Hope walked out of the lawyer's office in shock. How could this have happened?
How did everything go wrong so fast? She had never even thought about that day so many weeks ago when Steffy had so cunningly asked her to sign a document giving her permission to use Forrester backstage footage. And she'd certainly never dreamed that footage of her and Liam still existed, Steffy must have trolled through hours of old material to find it. She shook her head in despair, what was she going to do?
She'd lost her job, she'd foolishly signed away all rights to her house to Liam, and instead of taking her time and getting a divorce, she'd rushed through with an annulment, so there was no financial settlement, all so she could get everything that she thought was owing to her from Steffy without having to share it.
Her fist went to her mouth as she realised just how much money she now owed, not only her own lawyers, but to Steffi's as well.
She walked into the parking lot and went to her car where she sat for another ten minutes thinking. She knew Brooke had no money left to lend her, and was, in fact, relying on Hopes new "windfall" to meet her next mortgage payment. She also knew Eric was also borderline broke, given that the foolish man had just spent the last of his money buying out Ridges shares in R.E.B. Designs. That left Deacon, but how could he hope to raise the cash for her when he'd just started a new business and was paying off a massive debt from that? Still, I'll ask him, maybe he can swing something for me, she thought. Maybe Liam will also help me, he owes me for the house, and if I say I'm sorry he might at least pay Steffy off for me, he owes me that much!
She shook her head and started the car, chastising herself for even thinking Liam would help. She was sure he'd be over at Steffi's already, she had already braced herself to see him at Steffi's side at the meeting today, she knew it was only a matter of time before he made his moves on her nemesis, so doing her any kind of a favour might cramp his style. No, Liam was definitely out, besides, from their last talk he'd been busy helping Cat and the Veron's with Beth, betraying her yet again, and she was sure he wouldn't want to jeopardise his new plans – whatever they were.
There may be one person who might help though, she thought as she placed her hand across her belly, Finn, has some money, and he's been trying to talk to me since he found out he was the father of my baby, well, maybe he can start to pay his way if he wants to ever see his daughter!
Nodding with a little more confidence she took out her phone and rang the number Finn had given her at the hospital. As soon as he answered she simply said, "We need to talk."
After getting an address she put the car into gear and drove off, knowing that this time she was going to have to save herself and her unborn child from the mess she'd made of her life.
Meanwhile at "Deacons" . . .
Taylor is sitting at what has become her usual table and has just finished up a late lunch with Deacon, as they sit enjoying a coffee Taylors phone rings, it's Steffy.
Tay stares at it for a moment before picking it up, "It's Steffy, look I want to take this privately, okay?"
Deacon nods, trepidation clearly showing on his face. "I'll be at the bar." He says before he quickly gets up and walks away.
As he gets to the bar Brooke walks in, he stares at her in surprise. She hasn't been to the restaurant since he bought it, in fact, he expected her to never set foot in the place again – given their current predicament with him dating Taylor, and Steffy and Hope at loggerheads.
He pasted on a friendly smile, willing to make an effort for her, after all, she was still the mother of his child.
"Brooke, what brings you to my little establishment?"
Brooke smiled, "things are going well for you it seems?"
"Yeah, Bills piece really gave the place an added boost, we've been booked solid for lunch and dinner most weekends, and weekdays are also much busier than they were."
Brooke nodded as a sad look drifted across her face, "I'm so happy for you Deacon, you deserve all of this success."
Deacon eyed her suspiciously, she was being to nice, her words seemed to "practiced". "What's going on Brooke?"
"I was just a little depressed and wanted to see a friendly face, someone who doesn't hate me." She leant across the bar and casually put her hand across Deacons.
"I tried to reason with Ridge, I've tried to explain about Hope and her needs, but he refuses to listen."
She looked up at Deacon as a tear slid down her face. "He says it's over Deacon, this time for good, and not only has he left me, because we still hadn't renewed our vows, he's left me with all of our debt!"
Deacon frowned and before even thinking whether it was wise or not asked her, "you mean the debt you went into to start R.E.B. Designs when you thought you were going to bankrupt Forresters? The debt you've enlarged upon to support Hope and her legal cases? That debt?"
A flash of annoyance crossed Brooke face before it was quickly replaced by a look of betrayal and hurt. "She's our daughter Deacon, someone had to support and protect her!"
"Support I understand." Said Deacon harshly, "it's the coddling of our daughter I don't agree with, I'm just surprised she even listened to me about Beth instead of you. You've done some serious damage to our kid over the years Brooke, you've managed to hurt and twist her more than I ever thought was possible. I only pray that she will finally manage to get out from under your manipulations some day and learn to live her own life."
Brooke was outraged at Deacons words, she'd never hurt her precious daughter, how dare he even consider such a thing, she thought angrily.
"Now, why are you here? If you're after money I have none, I've been putting every extra cent I've been making into paying off my loan, so don't look to me, I'm skint!"
She took a deep breath, "I won't need your money, Hope will have plenty after this morning. I just came in to buy a couple of bottles of the non-alcoholic Champagne I like, we'll be having a celebration, I thought you might like to drop by and congratulate you daughter on her success, and apologise for ever doubting her."
A laugh sounded from behind Brooke, she swung around to find Taylor standing there smiling at her.
"You won't be smiling soon Taylor, you're going to have to be picking your daughters life up off the ground where Hope has, quite rightfully, left it.
Taylor grinned and held up her phone.
"I just got off the phone from Steffy, the meetings all over and Hope has signed an agreement to drop all of her cases, as well as agree to pay all of Steffi's legal costs, so I guess justice really was done."
Brooke looked stunned. "That's impossible!" She reached into her bag and checked her phone. There were no messages, just one text which she'd somehow missed, she brought it up and read the two words – STEFFY WON!
Her hand flew to her mouth in shock.
"I'll have those two bottles of Champagne thanks Deacon, just put it on my account and send it to my house along with my usual order of non-alcoholic beer."
She turned to Brooke, "so, Karma has finally caught up with the Logans. After all the pain and ruination your family have spread over the years it's finally ending."
She smiled maliciously, "You and your spawn have finally been removed from Forresters, from their business, from their home, and now, from their lives. I never thought I'd live to see the day."
She stared into Brookes shocked eyes.
"I can't help but think that Stephanie is up there someone looking down at you laughing her head off."
"No, No, No, this isn't happening, it can't," cried Brooke as she looked from Deacon, to Taylors triumphant face.
Genuine tears started to pour from her eyes as turned and ran, desperately trying to escape the inescapable ruins of her life.
As Brooke flees Deacon turns to Taylor, "is that really what happened? Did Steffy win the case and then make Hope pay all her legal costs?" he asked.
Taylor nods, "in her words, it was a slam dunk, she said Hope even attacked her physically, which kind of made it easier to get her to sign on the dotted line."
Deacon looked horrified, "she actually attacked Steffy? Is she alright? Is Hope alright? What the hell happened to make her do this?"
Taylor shrugged and told Him all that Steffy had told her, "she just lost it when she knew she was going to lose, I think all the stress from what's happened, coupled with her – no doubt – Brooke fuelled expectations of what was going to happen, just all came crashing down on her, and she simply lost it. I have no idea if she's okay, Steffy never said anything else about her."
Deacon closed his eyes, "I have to find her, I'm sorry Taylor, but I have to go see if she's alright. Can I come over tonight?"
Taylor nodded, "Of course you can, I think we need to talk anyway, don't you?"
Deacon smiled sadly and nodded, "I'll see you around seven?"
Taylor smiled, "That's fine, and don't forget my order, I wasn't just saying that to get up Brooke's nose . . . well, not only anyway."
With a slight smile she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek before leaving.
Deacon immediately took out his phone and started to ring around, trying to find his daughter.
Meanwhile over at Ridges, Taylor has just called and let him know the outcome of the case. He's ecstatic for his daughter but is now worried Brooke will become desperate. He knows she was barely holding it together financially, and now that Hope had lost her case against Steffy she would be in even worse shape, because he had no doubt whatsoever that she would have both fully endorsed Hopes decision to sue Steffy, but she would have also financed as much of it as she could.
He sighed as he sat looking at a sketch he was working on. Brooke was right in one respect, a part of him still wanted her, she had become like a drug to him in some respects, but now she was a drug he was determined to wan himself from.
He recognised that a part of him still wanted to help her, but that too was pushed aside. Brooke and Hope had made their beds, he'd tried to reason with her but once again she'd flatly refused to listen to anything he had to say in regards to her daughter – so be it. This time he really was done.
After taking a deep cleansing breath, he began to sketch again.
Meanwhile . . .
Antonio Veron sat watching as Cat escorted her daughter Bella up to her new room with Liam Spencer. Bill sat over from him, for some reason he'd insisted on coming over too, saying he thought that Beth seeing the man she'd thought of as her grandfather sitting comfortably with Antonio might help make her feel more comfortable. Much to Antonio's surprise it had worked, the little girl had run to him as soon as she'd entered the main living area, and as he'd swept her up into his arms Antonio couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Brooke Logan had deprived him of his granddaughter for to long, and although he might have agreed to leave her pregnant daughter alone, he'd made no such promises about her.
He turned back to Bill as his phone rang, after a brief conversation Bill hung up smiling broadly.
"Good news I take?" he asked casually.
Bill nodded, "that was Steffy, Hopes case against her was thrown out, and she also made sure she was awarded legal fees. Little Miss Logan and her vapid mother will be feeling the pinch on this one."
At Antonio's raised eyebrows Bill grinned, "Brooke has had Hope living with her, she's mortgaged up past her eyeballs and from what I've been able to glean, she's been relying on what she thought would be Hopes little windfall to bail her out of trouble."
"I thought you were once married to the woman, and you had an affair behind your then wife's back to be with her?"
At Bills surprised look Antonio smiled, "I do, do my research too you know."
Bill smiled and raised his glass to his friend/adversary, "Touche`".
They both turned as Liam came back down the stairs.
"I wanted to leave Cat and Beth, sorry, Bella, some time alone, they're both involved in a talk on the merits of Unicorns and their uses to the world."
"It's going well then?" asked Antonio.
"Much better than I'd hoped, but she's a resilient little girl, and I think dad being here actually helped her feel a little more at home."
"You sound surprised, kids love me!" said Bill effusively as he finished his drink.
He then told Liam he had news on Steffy and Hopes court case, once he'd relayed what had happened Liam stood immediately.
"I have to go and see how's she's doing," he said as he fished around in his pocket for his keys.
"You're going to go chasing after that insipid excuse for a woman, after all she's done to you? What the hell's wrong with you?" said Bill angrily.
Liam shook his head, his face screwing up in exasperation.
"Not Hope! I need to see how Steffy is doing, and if she needs anything." He said as he turned and hurried out the door.
"Oh," said Bill inanely as he watched Liam go.
"A very popular woman, this Steffy Forrester." Said Antonio, he's eyes taking on a thoughtful look.
Bill frowned, "a little to popular, but despite what my deluded son may seem to think, I can't see her taking him back, there's been far too much water that's passed under that particular bridge."
Antonio nodded, "I also must go, I have several things I have to take care of."
Bill nodded and rose, "then I'll leave you to them, thanks for letting me drop over. I love that little girl like my own, and if you need my help, don't hesitate to ask."
Antonio smiled, "And thank you, you've been of great assistance to me, that's something I won't forget."
Bill nodded and after a brief handshake left, but even as he got into his car, he had the distinct impression that Antonio's words covered a lot more than just his help with his granddaughter.