Disclaimer: Characters belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.
Rating: PG-14
Genre: Angst (I truly believe it's the only thing I can write...I can't write happy stories.)
Spoilers: Entire series, just to be safe.
Summary: The truth about Casey's paternity is revealed…with disastrous ramifications for all involved. (It takes place after Gregory and Olivia reconciled after Sean's injury.)
Note: This story follows the documented "Sunset Beach" canon…except that there was no affair between Olivia and Cole AND Annie does not need to marry Gregory in order to get her stocks. In addition, this story is in no way related to my other story, "Dawn of a New Sunrise." The only thing the two stories have in common was the history that I developed for Gregory and Olivia. Finally, the chauffeur, Bryan, belongs to me.


Pt 1: "Revelations"

Olivia Richards walks down the hallway in The Liberty Corporation building. She nods politely at the two employees she passes on the way to Gregory's office.

Gregory.

She involuntarily grins, recalling the passion they shared last night. Things have been going really well between us lately, she thinks to herself. Sean is recovering, Caitlin is happy, and Gregory and I have each other again.

Olivia sighs with happiness and offers a small prayer of thanks for her newfound happiness. She makes a left and enters Gregory's outer office, only to find it empty.

This is good, she thinks. If Gregory dismissed his secretary for a lunch break, it means he isn't busy. Perhaps I can tempt him into taking a long lunch with me.

Olivia shivers in anticipation as she walks up to the door of Gregory's private office. The door is slightly open and she hears hushed voices.

Hmm, he's still in a meeting. I hope it won't be too much longer.

She turns away from the door and moves to sit on the leather sofa when she hears a woman inside Gregory's office say loudly, "Please listen to me! I'm telling you the truth!"

A moment later, she hears Gregory yell, "It is not the truth!"

Perplexed, Olivia moves back to the door and peers in through the crack. She sees Gregory standing in front of his desk with his back to the door, his head bowed down.

Who is he in there with?

A moment later, Alex Mitchum enters her narrow field of vision. She watches as Alex reaches out and tentatively touches Gregory's shoulder.

What the hell is going on, Olivia wonders as Gregory shakes off Alex's touch and moves to stand in front of the large window overlooking the blue water of the Pacific.

She continues to watch as Alex says, "I'm sorry. I should have told you long ago. But I'm telling you the truth now."

Gregory turns around slowly and says menacingly, "How convenient for you."

Olivia flinches, the cold anger evident in her husband's voice. What truth? What is Alex talking about?

"What do you want me to say?" Gregory asks. "Am I supposed to write your bastard son into my will now?"

"Our son!" Alex insists.

Olivia gasps softly and feels like the wind was knocked out of her body. Her face feels icy cold and she knows that the blood just drained out of it. She puts her hand on the doorjamb to steady herself because it now feels like she is standing on jelly. She closes her eyes for a moment and when she opens them again, she sees Gregory glaring at Alex.

"The only son that I have," Gregory spits out, "is Sean. Furthermore, the only children that I have are with Olivia."

Olivia, still unseen by Gregory and Alex in the office, closes her eyes again as a lone tear rolls slowly down her cheek. Shakily, she raises her hand and wipes the tear off her cheek. I feel ill, she thinks.

As she turns to leave, she hears Alex say, "Believe what you want, Gregory. But know this: Casey is YOUR son."

Olivia covers her mouth with her hand and quickly exits the outer office before either Gregory or Alex sees her. As Olivia walks quickly down the hallway to the safe haven of her vehicle, Alex's statement echoes in her head. Casey is YOUR son, Casey is YOUR son, Casey is YOUR son, Casey is YOUR son…

She feels her stomach muscles contract and she ducks into the first office she sees. She stumbles over to the wastebasket and vomits into it. Thankfully, the office is empty and though she had no breakfast, her stomach continues to violently heave. The stomach acid burns her throat and she is blinded by tears of pain that stream down her face.

After what seems like hours, Olivia feels her stomach settle. She leans back against the file cabinet and tries to steady her breathing. She spies a box of tissues and an unopened bottle of water on the desk.

Olivia cleans herself up as best she can with the tissues and rinses her mouth out with the water. After a moment, she stands. She feels a fresh wave of nausea but it soon passes. Slowly she makes her way out of the office and the Liberty building.

As she steps out in the bright sunlight, she is thankful that the driver is parked across the street. Come on Olivia, she urges herself, just a few more steps.

With a sigh of relief, she opens the door and collapses on the back seat, slamming the door shut.

"Mr. Richards in meetings?" the driver, Bryan, asks.

"Yes," Olivia says softly. "Take me home please."

Olivia removes a small compact from her purse and critically examines her reflection. She confirms her earlier suspicion that the blood drained out of her face; her complexion is white and pasty. Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy. She sighs and tosses the compact back in her purse.

Bryan clears his throat and asks, "Are you alright ma'am? If you don't mind me saying, you don't look well."

"I'm fine, thank you. Oh, please don't tell Mr. Richards I went to see him today. He'll just feel guilty he wasn't able to take me to lunch."

Bryan nods unsurely and continues the remainder of the ride in silence.

What will I say to Gregory when he comes home tonight, Olivia wonders