1979 (#22) - Liz's opposition and the marriage between Greg and Nikki

As time goes by, Nikki and Greg's wedding moment gets closer and closer. But if the preparations seem to proceed smoothly, for the couple there are other problems. In fact, there is no shortage of worries for the two of them. Greg is worried about Paul's return and his unquestionable fascination with Nikki; by the other hand she's increasingly frustrated by Liz's continuing opposition to the imminent marriage. Greg, from this point of view, is continually struggling to eliminate his family's doubts about his marriage; apparently without success. After another vain attempt to convince Liz, it is, however, Nikki herself who finally persuades the woman to give them the desired consent to the wedding. And so, some time later, the long-awaited and discussed wedding between an excited Greg and a beautiful Nikki, who for the occasion wears the same dress Chris wore in the wedding with Snapper, is finally celebrated for the joy of both of them. Paul's extreme attempt to stop the ceremony, an attempt abruptly interrupted by Snapper, was worth nothing.

1979 (#21) - Jill's waiver and Katherine's interruption of her marriage to Derek

An angry Katherine, meanwhile, lives in the shadows, waiting for the right time to turn up. Believed and officially declared dead at the fire at the psychiatric institution, Katherine attends her funeral curiously, and of course disguised. Determined to take revenge on Suzanne, who was almost killing her, Katherine thus begins to appear before the woman, who thinks she is hallucinating or, even worse, she thinks she's in front of the Katherine's ghost. Katherine's repeated threats soon bring Suzanne to the brink of a nervous breakdown until a worried Derek decides to have her examined by a specialist, who advises him to hospitalize her in a psychiatric center. Meanwhile, while Jill is busy in court getting her share from the divorce from Stuart, the woman gets a lot of psychological support from Derek, with whom she soon reconnects. The man, who is ready to declare Katherine dead and inherit her fortune, has his heart divided between Jill and Suzanne. Undecided who is the right woman for him, he soon realizes that what he really wants is not to get back with his ex-wife, who seems to have completely lost her mind, but to be together with Jill to finally defeat the Destiny that since always seems to turn against them. Derek's choice naturally makes Jill happy, but it fills Katherine's eyes with hate, who can't believe how Jill can once again set her eyes on her man. The rapid evolution of the love story between Derek and Jill leads her to want to end her marriage to Stuart as soon as possible, even at the cost of losing a lot of money: after all, she is tired of waiting and Derek, having inherited Katherine's fortune, certainly has no financial problems. Surprisingly, then, Jill announces in front of an astonished Stuart that she wants to give up any claim, in order to get a divorce immediately. A happy Stuart naturally accepts Jill's request, free at last to cultivate her dream of love. So the long-awaited wedding day arrives between an excited Derek and a very happy Jill, but it is precisely on this occasion that Katherine decides to show up again and reappear in front of her acquaintances; the woman thus stops the wedding right at the culmination, claiming her property and, above all, her husband. Everyone is shocked to recognize Katherine and to find her alive again; but joy naturally leads to amazement, first of all Derek's, and disbelief mixed with Jill's disappointment. Jill, who had given up a probable good exit from her marriage to Stuart to be with Derek, is thus forced to remain, once again, empty-handed.

1979 (#20) - Chris's pregnancy, his friendship with April and his story with Paul

Leaving behind the ugly and dangerous affair related to Rose, a moment of great joy and happiness finally arrives for Snapper and Chris when Chris discovers, to her surprise and amazement, that she is expecting a child with her husband. Years and years of vain attempts, sacrifices and disappointments are finally rewarded with the joy of a baby on the way. Happiness at home, however, soon is replaced by worries, as Chris is informed that she has been exposed to rubella and that she risks serious complications for the fetus. Snapper, however, consoles and gives strength to his wife, exhorting her not to jump down because they would, as always, face together whatever obstacle set in front of them. And this positive state of mind, evidently, was useful because the test results were negative, which implies that everything would have been fine for the baby. Both relieved, Chris and Snapper can thus continue the happy expectation of their first child. And it is this sense of deep joy that leads Chris to decide to help those most in need and those less fortunate. Among them, there is no doubt April Stevens, Chris' neighbour, who at only nineteen years olds finds herself living alone in serious financial straits. Despite the woman's reluctance to open up, Chris offers to help her to go ahead in any way she can, and the girl gladly accepts, understanding that a good friendship may be born between the two of them. April, initially closed and reserved, soon opens up to Chris and confesses that she's dating a boy, Paul Williams, the same Paul that had a relationship with Nikki. Between the two there is a strong physical attraction and April doesn't hide that she is in love.

1979 (#19) - The tensions with Lance and the separation between Leslie and Lucas

Back from Australia, a furious Lucas informs everyone that he has reconsidered the plan to send Lance to Paris and is convinced of the necessity of sending his brother to Santo Domingo, where there are major political and social tensions. Leslie is surprised by the sudden change in Lucas' decision, who defends his choice by justifying it with the need to maintain control in that strategic area for the company. Lance and Lorie, disappointed by Luca's sudden change and convinced that Lucas wants to take revenge in some way for their happiness compared to his marriage problems with Leslie, accuse him of being controlled by their mother Vanessa. The mother, however, assures everyone that the decision is entirely on the initiative of Lucas, obviously enraged by the alleged betrayal of his wife Leslie. By the other hand, Leslie can't understand her husband, not having betrayed Lance and not knowing about his presence in Australia. This episode, however, drives the couple away, despite the fact that in the end Lucas, at the very moment of Lance's departure for Santo Domingo, revokes his decision after Lorie's desperate request to reconsider. As a matter of fact Lance's doesn't leave, this fact however doesn't help the marriage between Lucas and Leslie, as the woman considers their marriage over. Despite the desire to give Brooks a father, in fact, Leslie realizes that she does not love Lucas, and that he feels the same way towards her; and convinced that a fake marriage cannot go on, she informs Lucas that she wants a separation. At the announcement, a still furious Lucas, convinced that Leslie is still in a clandestine relationship with Lance or that she wants to be with him anyway, reacts coldly to the news and accepts without resistance to initiate divorce proceedings.

1979 (#18) - The contrasting relationship with Nikki, Paul's return, the clash with Greg

After some time since Nick's death, it's time for clarification between Casey and Nikki, mainly about their relationship with Greg. Nikki admits that she became closer to him and apologizes to her sister for not telling her straightaway that they were dating. Casey, initially surprised by this, admits after all that they had broken for some time before and that, especially after Nick's return to town, she had neglected him; besides, it was Casey herself who introduced him to her sister. Casey, therefore, says she is perfectly ready to accept Greg dating her sister, even though she can't understand how a calm and peaceful person like Greg can get along well with a hothead like Nikki, and vice versa. In any case, both are now very much in love and Nikki's usual unconsciousness already leads her to dream of a romantic wedding. But if Casey finds himself supporting the new couple, it's not the same for the Foster family. The most displeased about a possible marriage between Greg and Nikki is of course Snapper who, although driven by protective feelings, as always shows himself to be authoritarian towards his younger brother, ordering him to immediately break off the relationship with the woman, telling him that Nikki is not a good girl, and instead suggesting him to get back with Casey. But if Greg is used to Snapper's strong positions, and anyway now he feels independent from his brother, he can't get used to Liz, their mother's opposition, strongly worried that Nikki is not the right woman for Greg because she's too young and rebellious. To complicate things even more, as if that were not enough, is the return of Paul Williams, strongly determined to take back his wild Nikki. In their first meeting, however, Nikki informs Paul that she has now closed that chapter of her life with him, that she has changed and settled down, confessing her intention to marry Greg. After all, the man has been by her side during this difficult period in which she has had to metabolize and overcome the death of her father, for whom she still feels responsible, and to regain her self-esteem. And after a brief fight with the man, against whom she obviously had the worst of it, at the end Nikki tells Greg that she's in love with him.

1979 (#17) - Stuart's tracheotomy and the judicial struggle for divorce with Jill

Stuart, regretting his choices over the past year, soon informs Liz that he has realized the mistake he made in marrying Jill and tries to apologize to the woman for making her suffer. And recognizing all his mistakes made insisting in getting married to Jill, he confesses to her that she is the only woman he has really loved since Jennifer's death. Liz, however, is still very cold towards the man; she knew that Stuart would soon return to her, as the marriage with Jill was not a marriage that would last, but she doesn't yet feel ready to start again. Stuart, obviously, willingly accepts Liz's decision to take things slowly, and promises to win her back. In the meantime, Stuart himself is starting to file for divorce. Jill has no intention of coming out of her marriage empty-handed, and knowing Stuart well enough to know that a man of her moral principles would never admit to Liz and her daughters that he slept with Jill before the wedding, she knows she can play her cards right. Counting on the fact that Stuart would have done anything to keep this detail hidden, Jill is well aware that she could blackmail the man or take a large sum of money from him. So when Stuart offers the woman a $25,000 settlement, Jill's lawyer advises her to ask for a lot more. A frustrated Stuart then, tired of having to accept any financial terms to get rid of Jill, decides to get rid of his burden by confessing to his daughter Lorie the real reason for his marriage to Jill. The two begin to make a plan to prove that Jill has in fact tricked Stuart by forcing him into a marriage that he would otherwise never have accepted. Later, while Jill and Stuart are discussing their divorce over lunch, the man begins to suffocate. A completely panicked Jill still manages to contact Snapper, who manages to save the man thanks to a tracheotomy. Alive thanks to Jill, Stuart has a full recovery, but he refuses with difficulty, saying he wants to go ahead with the divorce procedure, when Jill proposes to give their marriage another try. Stuart then makes Jill a second offer of $100,000, but the woman, annoyed, asks for half of Stuart's assets and the mansion. Stuart, shocked by this request, sees himself forced into a long judicial battle, which he would have gladly avoided in order to save his fortune.

1979 (#16) - Nikki's attempted rape and Nick's death

Casey, worried about her father's situation and her relationship with Nikki, and realizing that Nick hasn't changed at all, decides she can no longer remain silent for long, and feels she warns Nikki and reveals how the man had abused her in the past. But Nikki refuses to believe her sister's words, convinced that Casey, jealous of the good relationship between her and Nick, is trying to make her father the scapegoat for her inability to relate to men. That is, until Nikki comes face-to-face with the terrible truth. Nick, back home drunk, tries to rape a distraught Nikki who asks for help in vain. The woman tries to get away from the attentions of her father and, in the heat of the moment, hits him on the head with a sharp object. Casey and Brock, very concerned, rushed immediately to the hospital and they are informed of the whole situation by Nikki. A now dying Nick, so, asks forgiveness to both daughters declaring that he never intended to hurt them, and before dying, tells them that he loves them. Then, in front of the cops, Casey and Nikki confess their truth. Luckily, the officers believe their testimony, informing the girls that Nick had a long history of rapes, which will prevent Nikki from being charged with murder and that she will be exonerated in self-defense. Nick's funeral ends one of the saddest events in Genoa City that everyone wants to put behind them as quickly as possible.

1979 (#15) - Lucas' guilt, the trips to Australia and suspicions about Lance

Lucas, feeling guilty towards Lance for in some way robbing him of the presidency, nevertheless offers him an important job position in the european division of Prentiss Industries; a destination that would also allow Lucas not to have the man in his way and, therefore, close to Leslie. Lance, however, firmly rejects the offer and indeed decides, in agreement with Lorie, to resign from the company to set up a new company for himself, convinced that with his skills and contacts he will certainly succeed. Lorie is furious with Lucas for having favoured the expulsion of her husband and informs the man that she no longer feels his friend; in a heated discussion, Lucas then admits for the first time that he has feelings for the woman, despite being totally committed to Leslie and her baby. Lorie then convinces Lance to move to a penthouse far away from Vanessa's manipulations. Vanessa, seeing Lucas mortified by Lance's departure from the company, tries to reassure him that things are going exactly as they should, but Lucas is not convinced. Soon he realized he wasn't cut out to be the head of a big company, Lucas decides to take a break and pay a surprise visit to Leslie in Australia, where she's busy for a series of concerts. Taking advantage of the situation to split the couple between Lorie and Lance, Vanessa convinces Lance that Leslie would appreciate a visit to Australia, and Lance decides to leave. Leslie is actually excited to see Lance, and the two go out to dinner where they say they're ready to make their respective marriages work. Lance, moreover, at Leslie's own suggestion, agrees to reconsider Lucas' offer to move to Europe. However, fate lead Lucas to witness from distance, the conversation between the two, assuming the worst. Shocked to see Lance and Leslie together, Lucas immediately returns to Genoa City unnoticed, convinced that there is a secret history between Leslie and Lance.

1979 (#14) - Suzanne's revenge, Katherine's hospitalization and the fire at the institute

The reconnection between Jill and Derek is certainly not what Suzanne was hoping for. The confession made to Derek, which caused the woman's pact with Katherine to be broken, was of course not only a selfless act of kindness and duty on Suzanne's part, but she was hoping to see a new feeling arise from her relationship with her ex-husband. But Derek, as mentioned, immediately went looking for Jill, even though Suzanne wouldn't give up. Convinced that she was still capable of making Derek fall in love with her, Suzanne began to think about solving the main obstacle to her union with the man, Katherine. While it's true that Derek believes his marriage is over, Suzanne also knows that if Derek asks for a divorce he won't get anything from the woman. Suzanne then convinces herself that the only way to stay with her ex-husband and get great financial benefits is to permanently remove Katherine from their lives. So Suzanne starts drugging Katherine, unaware that it was Suzanne who informed Derek of the truth about her recovery, with candies mixed with very powerful drugs and medicines. Katherine soon begins to behave abnormally and Derek, worried, on Suzanne's own advice, takes the Katherine to a centre for drug addicts. Here the doctors inform Derek that it will probably take years before Katherine can hope to come to her senses; this is also because Suzanne, during her visits, keeps bringing her special candies, which prevent Katherine from getting better. During Katherine's absence, meanwhile, Suzanne begins to successfully seduce Derek, who soon gets carried away by the woman, setting aside his plans to return with Jill. Meanwhile, Katherine begins to reflect on what has happened recently and begins to suspect Suzanne; realizing that the woman was poisoning her, Katherine stops taking the candy, giving it to another patient who shared the room with her, Daniel Branson, for the sole purpose of verifying its effect. Soon Daniel began to experience the same symptoms as the her and went crazy. One night, he lights a fire in the institute, burning himself to death. Katherine, then, realizes that she has a chance to escape and to be considered dead: by putting her wedding ring into the burnt and unrecognizable body of the man, in fact, everyone suspects that she is the victim of the fire.

1979 (#13) - Nikki's interest in Greg and Nick's possessive jealousy

Despite all odds, things in the family between Casey, Nikki and Nick seem to be going well. Casey is happy to have their father back in the house and notes with pleasure the improvement of the man, who actually proves that he has changed. Nikki also notes that their father is no longer the angry man he used to be and soon a relationship is established between them that goes beyond the simple father-daughter relationship, a relationship of complicity and friendship. This faint balance in the Reed household, however, is not likely to last long and it doesn't take too much to break it up dramatically. It all starts when Nick notices that Nikki has returned home accompanied by Greg, who has recently stopped dating Casey. At first curious and then increasingly insistent questions about Nick, the girl answers more and more annoyed until she admits that she is dating the man she met at the clinic where Casey works. Casey confirms that she had met Greg a few months earlier and, after briefly dating him without a spark, introduced him to Nikki. Casey immediately notices that Nikki's relationship with their father had cooled as soon as he heard about her sister's flirtation with Greg. Nick, meanwhile, starts drinking again and his mood rapidly deteriorates. Casey once again glimpses their father's possessiveness and dangerousness when they were girls; Nick, on the other hand, feels all those old forbidden feelings reborn inside him, feeling that he can't hold back in any way: the only certainty inside his head is that no man, except him, could and should have touched his daughters.

1979 (#12) - The prostitution ring, Chris's kidnapping and Rose's arrest

While Stuart is busy straightening out his tangled love life, the eldest of his daughters, Chris has overcame the crisis with Snapper months ago, happily dedicating herself between love life, family and work. During this period, it is precisely her job that keeps Chris busy, as a matter of fact she's writing an investigative report on a very dangerous and increasingly prostitution ring. Snapper expresses his concerns about the potential danger of such assignment, but Chris, who has always been very sensitive to this issue, has rejected his concerns and reassured the man that she was being very careful. In the meantime, Chris begins the investigation from two young teenagers involved in a prostitution ring run by a woman named Rose De Ville, who already has many precedents. When Chris goes directly to her to gather information, Rose denies knowing the two girls in question and immediately warns her henchman, Vince Hollyday, to follow Chris and watch her movements, since she asked too many questions. When, following the disappearance of one of the two girls, Sharon Kelly, Chris returns to Rose again, she orders Vince to take care of her. After putting her to sleep with chloroform, Vince then takes her to the basement where Sharon was also hidden. Rose's plan is to sell Chris and Sharon, now too dangerous, to another trafficker in South America. Snapper and Brock, fearing for Chris' safety and not finding her anywhere, immediately warn the police, that immediately suspect Rose. When questioned, she claims she does not know the woman; however, Rose herself immediately realizes that she has betrayed herself when, on repeating that she has never seen the woman before, she pronounces her first name: Chris. With the help of the police, therefore, Snapper and Brock save the two women, and Rose and Vince are immediately arrested. For at least some time, both will no longer be able to hurt anyone.

1979 (#11) - Suzanne's confession to Derek and her rapprochement with Jill

Derek cannot explain Suzanne's bizarre behaviour and her departure without any details; in particular, Derek misses his son, which leads him to constantly look for and call her, asking the reason for his departure and pointing out his need and right, to see his son Jamie. Suzanne, finding herself under increasing pressure by all the man's questions, agrees to return secretly to Genoa City to talk to him in person. At the opposite side of the city from the Chancellor property, Suzanne reveals to Derek about his wife's fraud, telling him that she saw her walking with her very own eyes and that she was paid to go away and keep the secret. The news shocked Derek, who couldn't believe the woman's words, even though he actually managed to confirm it in the following days. An angry Derek then decides to confront Katherine, informing her that he wants to initiate divorce procedures. At the same time, Stuart informs Jill that he is now determined to end their marriage, despite the woman trying in every way she can to convince him to give up the idea. Stuart thus informs his daughters of the decision he has made, which fills them with joy. Now approaching their respective divorces, Jill and Derek find themselves once again in the possibility to start all over and to try once more to give their relationship a chance.

1979 (#10) - Vanessa's decisions on Prentiss Industries and Lucas' presidency

The joy of Brooks' arrival certainly doesn't lessen tensions in the Prentiss house. As always, it is the manipulator Vanessa who is the director, who decides to play the card of her company in order to favour the divorce between Lorie and Lance. In fact, Lance has always aspired to be the president of Prentiss Industries and everyone recognizes that he is a great businessman and that he has an exceptional ability in the field. For this reason, everyone knows that it will be Lance the successor to Vanessa, as president of Prentiss Industries; and Lucas knows it too, who accepts this fact as a natural consequence of events, since after all he has been away from his family for years and has not contributed at all to the growth of the company; above all, he has never been interested in working a white-collar job. However, the arrival of a sudden marriage and a baby to take care of, as we know, change the situation; and when Vanessa decides to seize the opportunity to name Lucas as president of Prentiss Industries, he clearly shows his astonishment but does not seem disappointed. This decision leaves Lance shocked and disheartened, he cannot believe that their mother has decided to choose the youngest son who, by the way, has never been involved in the family business. And when Lorie comes out against Vanessa, accusing her trying to make her son suffer only to indirectly hurt her, Vanessa replies that the needs of a child, which they do not have yet, must prevail. Perhaps a legitimate motivation, if it were not Vanessa's: both women, in fact, know that Vanessa's intentions are only to create a gap in the marriage between Lorie and Lance, and to make the man realize that his marriage to the woman could damage him. In any case, very soon Lucas, even though he knows he doesn't deserve the job position, is persuaded by Vanessa and especially by Leslie that the opportunity offered to him doesn't happen every day and that it wouldn't be fair to refuse such an important position; after all, only by providing financial security to Brooks and Leslie he could hope to finally form a real family with them.

1979 (#9) - Jill's insemination attempt and the truth about pregnancy

Jill's promise to herself that she would get pregnant as soon as possible was a promise more difficult to keep than expected. Despite many attempts, in fact, Jill cannot get pregnant and is increasingly worried, as the days go by, that Stuart may discover the truth. In the meanwhile, he is increasingly excited about the idea of becoming a father again, which puts pressure on Jill, who besides starting to eat to hide the absence of a pregnancy, doesn't know what to do. The idea, however, comes when he reads an article in an important scientific journal about a medical center in New York specialized in artificial insemination. Desperate and ready for anything, even to get pregnant with a unknown donor, Jill leaves for New York making up an excuse to Stuart. Convinced that it could work, Jill spends her time in day hospital and immediately returns to Genoa City hoping that the insemination was successful. In the meantime, Stuart finds a note in Jill's bag with the address of the center, which is also specialized in abortion procedures, and the man convinces himself that Jill went there for an abortion. Furious with the woman, Stuart confronts Jill, who guarantees that she has not had an abortion; however, in the excitement of the moment, Jill falls down the stairs and faints. Taken immediately to the hospital, Stuart is reassured about the woman's health status, but when Stuart questions the doctors about the impact that the fall could have on the pregnancy, the doctor, quite confused, tells him that Jill is not expecting a baby. At this moment Stuart desperately realizes that he has been fooled by Jill all this time. And Stuart's decision to divorce is so instantaneous that as soon as Jill is discharged from the hospital to return home, the man informs her of his desire to have the marriage annulled.

1979 (#8) - Casey's memories of the violence and forgiveness of her father Nick

As soon as Brock returns to Genoa City with Nick, Brock decides to arrange a meeting between Nick and Nikki. The much desired reunion is not the happiest, however, since the young girl is not at all happy to have her father back in her life. Brock's attempts to calm Nikki down are in vain, and the woman first accuses her father of ruining her father's life, then leaves in rage. Brock is sorry for the situation that he has created, and agrees with Nick when he, fearing a new fight, asks him to wait some time before meeting Casey. In the meantime, Nikki informs her sister about their father's return to the city; Casey, however, doesn't seem reluctant at all and, unlike Nikki, seems anxious to see the man again, being much more receptive and willing to forgive him for his past mistakes. Although Nikki tries to dissuade her, Casey goes to Brock to meet her father. The girl, however, at Nick's sight, remains frozen and immobilized, and soon runs away without apparent reason. Brock is astonished by Casey's reaction and chases her asking for explanations; it is at this point that Casey confesses to Brock that she sees everything clearer: it is her own father that used to abuse her when she was a teenager, now, finally, the man of her nightmares has finally a face. Realizing Nick's danger, Casey fears that his father will hurt them again. However, Nick tries to defend himself, first apologizing to the woman and then begging her to give him a new chance, as he has changed. Casey, however, has a hard time believing him and threatens to reveal the truth to Nikki if he hadn't left town immediately, which would have destroyed his hopes of reconnecting with the youngest daughter forever. But Nick is convincing towards Casey, soon she sees a sincere repentance in his father's eyes and convince herself to keep . After all, Nick proves to his eldest daughter that he has overcome his problems with both alcohol and sexual obsessions.

1979 (#7) - Katherine's hidden healing and Suzanne's return

No one would have ever bet on this couple, as their marriage was based essentially on blackmail, but in the end the long-awaited year of marriage between Katherine and Derek passed. According to the agreement between the two, at the end of this year, Derek would be free to divorce Katherine, and would also get the beauty salon. In Derek's plans, of course, there was the return with Jill, but this plan failed as Jill married Stuart. In addition, Katherine relies very much on her condition as she is still bedridden by paralysis following the attempted murder of Derek, whose life she saved. So it's obvious, that the young man's good heart, and the expectation of getting half of the Chancellor estate, should not lead him to consider divorcing Katherine. What Derek doesn't know is that Katherine has only been pretending to be paralyzed for some time now, just to keep the man next to her, although the fact that she has regained mobility months ago, just to keep the man next to her. Things get complicated for Katherine, however, when Suzanne comes back to town, convinced to get her ex-husband back. Katherine, frightened that her secret might be discovered, gets to the point of offering Suzanne money to leave Genoa City and stay far away from Derek. Finding herself in difficulty, Suzanne initially accepts the offer, but soon becomes suspicious of Katherine and, spying on her, manages to discover her secret. Suzanne's suspicions are confirmed when she pretends to be screaming about a fire in Katherine's house, and Katherine betrays herself by jumping up from her wheelchair to escape. Confronted with the evidence, a furious Katherine, ready to do anything to keep Derek just for her and not to be shared, chases Suzanne away and makes sure she leaves the city with a large sum of money.

1979 (#6) - The birth of Brooks in Switzerland and Lucas' commitment to Leslie

While the Prentiss family is excited about the recent marriage between Lucas and Leslie, and the next birth of the child, the woman feels that she is under too much pressure. Lucas is worried about the woman's health and is convinced that time away from Genoa City, Lance and especially Vanessa can only be good for his wife, who in those circumstances can stay focused on her baby. It is the mentor Ernesto Fautsch, who came to visit Leslie, to propose the ideal solution for their needs; in fact, Ernesto, being very attached to Leslie, is happy to offer the couple his property in Switzerland, not far from that of the Prentiss, so that they can live in peace and serenity, and in complete anonymity, the next few weeks, the last weeks of the pregnancy. Lucas and Leslie, and especially the soon to be mom is determined to keep the secret from Lance, gladly accept, and without informing anyone about their final destination, greet Lorie, Lance and Vanessa, reassuring them that they will go to a place where they can live in peace the final days of the pregnancy. In Switzerland, indeed, Lucas and Leslie live really happy moments that allow them to finally find the complicity and intimacy necessary in a marriage; the two soon find themselves very close. After a few weeks, meanwhile, the moment of childbirth suddenly arrives and so Brooks Lucas Prentiss comes to life in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland. Leslie makes her husband so happy by giving the newborn his name, so that Brooks can also have a part of Lucas, even though he is not his biological father. Leslie, however, at this point is very clear telling Lucas that the baby is not an obligation for him; Leslie thus admits that she feels guilty for having put him in this situation, that is, to make assume him the role of father to a baby that is not his. The woman doesn't feel comfortable keeping Lucas next to them and therefore, informs him that he is free to go if he wants to. Lucas, however, confirms with all his heart that he wants to stay and to commit himself to raising a real family with Leslie, hoping that maybe one day the woman will love him as she loved Lance. The two of them kiss and after a few days they return to Genoa City, where a family anxiously awaits them and can't wait to welcome little Brooks.

1979 (#5) - The marriage to Stuart, Jill's oath, and Liz and Greg's doubts

Finally comes the long-awaited day of Stuart and Jill's wedding. Both in love with other people, the marriage is based purely on a physical attraction and the secret of Jill, who pretends to be expecting a child to gain better financial security for herself and her son Phillip. It's obvious that in this situation, the marriage is going. Despite this, however, the good intentions of the couple, who declare their eternal love in front of the many guests, are naturally the best. Stuart is happy to marry a young and beautiful woman, who becomes a wife envied by many; Jill, on the other hand, is happy to finally earn a comfortable life and give her son a peaceful future. Regretting having to lie to Stuart about her pregnancy, she also promises herself that she will soon get pregnant so that she does not have to admit the truth to Stuart and give him a child for real. Stuart's daughters also attend the ceremony, of course, who have tried to approve the marriage or not to get in the way of it, and, with obviously conflicting feelings, Liz, who carefully avoids turning her eyes on Stuart to focus on Jill instead. Next to her, Snapper and Greg support her, both strongly convinced that this marriage is not going to last long. Particularly doubtful about the solidity of the marriage just celebrated are Liz and Greg, who both have serious doubts based on very convincing reasons. Liz, having spoken with her friend and trusted friend Katherine, is aware of Jill's attempt to get in touch with Derek; Greg, on the other hand, obtains confirmation of his feelings by speaking directly to Stuart, who confesses to him his real reasons for marrying Jill. Greg knows that he cannot tell to the mother Liz about Jill's pregnancy as she would suffer too much, but this convinces him of the real feelings between Liz and Stuart, and he swears that he will do everything possible to get them back together again one day.

1979 (#4) - Margareth's fatal accident, Casey's grief and Nick's return

Nikki and Casey's family life is suddenly upset by the tragic news of the death, in a car accident, of their mother Margareth Hughes. For years the two sisters had no relationship with their mother, precisely since they decided to leave their home to start a new life, finally free from the oppression of their parents. However, even though they have no happy memories of Margareth, they both grieve for the death of the woman. Brock decides to stand next to the two young girls when they are called to recognize Margareth's corpse and personal affections, who is later buried in a intimate but very touching ceremony. On the very day of the funeral, moreover, a letter from Casey and Nikki's father, Nick Reed, is delivered to Brock in which the man asks his wife's forgiveness for having caused their family grief. Despite Nikki's disapproval, who has always had a conflictual relationship with her father, Brock reads the letter during the ceremony. Seeing Casey's desperate eyes, Brock decides to contact and bring the man back to Genoa City, convinced that it would be good for Casey and especially for Nikki, who has evidently always lacked the impact of a paternal figure. Some time later, Brock goes to Nick, urging him to go back to their daughters who obviously need him. Despite some initial hesitation, Brock finally succeeds and both return to the city.

1979 (#3) - Stuart's afterthought and Jill's failed attempt with Derek

As time goes by, Stuart and Jill begin planning their wedding, an event that Stuart would now like to accelerate and celebrate before anyone can begin to suspect Jill's pregnancy, wanting to let everyone know that they are expecting a child from the woman only after the wedding. Despite Stuart's firm intention to get married, however, a sense of repentance and melancholy soon began to grow in him, realizing that he had only agreed to marry Jill because of her pregnancy; beyond the physical attraction to the woman, in fact, Stuart begins to understand that the difference in age between the two is all too evident and that only a woman like Liz could have made him happy, realizing that he was still in love with Liz herself, but now he was trying to forget him and play the difficult role of mother of the bride. In the meantime, it was Jill herself who began to feel guilty of having faked pregnancy. Feelings for Stuart, in fact, soon fade away and the only reason to continue this performance continues to be the desire to guarantee a comfortable future for little Phillip Jr. Jill can't deny, however, that she still has feelings for Derek, who promises Jill to get rid of his marriage to Katherine to be with her. Just the night before the wedding, Jill contacts Derek for a meeting and asks him for a warranty that he will marry her. At the meeting, however, Derek never shows up, having been called back by Suzanne to her family duties to look after little Jamie. Jill, once again disappointed by Derek, and realizing how foolish she was to think she could immediately break her current relationship, decides to put aside all her dreams with the man to focus on Stuart and Phillip. Derek's absence, of course, was orchestrated by Katherine who, unable to move, intervened to create a family emergency by making Derek's ex-wife look for him so that she couldn't meet her bitter rival Jill. A furious Derek, forced to make his beloved Jill suffer once again and leave the city at such an important time, will never know that his wife Katherine was the architect of all this.