Rude Awakenings

Constance reeling from the news that Horse is her real father and going into emotional freefall, drifting away from family life and worrying Sharon and Amber. She confronts him, a tactic that backfires and puts her in increasing danger. Sharon attempts to warn Horse off her youngest daughter, to get him out of their lives, but she realises that he is now so inextricably connected to them all, that she can't see a way free from his malign influence. But Constance can. Meanwhile, Stuart is horrified that Dimity's book features explicit accounts of their love life, sexed-up on the advice of Hemi, who is renting Julian's room. But Dimity is preoccupied by the shock of learning that Amber is carrying Julian’s baby, especially when Arthur makes it clear that any interference from her will have desperate consequences.

Just as her finances collapse, Dimity has an epiphany inspired by her dying friend Caroline, and glimpses her future destiny. Thinking fast, she strikes a deal with Bonnie and Jase, which saves her home but binds them into a devilish contract. Meanwhile, Amber's affair with a journalist explodes when he publishes her family's secrets, alienating Amber from her mum Sharon. Constance pursues a secret life as an investigator which brings her in contact with the dangerous Horse. And Arthur makes a terrible bargain to keep his family together.

Dimity is conflicted by the news that Julian's life was saved by Arthur Short, and now she must contend with the mysterious fire which has left their Kumeu house in cinders, threatening her financial masterplan. After Pita’s death, Amber soothes her grief in an affair with an older journalist, breaking Julian's heart. Sharon is torn when Dara insists she must choose between her or her interfering family, and she finds herself drifting back to her dangerous old haunts. And Bonnie lives in terror awaiting the moment when Dimity figures out just how guilty she is.

Dimity is on a natural high as her notice to evict Arthur ruins his birthday. While Dim celebrates with a new Ponsonby hairdo, Constance starts to work her devious magic behind the scenes, grooming Dimity’s seven year old Ollie as a secret agent and planting him back inside his own family as a mole. And Arthur discovers just how dodgy his mate Ralph really is.

Dimity's incensed Stuart would give up medicine just because he killed someone, while Stuart can’t believe her real estate plans jeopardize their family assets. He takes Ollie to stay at the home of playboy surgeon Spencer, leaving Dimity to seek comfort in the arms of her personal trainer.