1993 (#26) - April's meetings with the support group and Robert's threats

A few months after Paul's last visit to April, she returns to town with Heather. April, in tears, confesses to Paul and Mary that she is fed up with Robert's constant violence, which is getting worse and worse and he takes out all his anger and stress on her. Paul keeps his instincts in check to leave immediately for New York to teach Robert a lesson, but convinces April to stay as long as necessary in Genoa City. In addition, Paul and Mary advise the woman to seek legal help from Christine, who immediately takes April's situation to heart. Christine and Paul, thus, urge the woman to attend the meetings of a support group for women who suffer violence. April and Heather spend happy and peaceful moments in Genoa City, and Paul does not hide his desire to take care of them, proposing to April to stay in town, admitting that he has feelings for her. April seems undecided, but when Robert returns to contact her informing her that he has discovered that she is not visiting her parents at all, and that he suspects that she is instead staying with Paul, a terrified April decides to suspend her meetings and hurriedly returns to New York, where she finds an enraged Robert waiting for her, who doesn't fail to beat her up again and accuse her of cheating on him with Paul. The latter, along with Mary and Christine, are once again disconsolate by April's sudden departure, towards whom they are increasingly worried despite the fact that she reassures everyone that Robert would never hurt Heather. This behavior, that is, defending one's aggressor by continuously justifying him, is typical of women who suffer violence and are victims of family abuse.