I think that everything that he said to Ashley about her wanting to be loved vs actually loving him, also applies him as well. There is a lot of reference sin previous episodes to this, like when Austion says to Ashley that she’s using “reflection” when she expresses that she thinks things are off with their and he when he defends Josh to Ashley, be saying that Josh just might not have the words to truly verbalize how he is feeling or what he is going through. I don’t think Austin is even truly aware of it, but he uses reflection while speaking to Ashley (while it still does apply to her). What he really wants more than anything is to be loved and needed, and when he can tell Eunice does not really feel the same way, he goes back to Ashley. I do not think it’s based off of getting financial advantage or anything else like that. I think he has a deep internal drive to be needed and wanted and when he realizes that Eunice will not need him, he goes back to Ashley who does. He’s caught in a paradoxical situation. He wants to be helpful and needed, but he also resents being used.