I think that you should forgive Thorne." Brooke stood shocked at her mother’s words. Caspian was reading a file on his latest financial reports when his secretary opened the door to his office. " Mr. Deangleo, there is a call for you on the secured line. Cindy brought a few more files and smiled at her handsome boss as she took the empty coffee cup from his desk. " Thank you Cindy." Caspian picked up the phone. " Deangleo here." He listened to the phone conversation intensely. Caspian put the phone back on the receiver. He couldn’t believe what he had just learned… this would change everything with Brooke.=-=-=-missing 56-58?  Or just not labeled?Against All Odds Part 58 Review: Brooke and Stephanie come to blows in a board meeting. Brooke threatens to sell the company after Stephanie angers her. Stephanie tells Eric that they must get custody of Bridget ASAP. Caspian watches as an equally upset Ridge confronts Brooke. Ridge wonders if Taylor is proceed with a divorce. Beth talks with Carlos and remembers that Samuel, Brooke and Lark’s father made her give Lark to him. Thorne returns home after missing for a week and is confronted by Beth. Honey threatens to tell all if Kimberly doesn’t pay up. Taylor is given Isabelle’s name as a therapist who might help her with her anger toward Ridge. Against All Odds Par 59 (Big Surprises) Kimberly looked at the check in her hand; she’d cash it and pay off Honey. That little bitch had her in a tight spot and she knew it. She couldn’t believe that she’d tape their conversation but the little tramp played it for her yesterday. There wasn’t anyway that she could pay the kind of money that she wanted so she had to go to Stephanie Forrester for the money. Stephanie said that she had been more than willing to pay any price for Brooke and Thorne to stay broken up. Stephanie had been a good mood stating that Jonathan had found something that would give the Forresters custody of Bridget outright. Bridget however might be a problem; she herself might fight the issue. Kimberly had told Stephanie not to worry; she had just the thing that would keep Bridget in her place. Kimberly took out the videotape that she had swiped at Rick’s party; it had Bridget’s fingerprints all over them. She’d use this tape to get Bridget to tow the line with her. Her cell phone rang. " Hello" "Hello Kimberly. Do you have my money?" "Yes. Do you have my tape?" " Of course I do. I’ll meet you in two hours at my house. Make sure you have all my cash." " I’ll take care of you. You can believe it." Kimberly hung up the phone. After today, Honey would be history and no one would ever find out the truth." " What are we going to do with this idea of Lauren’s? I think that it is a good idea." Ridge glanced at the figures in front of him. " Of course with the changes that Brooke suggested." Eric nodded his agreement. " Having a personalized boutique using the designs that we weren’t going to use in the collection is a good idea. I know that there were at least 6 designs from Morgan alone that we didn’t use that I thought were excellent." Eric went to the file cabinet. " That doesn’t even count yours or my mine." " We need to know who this silent partner is though. It is a lot of money dad to invest and I don’t think that we need to do business with anyone who we haven’t met." " I agree with you son." Eric put the file away and took out the design that he had started to work on. " Let Brooke know we have agreed and she should schedule an appointment with Lauren." " Lauren is gone." " Where is she?" " I’m not sure but Scott said that she left the day before yesterday." The buzzer rang. "Yes." " Eric, Jonathan is waiting to speak to you." "Send him in." Jonathan came into the office. " Eric, Ridge. I’m glad that you are here Ridge, I need to talk to you." Jonathan handed Ridge a paper, this came from Connor Davis. Here is the list of things that Taylor wants in her divorce." "I don’t want to look at it. Is there anyway that we can stall the proceedings?" "We can always contest the divorce. It is an option of yours but that means a court battle. Are you sure that you are willing to do that?" Ridge thought for a moment. He remembered what Taylor had said. He gave the papers back to Jonathan. " I wouldn’t even agree to this even if I wanted a divorce. Contest it Jonathan. Make it hard for her to leave me, do whatever you can." " Are you sure?" " She is my wife. I’ve given her some space to think and now I’m not anymore. I won’t let her leave me." Ridge thought about all they had been through. He was going to fight his wife, she wasn’t leaving and he sure as hell wasn’t going to allow her to take their children." Jonathan looked at Ridge and then at Eric. "Actually Ridge, we have another matter than we need to take care of." " What is it?" Jonathan looked uncomfortable and looked at Eric again. " It’s about the stock issue." "What stock issue?" Eric wanted to know. "Dad, I think that you should sit down. There is something that you need to know." " What?" Ridge ran his fingers through his hair. " Morgan was blackmailing me. She told me that she would show Taylor the video tape of us in bed together if I didn’t give her what she wanted." "What did she want?" Eric got a sinking feeling in his stomach. " She wanted me to leave her alone. She wanted to leave Forrester to work at International Forrester if Brooke allowed and she wanted some Forrester stock for our son." "How much stock?" "5 percent." " 5 Percent! Ridge, that is half of your stock, each of us only has 10% except for Kristen and Felicia who have 5% each and your mother and I only share 19%-- Brooke has the other 51% of the company. You are saying with all of the stock combined that we only have 44% of our company instead of the 49%. That stock was important." Jonathan looked at both men. " I hate to add more to your worries but there is the matter of Taylor, she could sue you for your other 5% Ridge." "What?" Both Eric and Ridge turned around clearly upset by the matter at hand. "Ridge you made a decision about community property without the consent of your wife. If Taylor finds out she can claim that you gave stock that would legally belong to her and your children without a settlement." "Taylor has nothing to do with Forrester." " That is where you were wrong. Your gift to Taylor with International Forrester stock wasn’t separated totally from your Forrester stock. In giving away stock to Morgan you gave away her stock and you can’t do that. Taylor can either sue Morgan, who we can’t seem to find or sue you." "Damn it! I never thought about that. Why didn’t you tell me this before?" "When I drew up that contract you and Taylor where on solid ground, you aren’t anymore. I’m sorry to tell you this if Taylor takes Ridge to court, she could win. Then Eric that is another 5% of your company that is gone." "How could you let something like this happen Ridge? We have worked hard all these years to keep the company in the family. How could you have done something like this without telling us!" Eric knocked the sketch on his drawing board down on the ground. Stephanie walked in on Eric shouting at Ridge. "What is going on?" Ridge groaned, he hadn’t wanted his mother to find out the truth just yet. Eric shook his head and pointed to Ridge. "You tell your mother what you did!" Stephanie saw the anger in Eric’s eyes. "What happened?" "I gave Morgan 5% of my Forrester stock." "You did what? Why would you do such a thing?" "She was black mailing me mother so I gave her the stock for exchange of the stock but she showed that videotape at Rick’s party anyway." Stephanie’s mind began to work. She looked at Ridge and shook her head. "Why didn’t you come to me about this? I could have helped you." "You had already done enough mother. This would only have upset you." " And you don’t think that I’m not upset now! That bitch has stock in our company. Your father and I are doing everything in our power to get the stock we don’t have from Brooke and you are giving it away to Morgan. She is almost worse than Brooke. She will have voting rights. Stephanie headed to the door. "Where are you going?" "To fix this mess. That bitch isn’t going to get away with this. I suggest you go home, your home and not that beach house and fix things with your wife. I’ll handle Morgan." Eric and Ridge looked at each other with questions in their eyes. "How can she do that, she doesn’t know where Morgan is…no one does." "As you can see Brooke, these three pictures for the add campaign are wonderful. The layout that Marshall suggested worked out well." Brooke studied the picture of Trudie on the right. She was sitting in a chair with her leg thrown over the side wearing a black pinstriped pants suit with a see-through blouse. You could clearly see her breast through the blouse since the jacket was off. Brooke studied the other two ads. "Run the add with just the suit, the dress from the showing and ones with the bikini. "We aren’t running the other two adds?" "No. I don’t want to give away too much of our line before the showing." "Should Giovanni stop shooting her?" "No, we have bikinis to shoot. I want those ads ready. I want them done so we don’t have to wait." Brooke looked around. " Now, I looking for the adds for the Princess Line." Three pairs of eyes shifted. " What is the problem? Where are the ads?" Alexis slid the adds on the boards. Brooke saw beautifully done pictures of Kimberly in a red bikini, a white suite with a black leather belt and in a flawless black gown that had a plunging neckline. Brooke’s eyes narrowed. "Why wasn’t I notified?" " Actually, Brooke. It was Thorne who was in charge of these ads …" Brooke tried to hid the pain in her voice. "He Okayed these?" "No, but with him gone and the deadline coming we have to use them. We were…. We should have asked you but you weren’t in work." Laura whispered. Brooke looked at the ads again. They were on a deadline and there was no way they could have them shot again without costing money. She didn’t care about the money but they needed the space in Vogue. " Send the adds off." "Which one?" Brooke stood up and collected her things. " Both." She left the conference room quickly and headed to her office. Thorne, Thorne had agreed to this? He had known that Stephanie and Eric had rehired Kimberly all along. Brooke had a headache from thinking about the mess. She opened her desk drawer to find some aspirin for her headache. She took three aspirins and sat down at her desk getting ready to close the drawer when she noticed the letter. She picked up the letter and reread it to herself. Brooke, Today at your showing, you looked beautiful as usual. It was nice to see you in your natural element. I am sure that your show is going to be a success, with your flare and your style; there is no doubt in my mind. Forgive me for not coming to you with this information but I am working hard to keep my word to you, for now. The information that I am going to give you will help you relax more. The man who tried to rape you, I have found him. His name is Gunter O’Neal and he will no longer be a treat you ever again. Earlier today, he was arrested by the police for drug possession and dealing drugs. I beg of you not to get involved in this situation. Gunter will be prosecuted and he will go to jail. As you can see, I have kept my word to you. I want you to keep yourself safe. Continue to see your health, talk to James about your feelings. Please, above all things take care of yourself. Know that I will be thinking of you. I hope that you will be thinking of me too. If you ever need me, please call. I will be there in no time. You are special to me Brooke and I care a great deal about you, more that you will ever know. Until we meet again. Caspian "Until we meet again." Brooke stood up and walked over to the windows looking down at the city. Caspian. How she had fought against her attraction to him. She had wanted him with ever fiber of her being. She could admit that to herself now that things were like they were between her and Thorne. She thought about how his hands had felt on her skin, his mouth, and his dark sensual eyes. They way that he made her feel and the intense heat that she felt when he was near. " You were there when I needed you." She thought about the night of the near rape. How he had saved her, nursed her and in the end, made the man who tried to rape her suffer and pay. He had been there for her wanting only…well what he had wanted she couldn’t give him. But now, she was free; she could give him what he wanted if she were willing to let Thorne go. Thorne had let her go, sleeping with Kimberly, protecting Kimberly. The same night when the man tried to rape her, Thorne had been with Kimberly. How could she forgive him for that? Brooke put the letter down and she picked up the phone. "Megan. Cancel the rest of my afternoon appointments. I won’t be in." Brooke left the office and headed home. She quickly packed a small suitcase, left a note for Bridget who was the only one home. Beth had left early that morning to go back to Paris; she had to get back to work. She had said that she thought that everything was going to work out fine and that Brooke should trust her heart and forgive Thorne. Brooke headed up to the mountains, she needed to think. James had said that she was avoiding her feelings by working, he might be right. Big Bear had always been special, she needed time to clear her head and finally make a decision about Thorne. Gunter O’Neal was reading in the library when the guard came toward him. "You got a visitor." Gunter wondered who in the hell might want to see him. He took the computer print out he was reading and headed toward the visiting room. He sat down and waited. Tight tan snaked skinned pants came into view. The blonde who wore it and the matching jacket with the dark shades got whistles as she walked in the room. She took off her shades and sat across from him. " I thought that I told you not to come here." "I wanted to see you to make sure that you were alright." " I’m fine. I thought that I told you not to see me but to contact me through the phone." "I thought that you’d be happy to see me. After all, I’m going to have some money for you." "You did what I told you." "Yes. I did." Gunter began to stroke to newly growing goatee. " She’s going to pay you all the money." " That’s right. With the tape that I had, she willing to pay anything." " Good. That will help take care of my legal fees." "I still get half right?" Gunter leaned forward and took a look down the jacket at the bounty of breast. His finger traced the edges of the jacket until it caressed the tops of her breast." "Sure baby…" "This thing with Kimberly…I mean she isn’t a blonde. Why are you so interested in her? Gunter’s fingers reached inside her jacket and pinched her nipple hard. She closed her eyes in ecstasy. He smiled…she always liked it rough. "No, she isn’t a blonde but I do something special planned for her but first, I’ve got to get out this place." Gunter licked his lips. He leaned forward and stroked her neck with his tongue. Besides, you aren’t jealous are you Honey? If play nice, I’ll let you watch. It will be just like when we had that little freshman Susie. You loved watching me. Didn’t you?" Honey nodded. Gunter pulled back. " Now, the next time I see you, you’d better have my money." Honey licked her glossed over lips. What was it about Gunter that she liked? He treated her like shit, but she kept coming back for more. She saw other people and she knew that he took his pleasures elsewhere. He had demanded that they keep their "relationship" a secret and she have never told anyone. She remembered the first time they had sex, he had done some things to her with hot wax that she had never experienced before in her life. This relationship had all started because she needed an extension on an assignment and he had helped to get her one. She had been shocked to find that he was arrested for drug dealing, she didn’t know much about Gunter, but he didn’t seem like the type who would sell drugs. He said that he was innocent and she believed him. He said that he was set up and something about Brooke Forrester, but she hadn’t gotten all of it. He said that he was going to make the people responsible for his incarceration pay. Kimberly was headed to her house when she saw Thorne approaching her. Before she could blink he grabbed her arm hard and walked her back toward his house. " Thorne….what are you doing?" He wore a look of anger on his face for the first time she was worried. Did Honey tell Thorne the truth? She pulled away from him. " Thorne you are hurting me. Tell me, what is it." "Lets go in my house." Thorne followed Kimberly into the house. " Thorne.." Kimberly gave him a pleading look. " Stop it ! I don’t want to stop with the manipulation right now." " Manipulation…what are you talking about?" "How could you? How could you tell Brooke that we were having an affair?" Thorne strode toward Kimberly and grabbed her by her shoulders. " Do you know what you have done! You ruined everything. She thinks that I was having an affair with you! She thinks that I was betraying her on purpose." Throne thrust Kimberly away from him and gave her a look of disgust. " Don’t you know what you have done to me? I can’t believe that I used to defend you to Brooke and support you. How could you lie like that?" Kimberly said nothing. Thorne advanced on Kimberly slowly looking threatening. " Answer me! So help me I’ll…." "You’ll what? Rape me again?" Thorne stopped dead in his tracks. " You are going on and on about what I’ve done to you. What about what you did to me? I was a virgin, something special. Macy used to tell me all the time that it was a special gift that I should give it to the man I wanted." Kimberly shuttered for effect. " But then YOU took it. YOU took it without my consent. Forcing me to take you into my body. You didn’t even know it was me, you thought that I was Brooke. That is the memory that you created for my first time. A man I trusted and cared for. A man, who was like a guardian angel to me, took something special. And you have the audacity to talk about what I’ve done to you?" Thorne looked at Kimberly the anger began to fade from his eyes and it was replaced with suspicion. "Why did you lie to Brooke? To hurt me because I hurt you? " "No." Kimberly saw the distrust in his eyes. She was going to have to work fast to convince him that she was trustworthy. "I didn’t do it to hurt you, regardless of what you think, I don’t hate you. I love you. You are like family to me and I know that you didn’t mean to do what you did." " You hurt Brooke." " I wasn't trying to hurt Brooke although you can’t expect me to feel sorry for her. After what she did to my sister; after all she has done to fire me. Don’t forget that she tried to fire me." " You hate her." " Yes I do. I hate Brooke. And I hate the fact that you love her so much but that doesn’t mean that I’d hurt you. I care about you and I loved Rick. Both of you love her and hurting her would only hurt you both and I’d never do that." Kimberly walked over toward the sliding glass doors. " It’s funny. She doesn’t feel the same way about me. She was so furious after the showing. She threatened me, told she’d fight me in court if she had to in order for me to lose my job. She went on and on about Rick’s new girlfriend and how happy she was that was that he had gotten rid of me." " So you decided to tell her that I was having an affair with you to get back at her?" "No. Listen to yourself. You blaming me. You taking her side." " I love her. I hurt her." Kimberly turned around with heat in her eyes. " You hurt me!" Thorne saw the pain in her eyes and some of his anger dissipated. He had hurt Kimberly. She didn’t seem to have anyone in her life. He wished that he could help her but he couldn’t do it. If the truth were told, he wanted to get as far away from Kimberly as possible. He felt bad that he felt that way but it was how he felt. "Why did you tell Brooke we had an affair?" "She was arguing with me. Going on about Rick and Eve and how he got rid of me. I got mad at her. How could she, of all people make fun of me? She kept talking and I became more and more upset and I told her that she selfish and she didn’t care about any but herself and especially not you. I told her that she wasn’t there when YOU needed her. I reminded her how she ran out the night at Zenith’s and if she had been there for you and then none of this mess what have happened." Kimberly started to shake. " I was angry at her because we both know if she had been with you, you wouldn’t have drank that night and you wouldn’t have ended up in my bed! Somehow what was thinking came out of my mouth. Brooke vivid and I was scared. She started to call me a liar and said that she didn’t believe me. It took me a while to understand that she thought we were having an affair. I couldn’t tell her the truth. So figured that she’d talk to you and you’d deny it. She hates me anyway." Kimberly picked up a tissue and wiped her eyes. " I tried calling you to warn you but you didn’t answer your phone." Kimberly gave Thorne an annoyed look. "But I guess I should have told Brooke the truth. You know what?" Kimberly picked up Thorne’s phone. "Why don’t we call Brooke now and tell the truth. Let’s tell her about what really happened that night. I’m done protecting you. You …. You don’t give a damn about what I’m going through." Kimberly headed toward the door. " I lost everything and it seems that I lost you too. I’m the one who YOU took advantage of. You said that you would help me through this, but you haven’t all you’ve is blame me. I’m sick of being blamed and I’m sick of your treatment of me." Thorne held his hand up. "Kimberly, I’m sorry about…everything. I’m sorry about what I did to you that night. I was wrong and I also was wrong about telling you that I could help you." Thorne wiped his face with his hands. " I can’t help you. It would only things worse." Anger started to grow inside of Kimberly. "I want Brooke back. I can’t help you and get her back." "So you are going hang me out to dry." "I’m not hanging you out to dry. I been putting you in front of Brooke and I can’t do that. I can’t help you. I forced you to have sex with me. I will forever be sorry for that." "It’s because I told Brooke, isn’t it?" "I don’t want to get into why. Kimberly you are depending on me way too much in the past. I didn’t see but I do now. I hurt you and you shouldn’t be spending time with me, it isn’t healthy. Besides, I don’t see how you could even want to be around me after what I did to you I think that you should see James, he’ll help.." "I don’t need James." "I think that you will. You will be all alone especially after I move." Panic swept into Kimberly’s heart. "Move! You can’t do that!" "I am. Beth Logan came by here yesterday. She told me that Brooke is hurting so bad deep inside but that she still loves me. I’m going to find Brooke and I’m going to beg her to forgive me." " You are going to tell her the real truth?" Thorne looked away. He had listened to Kimberly during her explanation. Brooke was angry and upset at the thought of him sleeping with Kimberly. How would she forgive him if she knew that he had raped her? It would only matters worse. He could never tell Brooke that he raped Kimberly. Beth said that he had a chance; he was going to talk to Brooke today. "Thorne, are you going to tell Brooke the truth?" Thorne looked at Kimberly. There was something about Kimberly, something different. He wasn’t going to tell her anything about he or Brooke. It was best that he cut the ties right here and now. "I’m going to do whatever it takes to get Brooke back. I love her." Thorne gave Kimberly a sad look. " For whatever it means, I want you to know that I am sorry that I hurt you. I’m sorry for what I’m done. I have to go Kimberly. I have to get Brooke back." "She won’t let us be friends anymore, if she forgives you. And if you tell her that you raped she will forgive you." Thorne ignored Kimberly." I’ll leave James card for you so you will have a chance to talk to someone." Thorne gave Kimberly a sad look. " You can let yourself out." Tears were streaming down her face while hurt grew inside of her. He had been willing to let her go. To sacrifice her for Brooke. He was going to move. "No Thorne. There isn’t anyway that I’m going to let you walk away from me. I’ve worked to hard to get to you. I will never allow you and Brooke to get back together. She won’t forgive you, I’ll make sure of it."   Connor looked over the papers sitting in front of him. " Jonathon sent a list and our people also created a list of Ridge’s assets." He looked at Taylor. "Taylor are you with me?" "What? Oh, yes. You were talking about something." Connor put down the papers. " This is the third time today. Why don’t we table this for another time." " No. I want to get this done." " Taylor…are you having second thoughts about Ridge." "No. I’m not having second thoughts about anything. I want a divorce especially after what I saw yesterday." " What happened yesterday? Did Ridge come around again?" Taylor stroked her temple, her head was aching. "No. I saw Ridge with Brooke. It didn’t take her long at all did it." The bitterness was clear." " Are you suggesting that Ridge and Brooke are involved? Taylor, I saw Brooke the other day, she isn’t interested in Ridge. This breakup with Thorne is hurting her." "Well she bounces back doesn’t she? Right into Ridge’s arms. I shouldn’t be surprised, if he is sleeping with Morgan nothing will stop him from sleeping with Brooke." Connor sat down next to Taylor. "Taylor, I’m telling you the truth, I don’t think that Brooke and Ridge are seeing each other." Connor sighed. " Taylor, I’m going to give you some advice. I think you need to get away and clear your head." "For what? I’m not changing my mind, this is the last straw. I’ve taken enough from Ridge over the years." "I agree with you. But lately you’ve looked so miserable. Maybe some time away from L.A. might do the trick. You’ve been focusing so much on the divorce. Let me handle the divorce. I’ll make sure that you get the things that you want." "Connor, I just can’t sit around." "I’m not asking you to do that. I just want you to take care of yourself. How about we make a deal. We’ll look over the assets together and you promise me that you will take a small trip. How about Big Bear? Go there for the night and just think about what you are going to do when you are no longer Mrs. Ridge Forrester." Taylor thought for a moment. Her dad was in town; he could watch the children for one night. "Come on Taylor, do it for me." For the first time in a long time, Taylor smiled. Over the last two weeks she learned a great deal about Connor, not only was he a hell of an attorney, he was a good man. The other night, he had come over and had even cooked dinner for her and the children. It had been nice. They had talked about their past since they had gone to the same high school—something she had forgotten. It had been on the best nights that she had had since her breakup with Ridge. "For you, I’ll go to Big Bear." Connor smiled. " Good, now lets look at this list." They spent the next hour looking over the list when Taylor found something strange. "Connor, Ridge’s Forrester Stock. It is listed to be only 5%. That isn’t right. I know that he was given 10% of the stock. He lost part of his stock when Brooke took 51% of the company". Connor nodded, he remembered. " Either Ridge is pulling a fast one for he had sold the stock." Connor looked at the bank records. " He couldn’t have sold the stock, he hasn’t had a significant increase of money." " Where to you think the stock went?" "I’m not sure but I am going to find out." Connor wore a determined look on his face. "Taylor, let me handle this divorce business and you go to Big Bear for a couple of days to clear you head and think." Connor walked Taylor out of the office. "If you’d like I can call a driver to take you." "I already have one thanks." Taylor looked at Connor and smiled. " Thank you for all of your support and help. I’m sorry for the way that I’ve treated you in the past. I never gave you the respect you deserved because of the Forrester situation." " I did my job Taylor. I looked out for my client, just like I would look out for you." " I know." Taylor kissed Connor on the cheek and left. Connor went back in his office and made a few calls, he wanted to make sure that Ridge Forrester wasn’t going to hide any assets from his wife. At that moment a messenger arrived. He handed Connor a package. Connor read the contents. " Damn it Ridge. You couldn’t let her go could you?" Ridge Forrester was going to contest the divorce. Connor wasn’t surprised, Ridge never walked to let any of his women go. It looked at if they were going to court, if needed, he’d play hardball but he wondered what playing hardball would do to Taylor. Brooke arrived at Big Bear in the early evening. She unpacked, changed into dark blue jeans, light blue sleeveless turtleneck and put her hair in a ponytail. She fixed herself a hot cup of coffee and created a fire in the fireplace to heat the place up. She sat looking at the fire. Thorne went to Forrester looking for Brooke. He was told that she had left for the day. He went over to her house and used his old key. "Brooke! Brooke!" He finally noticed a note on the table. " Big Bear" Thorne hopped back into his car and headed toward the mountains. Taylor finished packing. "Are you sure that you want to do this honey. By the time that you get to the mountains, it will be late." "I’m sure dad. I need to get away. Especially with Ridge calling every day and night." "He misses you and the children. Honey, I can’t blame him for calling. He is hoping that you are going to get back together." "We aren’t." "I know that honey. But it’s just…well are you sure that you know what you are doing. You have been very unhappy lately." "My husband was cheating with my best friend believing that I gave him permission to sleep with her. Am I supposed to be happy about that? The last time I saw him, he was in a cozy little embrace with Brooke and go knows what else they have been doing." "You still love him." "That doesn’t mean anything. I can’t do this to myself dad, not anymore. I have children that I have to think about. I also my career to think about. I gave it up for Ridge and I was a fool." "Your children were worth it." "Yes they were. But everything else wasn’t. Dad, don’t you see the person that I have become married to Ridge. Before I met Ridge, I was a vibrant fiery woman who knew what she wanted. I loved myself and had confidence. But after years of fighting for Ridge, I turned into a woman who was in constant fear that she was going to lose him at any moment. I gave up my job. I took fertility drugs to have more children to assure my own marriage. To me it was worth it in order to have Ridge. But, what do I have dad? After all my years of fighting for Ridge, what is it that I have? Nothing dad. I’m married to a man who doesn’t really know me. I’m befriending a woman who I never would be friends with. I was desperate to be friends with her because of my own loneliness. I’ve had time to think and James was right. I never would have become friend with Morgan under normal circumstances. I also would have seen through her but because of my own needs to help others, I’ve hurt myself. I love Ridge. And I wish that I could turn back the hands of time but I can’t. I can’t accept what he has done. I can’t forgive him for hurting the way that he did. I married a man who needs to be the center of attention. Ridge needs to have women fawning all over him. If it wasn’t Morgan, it would been someone else. I realized that and it hurts because I would done anything to make it worth including destroy myself. I’m not willing to do that anymore dad."  Honey opened the front door of her apartment to find Kimberly standing there. "Nice outfit." Kimberly looked ulterior sleek in a strapless red dress that hugged her body and had a flared hemline. Kimberly wore her hair up and red tainted shades. Kimberly took off her shades. "Are we going to do this in the hallway?" "No." Honey smiled. "Come one in." Honey closed the door behind her. " It’s a good thing that you god here. It seems that Rick Forrester is back in town. I just saw him a few minutes ago kissing Eve in the hall. They make a cute couple. But not a cute as you and that hunky Thorne Forrester." Kimberly turned toward Honey. " No more small talk. I’ve come to take care of business and take care of you." Honey saw the furious look in Kimberly’s eyes and became instantly scared. Rick finished kissing Eve passionately. " I’ve missed you." Eve smiled. " I missed you too." Rick nuzzled Eve’s neck. "You could have come with me." "No. I thought that you needed some time alone to think and stop being an asshole." Rick groaned. "Not again." " Yes, again." Eve wrapped her arms around Rick’s shoulders. " You are being a spoiled brat. I love but that doesn’t change that you were wrong and you are avoiding your mother." "She changed my inheritance." " You still have an inheritance. And your mother is giving you a great deal of money. More money that I even want to think about. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t get your Forrester stock, you will get it someday. Besides, your mom is going need support especially now." " Especially now? What does mean?" Eve gave Rick a concerned look. "Rick, you don’t know." " Know what?" " Your mom and Thorne, they broke up." "What? When did that happen?" "The day of the showing, I think." "Why, what happened?" " Rick, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this. But Thorne having an affair with Kimberly." Brooke opened the front door of the cabin carrying a bag of groceries, which she put down on the kitchen table. She had made a quick run to the store to pick up items that she might need. She hurt a sound in the doorway and looked up to find Thorne standing in the doorway from the bedroom. Her heart stopped. She eyes drunk him in. He stood wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt looking lost. The bottle of orange juice that she had been taking out of the bag dropped out onto the floor. In that moment, she was happy to see him, happy to know that he was safe and all right. She took a step forward and then stopped herself. Just because he was here didn’t mean that it changed anything. They still couldn’t be together. " What are you doing here?" Thorne walked toward Brooke. "Looking for you. Now that I’ve found you Brooke, I’m not going to let you go." Morgan awoke suddenly when she felt a cramp in her lower abdomen. She gasped as the pain spread throughout her. She sat up slowly. She stood up and walked slowly around the room when another pain hit her. " Oh, god! Please." Morgan stood for a moment while she waited for a pain to subside. She was in labor; she knew it. All throughout the morning, she had been feeling cramps, but she thought that they were just cramps. She made her way to the bathroom to urinate. She had to empty her bladder. Morgan left the bathroom and made her way toward the sofa. She got some pillows and placed them on the sofa. She went to the small fridge and took out some ice. Thank god Stephanie had created some sort of drop box, which she had left a great deal amount of food and water. She put the ice in a cup and put it next to the sofa. She took off her panties and kept her shirt on and waited. Lastly, she prayed. "God, if you can hear me. Please get someone here on time to help me. I can’t have this baby all by myself. Please help me." Tears filled her eyes. " I love this baby. Please don’t let anything….." Morgan was cut off by another contraction.

 

Against All Odds Chapter 59 Review: Brooke heads to Big Bear when she is bombarded with thoughts of Thorne and Caspian. Taylor and Connor discuss her upcoming divorce and Ridge’s missing 5% of Forrester stock. Eric and Stephanie are angered when they find that Ridge gave Morgan 5% of Forrester stock while Jonathan states that Taylor could sue and win Ridge’s other 5% of the company. Rick comes back into town and finds that Kimberly and Thorne had an affair. Thorne confronts Kimberly about telling Brooke they had an affair, she cries that it was an accident and she didn’t want to tell Brooke she was raped. Kimberly is hurt when Thorne maintains he will get Brooke back and will be moving from the beach. Honey goes to see Gunter in jail and promises him ½ of the blackmail money from Kimberly. Gunter is happy and plans to get back at Kimberly. Taylor decides to go to Big Bear to give herself a break. Morgan goes into labor. Honey and Kimberly meet for her payoff. Thorne heads up to Big Bear to see Brooke.

Against All Odds Chapter 60 (Truce)

Brooke turned away from Thorne. Just seeing him hurt her. Knowing that he had betrayed what they had together for Kimberly hurt her so much. " Thorne please go away."

" I can’t, you have to listen to what I have to say."

" There isn’t anything to say right now. I’m here because I need some time to think about things." Hope sprung into Thorne’s heart.

" To think about us?"

Brooke turned and her heart almost burst as she saw the look of hope in Thorne’s eyes.

" It doesn’t matter what I’m here for. I want to be alone. Thorne you obviously took some time for yourself, don’t you think that I deserve the same thing? In fact, you just took off and didn’t tell anyone where you were and didn’t bother to call. You didn’t even care if I was worried." Brooke said bitterly.

"You were worried?" Thorne came closer. " Don’t you see Brooke, that is a sign? You still love me." She then cursed mentally; she shouldn’t have told him that she was worried. Brooke shook her head.

" You don’t understand do you? What do you think because you slept and had an affair with Kimberly that the love that I had for you died. You know how deeply that I love." Tears filled her eyes while a look of pain crossed her face. Thorne cupped her face and Brooke tried to turn away.

" No, don’t. Don’t turn away from me. My love for you runs deep. It is deeper than anything that I have ever experienced." Brooke stepped back.

" How can you say that? How can you stand there after you’ve been sleeping with another woman? A girl. A girl by the way who hates me."

"Brooke.." Thorne sighed. " I didn’t…. I didn’t have an affair with Kimberly."

" God! Don’t lie to me. You confessed to it. And believe me Kimberly told me all about it!"

"Brooke, what happened with Kimberly was….not what you think."

" You didn’t have sex with her? You didn’t have an affair?" Thorne wiped his face.

" Brooke, yes…. I had sex with her."

" Get out!" Brooke had been stupid, she had thought for a moment that he would retract his statement and tell her that it had been a horrible mistake and that he hadn’t slept with Kimberly.

" Brooke will you listen." Thorne grabbed her arm as she strode past him. Brooke pulled back hard almost falling.

" What do you want me to listen to? How good she felt! How great it was to have that nubile body worshipping you. How fresh she was compared to me. The Forrester slut!"

" Stop it Brooke! Don’t say that!"

"Why not! That’s what I am Thorne, right?" All of the pain that she had been holding inside was now coming out in a rush. " I’m the fucking Forrester whore. I’ll spread my legs for any man called Forrester. Now that you’ve made the Brooke Logan club you can go and compare notes with Eric and Ridge. Why don’t I drop my panties and spread my legs and allow you a parting fuck! That way you can run back to your father and brother and talk about what I did to whom and when…." Thorne had had enough, he roughly shook her.

" Stop it! Don’t you ever talk about yourself that way! DO you hear me! You aren’t a whore! You aren’t a slut. You are the most incredible woman who I have ever known." Thorne stopped shaking her and held close to him. " I love you. Never in my life have I found the kind of happiness and contentment that I’ve found with you." Tears filled his eyes. " I love you so much that I’ve done nothing but drink myself into a stupor the last week to numb the pain of losing you. I wanted to forget the pain the ever-constant memory of the pain in your eyes. To know what I’ve caused you. To know that I hurt you." Brooke’s breathe slowed as she listened to Thorne. Thorne fingers traced the tears on her cheek. " Do you know what it does to me to hear you talking about yourself like that? I love you. And it is killing me to know that you would ever say such things about yourself because of something that I did. I’ve never thought those things about you; nothing you could do would ever make me think those things." Brooke pulled away from Thorne.

"You made me feel like what we had was cheap. You threw it away so easily for what? For Kimberly!"

" Brooke, baby… I made a mistake. I slept with Kimberly. I don’t know why it happened. I was so drunk that night."

" I don’t want to hear about it."

" Brooke, it was one time. Just one time! I didn’t have an affair with her. I’m not making light of what happened with her. I betrayed you and I betrayed us. I’ve been walking around knowing what I’ve done and it’s been killing me. Because I was scared of telling you what happened. But you have got to believe me, I didn’t have an affair with her and I don’t love her. I don’t want her, I want you."

"You don’t want her. You expect me to believe that. You slept with her the night you asked me to be your wife. You slept with her and who knows how many other times."

"Please! I swear to you that it happened only once. It happened one time!" Thorne hands shook as she pulled the hair back from his face. " One fucking time! I swear. I regret that night, I regret it more than you will ever know."

"Why, why did happen?" Brooke asked with a voice full of sadness.

" You don’t think that I don’t ask myself the same question. That night, the things that happened, I have replayed it over and over again. The dinner and how badly things ended, how upset you were that you left, you ran into the garden. I had to deal with Bridget’s anger and then Ridge and Taylor. Bridget left so angry and mad and then Rick left. I sat there all alone in the bar drinking, looking for you. Kimberly….god ….Kimberly needed a ride. I took her home and I was so drunk that night. I don’t remember much of anything at all. Brooke, I thought I was with you. I thought that I was making love to you… I needed you and I couldn’t find you. I didn’t know what I was doing. I would never have done this… please it was a mistake. I thought it was you." Pain was there in Thorne’s eyes. Brooke turned her head away. When Thorne had been making love to Kimberly, she had been with Caspian. Memories hit Brooke of that night, that night in the garden and Caspian. Caspian’s voice filtered throughout her head.

" Tell me that you haven’t thought about me. Tell me that haven’t dreamed about me."

The way that he had taunted her with the truth. "You keep no secrets from him? You are free enough to tell him your thoughts and feelings." She did keep secrets from Thorne, she kept this one. She remembered the way his mouth felt on hers. You feel something as I do. It’s something you don’t want to admit." He rubbed her lower lip. " You love your Thorne, but you won’t be able to forget me."

Brooke shook her head, trying to forget that night. That night…..

Caspian came behind her, she could feel him, his breath caressing her neck. She could hear nothing, not the music around her, or the mingled sounds of people eating. All she could hear was her own breathing and his. A finger lightly touched her naked shoulder and ran its way up her neck, feeling her pulse, and then caressing the inner shell of her ear. His breath was hot and warm on her ear. The caress of his finger was playing trick on her mind as well as her senses, she closed her eyes wanting only to feel. " There is no fault with you. You are a tigress about children because you want only to protect them. Yet you are still beautiful and sensitive, that their unhappiness causes tears in your beautiful eyes. His cologne of filled her nostrils and she wanted him to touch her, deep down inside were no one could see her pain, he had seen it. His breath came closer and she felt his lips touch the side of her neck, his tongue traced a spot where her pulse beat, his finger moved down the soft material of her dress, it found a hard nipple and traced it. " Everything about you is perfect." He murmured against her neck. " They should be protecting you." His hands cupped her breast and she could feel his erection against her bottom. She couldn’t help but to lean backwards to feel him against her, he was hard and large. " You should be cherished and loved, you should be safe, and you should never feel pain." His words and hands captivated her, she needed this, to feel as if she was important, and she was totally aroused. He sunk his teeth in her neck and bit her as if he were marking her as his own; there was no pain, only pleasure as his tongue suckled where he had bit. His left hand moved down her body until is caressed the naked skin of her thigh. He inched his hand back up slowly bringing the material up as his hands moved, slowly he inched his fingers to the right until his fingers touched the satin feel of her panties. His other hand caressed her nipples as she leaned back against him, with her breathe labored with passion. Thoughts of Thorne, Kimberly and the children escaped her, only pleasure; infinite pleasure was on her mind. His fingers slid down the front of her panties and he found her nub. Caspian groaned, she was hot and wet for him; he wanted to be inside of her, to taste her to kill everyman who had touched her before him. Possession took control of him, he wanted to give her pleasure to erase the pain that her thoughtless family had inflicted upon her. He stroked her nub, touching and teasing it, rubbing her. His mouth suckled her neck as she rubbed her body against him; her bottom rubbed his hard throbbing erection.

" Ahhh, pleassseee" She moaned against him, her legs rubbed together as his fingers played with her, giving her pleasure.

His mouth moved toward her ear and his tongue caressed her lobe. " Do you have any idea how much control I’m exerting? I have had so many erotic dreams about you. I fantasized about taking you in so many ways." His fingers felt her wetness her essence made and it made him even harder. He was hurting badly, he wanted to strip her, bend her across the banister, free himself and thrust inside her hot tight sheath. His fingers continued their assault. " I want so badly to free myself and be inside of you." Brooke arched against him; she was coming so close to exploding. " But I won’t, when I take you for the first time, it will be special, and so intense you will scream. I can’t let you scream here." He manipulated her and stroked her, his other hand pinched her nipple and at that moment when she was about to climax, he thrust a finger inside of her, he pulled her head back against his shoulder, caught her mouth with his own and caught her scream.

Memories, flooded her, memories haunted her. The truth was that she had almost betrayed Thorne herself, with a man that she hadn’t known. She hadn’t known Caspian then, yet she had allowed him liberties that she would never allow any other man.

Brooke thought of Beth and what she has said.

"If you love him REALLY love him then you have to decide if this is worth it. He made a mistake Brooke. You have to decide if you can live without Thorne. You have to decide if you are willing to let him go because of a foolish mistake that he made."

 

Brooke turned toward Thorne. " You hurt me."

"I know baby. I’m so sorry. I made a mistake. You have to believe me; I didn’t know what I was doing. I hardly remember that night. And the moment, I realized what happened, I left."

" You still spent time with Kimberly."

" Yes… and it was a mistake. I took her virginity, Brooke. I felt bad." At the mention of Kimberly’s virginity Brooke turned away. As much as she hated the girl, she knew that Kimberly hadn’t slept with Rick so she was still a virgin.

"You felt bad ?"

"Yes Brooke but that is all that I felt." Thorne reached out to her. " Please understand that I wanted to help her but now after this I know that I can’t. All I want to do is make it up to you. Please give me a shot. Brooke what do you say, could you give me another chance." Thorne cupped her face lovely and she didn’t pull away. " I made a mistake and it will never happen again. I love you." Brooke looked into his eyes. She wanted to believe him, that he had made a mistake that it wouldn’t happen again."

" I don’t know…" Thorne lowered his head.

" I love you. You know that I do. I’m sorry. Please…please Brooke. I’m begging you. Give me another chance, give us a chance."

Bridget put her paintbrush down and looked at the painting that she was working on. Her mother had changed the upstairs attic and adjoining room into an art studio for her. "Wow Bridget, that looks beautiful."

"You think so?"

Jennifer put down the apple she had been eating. " Yes, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. Bridget, come on. You’ve won all those different awards at school for your artwork." Jennifer took another bite of her apple. " Besides you are the only one in school who is going to go to art school abroad."

" It isn’t a done deal yet."

"It will be. Your mom is totally good at impressing people. You know she put you and your family in a good light. With that and YOUR TALENT. You know that you are going to get in."

" I hope so. Paris is a wonderful city and the institute is fabulous. The only thing that would bother me is that I’d have to leave my mother."

"You mother, Bridget come on…"

"You haven’t seen her. She’s been really quiet since she broke up with Thorne. She hardly eats anything or smiles. At night, I can hear her crying." Bridget got up from her stool. " She is taking this much harder than I thought that she would."

" She found out that her boyfriend was fucking your brother’s ex. How did you think that she’d take it?"

"Well, Thorne is a thing in the past. He isn’t right for my mother?"

"Who is?" Janet got up. " No! Please don’t tell me, Ridge."

" He loves my mother."

"Bridget, he cheated on his wife and got his ex-girlfriend pregnant."

" He doesn’t love that bitch!"

"Who Taylor?"

"No, Morgan. She tricked him into having sex with her?"

Jennifer laughed. " Yeah, right. Bridget, you don’t believe that, do you?"

"I know that he was tricked. Besides it doesn’t matter. If he really loved Taylor he wouldn’t have slept with Morgan. It’s all worked out, my mom is free and so is Ridge. In fact, they had lunch yesterday. It’s working, they are going to get back together, I just know it!" Jennifer shook her head. She had heard this before. Ridge and Brooke belonged together. She knew that this was something that Bridget wanted. It was also something that probably wouldn’t happen. Brooke and Ridge were in the past. Hopefully, someday Bridget would understand that.

"Speaking of things working out. Your mom is out of town for the night, correct?"

"Yeah"

" So why don’t we light up the barbeque, get our swim suits and invite a couple of people over."

Bridget shook her head. " No way! My mom would kill me. I can’t have a party without her permission."

" Bridget it’s not a party. We will invite Stacey, Cindy, Mindy and Cynthia. It’s just a get together."

" No boys?"

"Bridget! I have the cutest bikini that I want Mark to see." Bridget smiled. Jennifer had a major crush on Mark. Bridget shook her head.

" No boys."

"Alright. NO boys."

"Good, you call the people and I’ll get the food." Bridget took off the long men’s shirt that she wore to keep her clothes from getting paint on it and headed down the stairs. Jennifer picked up her cell phone.

"Hello Stacey. Yeah…NO! What are you doing? Well get your ass in gear a little get together at Bridget’s house. No way. Her mom is out of town. You know what that means. NO. She says no guys but I’m telling once she see that cutie Richard who has got a major crush on her she’ll change her mind. No, you don’t have to bring anything Bridget’s mom trust her totally and I bet she got a open bar somewhere."

 

Megan knocked on KC’s door. KC opened the door and smiled. "Good, you are here. I was wondering what was taking you so long." Megan shook her head.

"I had some last minutes arrangements to make and then Eric asked me to forward the notes for some designs to Paris for him."

"Well, I got everything that we need. Right here in the basket. I definitely think that it will do the trick."

"Well you are certainly dressed the part." KC nodded. She wore dark blue jeans that hugged her petite frame, a lightweight sleeveless white ribbed turtleneck sweater, camel colored Timberland boots and a camel colored suede jacket.

" Do you have the map?"

"Yes." Megan looked at her watch. We had better hit the road; it is getting dark. Megan watched as KC put on tan colored sunglasses.

"Lets go!"

Stephanie walked into Eric’s old house, the one that he shared with Sheila. Although Eric had sold it to another couple, they had to move out of town and had been renting it. Once Stephanie had found out it was on the market, she knew that it was the most perfect place to hold Morgan. She had the upstairs converted to hold Morgan. She was heading up the stairs when she heard a scream. She bolted up the stairs and used to key to open the first door to Morgan’s prison and looked through the barred door to where Morgan was laying in a pool of blood. Morgan closed her eyes as another pain hit her. The pain was so intense that she could only scream. Sweat coursed down her face, her body was wet with fluid and perspiration. She opened her weary eyes to find Stephanie standing in the doorway. Stephanie opened the door and came in. Morgan held out her hand to the woman standing over top of her while the other clutched her stomach.

" Thank God that you are here Stephanie. I’ve been in labor for hours. Please help me. Please help my baby. It coming!!!" Morgan screeched as another contraction hit her."

Stephanie looked down at Morgan and knew that her baby would be coming real soon. She knew what she had to do. Her family came first. Stephanie took papers out of purse and a pen and waved it in front of Morgan. Morgan was so sick, she could hardly keep her eyes open. Stephanie bent down in front of Morgan. " What…. what are you doing? Stephanie please call the doctor."

" No"

Morgan moaned with pain. Her eyes blazed their hatred at Stephanie. Stephanie looked at her with a bored expression on her face.

" I have all day, but you don’t. By the looks of your face, that baby will be here soon. And I have no intentions of calling a doctor until I have your signature agreeing that you will return that 5% of Forrester stock to where it belongs. Morgan could hardly keep a coherent thought in her head. What Stephanie was asking her was way past blackmail. It was way past anything that she had overheard.

" NO" She gazed out as another contraction of pain hit her. She screamed and cried at the same time. When the contraction was over she shook her head. " It’s for my son, he is a Forrester."

"He isn’t anything but a bastard. You and that slut boss of your have come up with this scheme to take Forrester stock from my family. You thought that you would destroy my son and his marriage."

" His marriage is over. Taylor already knows about it."

" NO. Taylor is upset but she will come around. I’m not going to let you or your son ruin her life." Fear hit Morgan when she saw the calm look in Stephanie’s eyes. Stephanie went over to the chair and sat down. " Like I said earlier, I have all day. If you want help for you and your baby, you’ll sign over that stock right now."

The driver drove up to the cabin. " Mrs. Forrester, it seems that someone is here already." Taylor looked out of the window of the car. It was Brooke’s car. What was Brooke doing here at Big Bear? It didn’t make sense? But maybe it did. Ridge! Brooke must be here to met with her lying cheating husband.

"Mrs. Forrester."

" It’s Dr. Hayes. Please wait for me, no matter how long it will take." Taylor got out of the car and opened the door to the cabin. She found that the living and dinning area was empty. " The bedroom, I should have known. Damn you Brooke, I knew that it was only a matter of time before you would have been back to your old tricks." Taylor went to the master bedroom and slowly opened the door. She expected candles and Brooke is some sort of lingerie but what she found surprised her. Brooke was sitting on the bed crying. Brooke heard the door open but didn’t look up.

" Please, go away. I need time to think and decide if we have a future. I love you but this whole situation is complicated. God the pain that you have but me through…." Brooke voice trailed off when she saw Taylor. " What are you doing here?"

" I was going to ask you the same thing but I guess I don’t have to ask you, do I? So what is it my husband has done now. Promised you a future? Taylor gave Brooke a look of pure hatred. " You are such a slut! I should have known that it would only take a couple of days for you to head right to his bed. If he’d fuck, Morgan then he’d have no problem fucking you right? So, when did this start? In Venice? Did you fuck him there? Is that why you bought Morgan into our lives? Where you upset that he wasn’t going to leave me that you had to bring that woman into our lives." Brooke’s mouth hung open. Taylor was accusing her of having an affair with Ridge. Taylor standing there in a red velour suit in the middle of the woods with a sling around her arm was looking at her like she was going to beat her up. Brooke shook her head and did something unexpected she starting laughing. This entire situation was crazy, she had just had an emotional confrontation with Thorne and Taylor was accusing her of having an affair with Ridge. The last thing that Brooke wanted was anything dealing with a male with the Forrester last name. Taylor looked at Brooke and felt rage go through her body. The woman was sleeping with her husband and had the nerve to laugh in her face.

" I should have known that you would have found this funny."

Brooke shook her head. " You know what, this is funny." Brooke strode past Taylor and walked into the living room.

" What is so funny about you cheating with my husband?"

"Taylor, I am not sleeping with your husband."

"You expect me to believe that. You have done everything in the past to get him and now he is free and so are you." Brooke snorted, while Taylor gave her a look of pure hatred.

" I saw you Brooke."

" You saw me what?"

" I saw you with Ridge yesterday. You couldn’t wait could you before you went after him. Well you can have him! I’m sure you are waiting form him up here. I’m not going to stop you, but you best believe that I’m going to make sure that the world knows that you are cheating with my husband along with the whore Morgan. In fact since you both love Ridge so much why don’t you have a threesome?" Brooke was getting tired of Taylor’s tirade.

" I don’t want to get into this with you. I don’t want Ridge. Yesterday we had lunch and that is all that it was. Nothing more. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m going through my own personal crisis and I don’t have the time to worry about you or your marriage. I did however speak to Ridge and he still loves you. So take that information and do what you want with it." Brooke turned away heading for the front door hoping to take a walk to clear her head and hopefully Taylor would be gone by the time she got back.

" It’s no wonder that Thorne is sleeping with Kimberly. You deserve what you are going through. In fact I don’t think it could have happened to a better person." Taylor said with so much venom. She was angry and wanted to hurt Brooke the way that she had been hurting. Brooke stopped dead in her tracks.

" What did you say?"

" You heard me you slut! You never deserved a man like Thorne. He probably knew did he? He knew that you were seeing my husband and that is why he probably did what he did."

Brooke was deadly calm for a moment although inside the pain was eating her alive. "How dare you. How dare you make light or even discuss my relationship with Thorne? You bitch! All you care about is your own fucking pain and grief that you can’t even see straight. I’m not fucking your husband and I am not waiting for him. I came up here to think. Think about my relationship with Thorne. I don’t care about you or your relationship with Ridge but now maybe I do. Just maybe I’ll give Ridge another shot and then you will really have something to talk about. That would make you happy wouldn’t it then you wouldn’t even have to consider taking him back."

" I don’t want him back."

" Really because you are acting like you do. Go home Taylor. Go home to your children and if you EVER mention Thorne’s affair with Kimberly again to me. I swear to god that I will make you eat those words. The only thing that is saving you now is that sling, but if you persist in this conversation. I’ll forget all about that sling and do what I’ve been dying to do since Venice." Brooke’s eyes narrowed with anger. " I tried to warn you about Morgan but you didn’t believe me. Other than that, I have nothing to do with your marriage. By the way, MY relationship with Thorne isn’t any of your business. Unlike you, I don’t want the world to know what is going on in my personal life." Brooke walked out of the cabin with her back straight and didn’t break down in tears until she was in a clearing of trees. Tears of anger, frustration and pain.

Taylor’s heart was racing a mile a minute. Brooke had seemed sincere and their had been a hint of tears in her eyes. " The bitch is lying Taylor. You know that she wants Ridge, you saw them together." Taylor went into the bedroom Brooke was using and opened Brooke’s bag. Inside there was a change of clothes for the next day, a pair of silk pajamas, matching robe and tampons. Taylor picked up one of the tampons and thought for a moment. If Brooke were having her period why would she be meeting Ridge for a rendezvous? Taylor sat on the bed and a sinking feeling entered the pit of her stomach. It seemed that Brooke was telling the truth; she wasn’t here to see Ridge. She must have been here to think about Thorne. Taylor felt horrible; Brooke was going through almost the same thing that she had been going through. Taylor knew what she had to do. She walked out of the bedroom and out of the cabin toward the car.

Bridget turned the turkey burgers on the grill. What was supposed to be a party for just girls turned out to include guy. Sean, Chad, Marshall and Jamie showed up in trunks. Bridget was angry at first; she took Jennifer in the other room and reamed her out. Jennifer swore it had been Stacey’s idea but Bridget wasn’t sure if she believed her. Bridget said the guys could stay as long as long as they stayed in the pool and didn’t move to any other rooms. Mindy, a dark haired girl with a knockout blue bikini made of tube top and a French cut bottom. She also had a tattoo of the sun on her left shoulder.

" Wow, what a great idea a night time barbeque. And the food, boy Bridget turkey burgers, chicken, grilled veggies, deviled eggs. Who would have thought that you knew how to cook."

" My mom cooks all the time. We don’t have a bunch a servents around here." Bridget looked around. " Where is Stacey?" Cynthiana a beautiful black girl with a one piece, one shouldered white bathing suit came behind Bridget. " I think that she is talking to the guys. You know how she is?"

"Yeah"

Cynthiana munched on chip. " Anyway, you need to move away from the grill and get into the water. Cynthiana turned Bridget around toward the pool where the hunky Jamie stood in blue tropical trunks that hit his knees. His body was athletic and he wore a little braided necklace around his neck. He winked at Bridget. " He thinks that you are so cute and you do look spectacular in that bikini. He’s been dying to get you into the hot tub." Bridget smiled at Jamie. He was totally cute and he was graduating this year. When he smiled, she couldn’t help but to think about Scott and how he would look like in a pair of trunks.

" I don’t know."

Cynthiana shook her head. " You really aren’t interested in him?"

"No. He’s a great guy and all but…"

" He isn’t Scott."

"I don’t know why I told you and Cindy about him."

"Because he kissed you and you have a major crush on him."

" He has a girlfriend." Bridget put burgers on the plate."

" If he isn’t option Bridget then forget about him. If you get into that program, you’d be leaving soon anyway. So maybe it is best that you two aren’t going to work out. Come on Bridget, let’s get into the water."

" I’ll be there in a moment. I’m going to get some more sodas from inside. Why don’t you get back into the water, Sean is waiting for you." Sean was a dark shinned male, with an amazing physic and charismatic smile. He had girls of all races following him at school but it was only Cynthiana who had his attention. Cynthiana smiled and headed over into the pool splashing around with Sean. Bridget made her way to the kitchen to get the drinks when the doorbell rang. She went to the door and opened it. There stood the man of her dreams Scott. He looked fresh and handsome in a pair of green colored cargo shorts and a muliti- colored shirt that had the matching color of green. The first two buttons of his shirt was open and she could see part of his nicely formed chest. Heat flooded her body, he was so sexy." Scott, what are you doing here?" Scott only stood there speechless. Bridget was more beautiful than he had ever imagined. She was exquisite and breathtaking in her bikini. The top half of her bikini was tiny made of floral pattern of blue and white flowers while the bottom rode low on her small hips and made of a solid blue that matched the blue of her bikini top. Her body was perfect, from her small yet full breast that were covered in the material, to the small perfect muscles in her arms and legs, and then there was her tiny waist with a flat stomach. Her blonde hair flowed all around her, and she wore no real make-up only a touch of lip-gloss. God, it was so unfair. She was way too young and beautiful for him, but he wanted her just the same.

Brooke opened the door to the cabin when the smell of food hit her. Her stomach growled, she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, which only consisted of a half of a bagel.

She smelled steaks grilling and what also smelled like garlic-mashed potatoes. She went to the kitchen and found the potatoes on the stove along with hot rolls. On the counter she found a freshly made salads and cheese and crackers.

" Good, I’m glad that you are back, pour the wine." Taylor emerged from the other room wearing a pair of white pants and a blue cardigan set that matched her eyes.

" What are you still doing here? Are you waiting for Ridge?" Brooke crossed her arms not trusting Taylor. "What is in the food? Arsenic or hemlock?" A shadow passed over Taylor’s eyes.

" No, I’m not waiting for Ridge. I don’t do that anymore."

" Really?" Brooke said not trusting Taylor.

" Yes. Really"

" What is this all about Taylor?"

"It’s my way of saying that I’m sorry."

" Yes, we finally agree on something. You are SORRY."

"That isn’t what I meant Brooke. I am sorry. I’m sorry about what I said about Thorne. It must be hurting you a great deal."

" Really? because the last time I checked, I was an unfeeling slut who was after your husband. The way that you like to tell it, I’m only interested in Ridge and this thing with Thorne was only a ruse to I finally achieved my life long goal. Sleeping with YOUR husband. But wait, Morgan already did that." Fire burned in Taylor’s eyes. She dropped the napkin that she was placing on the table.

" I knew it! I knew that this wasn’t going to work."

" What wasn’t?"

"This. I’ll call my driver and tell him to come back. I just thought that since we were both here from the same reason that maybe we could be civil."

" You were here to think about your relationship with Ridge?"

"No. Brooke I’m here to think about how I’m going to survive no longer being Mrs. Ridge Forrester." Brooke frowned.

" You are serious aren’t you? You really are leaving him?"

A lump formed in Taylor’s throat. " Yes. I’m tired Brooke. I’m tired of it always being someone else and never being me. I’m not enough, the children isn’t enough. I don’t want that life anymore."

" You fought hard to get him. Are you sure that you can just let him go." Brooke opened the bottle of wine and poured a glass of wine. She looked at Taylor for a moment and then poured another. Taylor looked at her.

"What is that for?"

"It’s late Taylor and by the time your driver comes up here and you go all the way home it will be even later. I think that we can both stay up here and not kill each other. Besides, you already cooked dinner." Brooke handed Taylor a glass of wine. " I think that for tonight and tomorrow that we could call a temporary truce of this little war that we have going. And I’ll be big enough to forgive you for the comment that you made about Thorne…" Brooke looked at Taylor. " For now."

"Brooke.." Brooke held up her hand. " Lets leave it like it is for now. But let me make it clear I’m not your friend and you aren’t mine. Venice hurt me a lot and I don’t see me ever forgiving you. Besides there is just too much bad blood, but for tonight we are two women who both have a lot on our minds. So, what do you say? Truce?" Taylor took a sip of her wine and nodded.

"Truce"

Kimberly finished washing the blood off of her hands. Today, she had taken care a lot. And, she had almost gotten caught. She had no idea that Honey lived in the same building as Eve. She had almost run into Rick when he left Eve’s apartment when she ducked back into Honey apartment. Well, all that mattered was she hadn’t gotten caught and Honey would no longer be a problem. Kimberly walked out toward her back deck and waited. She had one more thing to do that night. It would be make or break time. She had done everything for the moment.

Brooke took another bit of her steak while Taylor watched her in amazement.

"What?"

"I just watched you devour that entire meal and you never seem to gain weight."

" It’s my metabolism. I don’t gain that much weight. You are good cook Taylor and I guess that I needed to eat something." Brooke put her fork down. " I was getting ready to cook when Thorne showed up and I lost track of everything."

" Thorne showed up?’

"Yeah. It threw me into an emotional tailspin. I didn’t know what to do. He told that he hadn’t had an affair with Kimberly that they only shared one night together." Brooke traced the rim of her glass with her fingers. " He said that it didn’t mean anything because he was drunk and he begged me not to throw away our future."

" What did you decide to do?"

" Nothing. I am so confused about everything. A part of me wants to give him another shot." Brooke took her wine glass and sat on the sofa, Taylor followed her. She noticed how Taylor played with her sling. " Does it hurt?" She nodded to the sling.

"Not like it used too. It’s getting better and my ribs don’t hurt like they used too." Taylor touched her stomach lightly. " I wish that other things healed so quickly."

"I’m sorry about your baby. I know what is like to lose a child." Taylor nodded and tried to hold back the tears.

" I just wonder what could have been if that tape hadn’t been shown at Rick’s party."

" I know that Stephanie likes to blame that on me, but I had nothing to do with that Taylor." Taylor sat for moment thinking before she indicated that she believed Brooke.

"So, what are you going to do about Thorne?

"I don’t know." Brooke stood up and walked to the large windows that looked out at the beautiful night. "I don’t know. What about you?"

"Like I told you before, I am divorcing Ridge. What he did, I can’t forgive him for. He slept with her and got her pregnant. I can’t deal with that."

" At least she wasn’t 19."

"At least she wasn’t your best friend. Besides, you stated that Thorne was drunk. So as far as I am concerned, my situation is worse." Taylor sipped another sip out of her wine glass. " Ridge knew what he was doing and was stupid enough to think that I’d allow him to sleep with her." Brooke said nothing. What could she say? It had been a dumb move on Ridge’s part.

" He loves you and the children."

" Thorne loves you. But does that make you feel any better?" Taylor got up and started to clear the table. " Be glad you found out what he really is like before you married him. As far as I’m concerned, Forrester men are no good for any woman. I am sorry about Thorne; I always thought that he was best of them all. But I guess that I was wrong about that too."

 

The doctor took off his blood-covered gloves. " Mrs. Forrester, I have done all that I can. The baby in is in breach position and she is losing a great deal of blood." He shook his head at the woman lying on the bed. She was in intense pain and had screamed until her voice was raw. He looked at Stephanie Forrester.

" She has to a hospital. There are going to have to do a C-section."

" Can’t you do it here?" He gave the Stephanie an incredulous look.

" No. She is in a great deal of pain and I don’t have the materials that I need for that. Get her to a hospital and quick. If not, not only could her baby die. She could die too." She has lot a great deal of blood and things aren’t looking too go. The doctor headed to the door.

"Where are you going? Get back here!"

"Mrs. Forrester, you have paid me a great deal of money and I appreciate it but I can’t be involved with this situation any further. She might die and I can’t be responsible for this." He picked up his bag. " Get her to a hospital now. Don’t call me ever again, I want nothing to do with this." At that moment, Morgan screamed and more blood flood onto the bed. Stephanie looked took the paper out of her pocket. Morgan had signed it. The stock was where it belonged.

Thorne opened the door to his house. He prayed that tonight had done the trick. He hadn’t wanted to leave Brooke, but she begged him for time. He could give her that; he’d give her anything that she wanted if she promised that she’d give them another shot.

" Thorne…" Thorne swore and turned the lights on.

" Kimberly…what in the hell are you doing here. I thought that I told you earlier that we can’t do this. It isn’t healthy." Thorne noticed that her eyes were red and been crying. He pretended not to notice, he didn’t want her to be encouraged in any way.

" Thorne, I know what you said earlier and I understand but there is something else that I have to say."

" What?" Thorne wanted her out of here as fast as possible. When Kimberly said nothing he asked her again. "What is it?"

Kimberly handed him a white flat tube.

Thorne was confused for a moment when it hit him what he was looking at. " No!" Thorne stumbled back. " Oh god no!"

NEXT