1994 (#25) - Victor's doubts about Hope's pregnancy and escape to Kansas

Victor and Hope's wedding starts off under the best auspices. After returning from their honeymoon, the two love-struck newlyweds receive a visit from Nikki, who apologizes for her behavior leading up to the wedding, admitting that she was convinced that Hope could really make her husband happy. However, when Hope discovers to her great surprise that she is pregnant, the woman's happiness is not very reciprocated by Victor, who begins to have serious doubts about the decision to carry a pregnancy, worried that Hope's blindness could be a great limitation for the growth of a child. As always a perfectionist, Victor begins to seriously consider the possibility of terminating the pregnancy, not wanting to give birth to a child without having the possibility to raise it in optimal conditions; and so, the man tries to convince his wife about the risk of taking care of a child in such circumstances. When Victor confides in Douglas, however, he doesn't seem to agree with Victor's decision, while Nikki comes to support him, convinced that Hope could never be a good mother for the baby. As time goes by, meanwhile, Hope begins to enjoy the prospect of becoming a mother; and when she informs the man that she has decided she wants the baby and therefore has no intention of having an abortion, a deep argument ensues with her husband. The two begin to argue furiously, and when Victor forces his wife to get into the car to go to the hospital to see Dr. Andrew Forbes to complete the abortion procedure before it's too late, the woman goes off the grid. Desperate, Hope has in fact fled from Victor and, not knowing what to do, has taken the most natural decision for her: to return to Kansas. After contacting Cliff, who has never stopped loving her in all this time, he runs to her in Genoa City and happily agrees to take her back to his home, the only place she has ever loved and where she plans to give birth and raise her unborn child. When a worried Victor realizes he can't find Hope, his first thought is of a possible kidnapping. As the days go by, however, no ransom offer arrives, and when the phone finally rings, Victor realizes everything, namely that Hope has returned to Kansas. The woman informs her husband that she doesn't want to give up the baby and that it will be born there, in Kansas, where he wants her to grow up. In addition, Hope does not hide from her husband that she needs to think about their future, no longer knowing if their marriage can overcome this division. A grief-stricken Victor, who realizes that he has gone too far and that he can't pretend to manage everyone's lives, unless he hurts the people who love him the most, is consoled as always by his lifelong friend, Douglas, who urges him not to give up, since he is convinced that Hope will come back to him.

1994 (#20) - Nikki's prejudices for Sharon and operation on paraplegic Doris

When Nicholas informs his parents that he is engaged to the most beautiful girl in the world, Victor and Nikki are excited about their son's first crush and show interest in getting to know the girl. Nikki and Victor's first impression of Sharon's acquaintance, however, is very discordant. While Victor finds the girl pleasant, considering her simple, humble and very mature, Nikki does not like Sharon at all, judging her to be smarter than she wants to show and fearing that the girl, of humble and poor origins, is more interested in the boy's substantial dowry. Noticing Nikki's perplexity, Nicholas consoles Sharon, swearing his love to her and assuring her that one day he will prove to her that she is the sweet girl who made him lose his head. When Nicholas then insists on meeting her family, the girl, not without resistance, admits that she never knew her father Malcolm Burns, now dead, who abandoned her and her mother as soon as she became pregnant with her. In addition, Sharon reveals to Nicholas that her mother, Doris Collins, is a paraplegic due to a car accident she had in the past when she went out looking for the same girl during a snowstorm. Feeling guilty about his mother's condition, Nicholas embraces the girl, realizing more and more what a special person she is; then, he introduces himself to Doris, who is very happy to meet the boy. Informed by the same son of Doris' condition, who would need an operation to cure her disability, Victor offers to pay for the operation, performed by Dr. Howard Bradford and Dr. Susan Randall. Nikki, indignant and not at all in agreement with Victor's decision, confirms her suspicions about Sharon, who, in her opinion, is only interested in Nicholas' financial and patrimonial affairs rather than his feelings. Nicholas, however, silences his mother and warmly thanks his father, before telling Sharon the good news. Sharon, in sincerely thanking Victor, asks him to keep his charitable action a secret, especially from Doris, promising then that she would return every penny.

1994 (#18) - The flirtation between Jed and Nikki and the Victor and Hope's marriage

This is a very delicate moment for Nikki. Victoria no longer speaks to Nikki since she accuses her of cheating on her with her own husband, and it is Victor, as always, who worries about the woman and makes sure she gets over this unhappy moment. The man, in fact, tries to reconcile Victoria and Nikki, urging them both to clarify and find that unique bond that is proper of the mutual love of a mother and a daughter. Moreover, worried that Nikki might go back into the alcoholic business because of her loneliness, Victor tries to make a virtue out of necessity by contacting Jed for a renovation of the ranch where Nikki is staying. Victor, in fact, asking Jed to work at the ranch, urges him to give his ex-wife some company, trying to keep her away from alcohol. Victor's interest in Nikki's psychological condition certainly doesn't go unnoticed by Hope, who also realizes the special bond that has always bound Victor and Nikki. At the first signs of jealousy, Victor reassures his partner by proposing to her to get married, a gesture that Hope accepts with great joy. While the preparations for Victor and Hope's wedding begin, Nikki finds herself having to reckon with her heart, which, as always, brings her back to Victor. The many kind gestures of the man, in fact, raise as always new hopes in the woman for a possible reconciliation. Fortunately for Victor, however, Jed's presence at the ranch turns out to be more valuable than he might have suspected, as a friendship develops between the man and Nikki that soon evolves into a flirtation. As Hope and Victor's wedding approaches, the situation is very much in flux. On the one hand, there's Hope who is annoyed by Victor's protective attitude towards Nikki; on the other hand, there's Victor who assures his wife, though he doesn't like at all that a sincere feeling could arise between Nikki and Jed. And of course, there is Nikki who, on one side, finds comfort and shelter in Jed's arms, on the other side she finds herself once again emotionally involved with Victor, convinced that Hope is not the right woman for him. Victor's mediating and often contradictory attitude changes radically, however, when Nikki, supported by Douglas himself, very interested in advising his brotherly friend, openly says that Hope, also because of her health condition, will never be able to fully satisfy a man like Victor. The man, at this point, openly comes to the defense of his future wife, whose initial doubts about whether Victor is actually willing to commit to her are dissolved by Victor's heated arguments that he will not accept criticism and doubts about his future wife. Proud to hear Victor speak in such terms, Hope then shows herself convinced of the step she is about to take and, in a moving discussion with Cliff, who has arrived in Genoa City to try to convince her to return with him, dampens the criticism of Victor brought forward by the man, who finally accepts Hope's decision and wishes her a happy marriage. Finally, the long-awaited wedding day between Hope and Victor arrives. Under the eyes of the whole city, he marries Hope in an unforgettable ceremony full of emotions.

1994 (#17) - Brad's decision and the reconciliation between Traci and Steven

Finding herself in front of her hospital bed hoping for Brad's awakening, Traci begins to seriously wonder if marrying Steven was a big mistake. The woman, in fact, realizes that her feelings for Brad have never disappeared and she soon becomes convinced that she wants to get back together with her ex-husband. Not at all happy with Traci's interest is of course Lauren, who also prays for Brad's health and accuses Traci of not being able to come out and enter her man's life at will, receiving the accusation of having almost caused his death. Upon Brad's awakening, both Traci and Lauren are delighted to learn from Dr. Josh North that Brad has now passed the critical stage and is slowly but steadily improving. As a result, the man finds himself coping with his recovery as he watches the two women struggle to please him. Concerned about Brad's health is obviously Victor, who, needing to replace Brad, calls in his place his old enemy and rival Jack, with whom he reconciles and entrusts a delicate role such as the direction of his economic empire. And so, while Brad sees Jack blow his job away, to the point that Victor compliments the man by promising to keep him at the helm of Newman Enterprises even after Brad's recovery, he decides it's time to make a profound change in his life by taking a drastic decision, painful but absolutely necessary. Informing both Traci and Lauren that he has made an important decision about his life, he tells both women that he is not interested in having a relationship with either of them. Traci, disappointed for the umpteenth time by the man, abandons all her dreams and desires to get back with her ex-husband and decides to go back to New York to Steve, wondering how she could have been foolish enough to believe she had a new chance with Brad. But Lauren is also deeply disappointed by her decision with Brad, with whom she definitively breaks all ties and removes him from his role at Fenmore. Left alone, Brad's only goal in life is now to regain his position at Newman Enterprises, which he says was unfairly snatched by Jack, who in the meantime sees his role change from temporary to permanent.

1994 (#10) - The misunderstandings with Cole and Victoria's poses on Esprit de Corps

Despite what Cole and Victoria might imagine, their second marriage is not without its obstacles and difficulties from the start. Confirming Victor's thesis that Victoria was in too much of a hurry to reunite with Cole is Victoria's surprise to learn that as soon as their marriage was annulled, her mother Nikki tried again to resume a relationship with her husband Cole. Victoria knows very well that Cole did not accept the advances, and in fact had decided to leave town, but she is still disappointed with the man, and obviously with her mother, for having kept the matter from her. Victoria thus confides to her husband that she can no longer trust either her parents or, unlike what she thought, her husband. Cole's attempts to explain are useless, and in the end, frustrated, he patiently decides to wait for Victoria to cool off. In the meantime, Victoria, who probably suffers from an inferiority complex compared to her beautiful mother, decides to do something crazy and show everyone that she is also capable of being sly. So she decides to pose nude for a scandalous magazine, the "Esprit de Corps", which decides to devote the entire centerfold. Victor, alerted by Cole to whom Victoria immediately confesses her decision, immediately understands that his daughter has done a foolish thing and tries in every way to stop the publication of the magazine, even coming to the acquisition of the publishing company, the "Two Hearts Publications". In spite of all his efforts, however, the magazine is now in print and the issue containing Victoria's photos, who appears satisfied with the final result, ends up creating a huge scandal that certainly doesn't please Cole; the newlyweds are already beginning to be very distant.

1994 (#9) - The hiring at Newman Enterprises and Brad's heart attack

What Brad is living in this period is a very delicate moment of his life. Having become a father, but far from his daughter and his ex-wife Traci who has now remarried and lives in New York, Brad now lives with Lauren, with whom he lives very passionate and transgressive moments but who, in the end, he doesn't really love. In a nutshell, Brad still has to figure out what to do with his life, as he doesn't have any strong and lasting sentimental ties that would allow him to look to the future with optimism. Inside, in fact, Brad would like to finally find the right person with whom to form a family, and he almost feels envy towards Traci and Steve, who have realized their dreams. Brad's sudden arrival in New York City surprises Traci, who watches with affection and a touch of regret as Brad plays with their daughter Colleen. Back in Genoa City, more confused than ever, Brad finds Victor in his office, who understands Brad's psychological state and is ready to offer him a prestigious position as CEO of Newman Enterprises, since he is no longer able to manage all of his businesses on his own. Brad, after many refusals, finally accepts the job, convinced that seeing less of Lauren could perhaps change his mind about her and make him really fall in love. And in fact, between Brad and Lauren seems to ignite that feeling of affection and tenderness that serves as a prelude to their falling in love. Besides, the passion between the two is certainly not lacking, on the contrary. When one night, after spending hours and hours of sex with Lauren, Brad suddenly feels ill, Lauren immediately realizes that the man has had a heart attack. Immediately rushed to the hospital by Dr. Michael Hunt, Lauren is distraught about what has happened and prays with all her might to save the man's life. Little does she know, however, that an angry Traci is lashing out at her, accusing her of nearly killing her ex-husband. Lauren realizes that Traci still has deep feelings for the man, and this hurts Steve a lot. Steve, tired of feeling like Traci's escort man, decides to go back to New York alone. Lauren and Traci find themselves watching over the man they both love, waiting for Brad to heal and finally shed some light on his true feelings.

1994 (#8) - The breakup with cheerleader Amy and Nicholas' infatuation with Sharon

After spending a few years studying in Europe, young Nicholas, Victor and Nikki's second son, returns to Genoa City. Nikki is happy that Victor has accepted her request to interrupt Nicholas' studies in the old continent to finish it in the city, so that she can be closer to their son. In fact, they are both very happy to embrace the boy and reunite the family, an event that gives Nikki hope that she can get closer to Victor. Nicholas, just sixteen years old, is the typical restless American teenager, a bit of a braggart with a very strong and determined character. Having become immediately popular at school, Nicholas soon becomes engaged to the beautiful Amy Wilson, head cheerleader and considered by the entire high school as the most beautiful girl. Nicholas is happy and carefree with the girl; however, he is literally blown away when he meets Amy's best friend, Sharon Collins, at Crimson Light, the club owned by his friend Jay Zoller. Immediately realizing that he doesn't love Amy and has become infatuated with the shy and insecure Sharon, the instinctive Nicholas is not afraid to disappoint his girlfriend, admitting that he is not in love with her. Soon after, the boy tries to get noticed by Sharon, who is two years older than him, in vain. A lover of challenges, Nicholas begins to persistently court the girl, whose smiles and fleeting glances only increase the boy's hopes of winning her over, strengthened by Sharon's friend Alice Burnett's confirmation of the girl's interest. In the end, Nicholas, willing to take on the whole world to have her, manages to talk to Sharon, and his declaration of love ends with a passionate kiss that both of them will never forget.

1994 (#6) - The exhumation of Eve's body, the wedding between Victoria and Cole

Determined to know the truth about Cole's paternity, Victor, in agreement with Dr. Cohen and Douglas, decides to exhume Eve's body and inform Cole himself of the test to establish the truth once and for all. Upon examination of the DNA test, the comparison between Victor's sample and Cole's establishes, to everyone's amazement, that Victor is certainly not Cole's father; but, incredibly, neither is Marvin. In any case, the discovery that Cole and Victoria are not related creates discordant feelings between the two young people. On the one hand, there is the joy and happiness of being free to be together again; on the other hand, there are the difficulties of resuming a relationship after having said goodbye and having already started planning a new life without their respective partners. A few weeks passed during which Cole and Victoria were undecided about what to do and simply tried to get back together, until the spark that had led them to fall in love broke out again. Cole and Victoria decide to remarry and finally begin their life together. Victoria's happiness, however, is tempered by her critical relationship with her father; the girl, in fact, reproaches Victor for having ruined their marriage by revealing an untrue fact without even checking it out. Unable to forgive Victor, Victoria decides not to invite him to the wedding in spite of everyone, Nikki above all, trying to reason with her. Bitterly, Victor is therefore forced to follow his daughter's wedding on the sidelines and away from prying eyes from the back of the chapel. At the end of the ceremony, a piece of news upsets Victor; it's Paul, who reveals to the man on the phone that Cole's DNA is compatible with that of a criminal in the police database, namely Rick Daros. In fact, it turns out that Rick Daros, even before he escaped from the psychiatric institute with Eve, knew each other and evidently had a flirtation. Victor, thus, can finally reveal to Cole the identity of his father and, in time, he is also able to make peace with his daughter Victoria and re-establish a strong and unbreakable bond with her.

1994 (#4) - Victor's doubts about Cole's paternity and Marvin's biological test

The whole story of the annulment of Victoria's marriage has left deep worries not only in the young girl, but also in Victor himself who, embittered by the fact that Victoria has decided not to speak to him anymore, soon finds himself reflecting on all the events that have taken place in the last year, from Cole's return, to Eve's death up to his daughter's wedding. Caught up in the memories, Victor begins to flip through a folder regarding some documents that Eve, upon her return to Victor, left at the ranch. And the man is stunned when he finds in his hands a letter from Eve evidently addressed to an old love, Marvin Oakley and dated just a year before the birth of Cole, at the time when Eve worked as a secretary, and lover, of the man. In Victor, so, immediately insinuates the doubt that Cole may not be his son. Victor asks Douglas for advice, and they both agree that they must track down this Marvin Oakley. After much searching, Douglas finally gets the man's address, and he is brought to Victor. Marvin is not at all happy to talk to Victor about his old affair with Eve and, absolutely unwilling to do any paternity testing, leaves in annoyance. Douglas, however, manages to obtain a hair of the man to use as a sample for the paternity test. In secret from Cole and Victoria, then, Victor performs the paternity test to determine who between him and Marvin might be the man's father, using as a sample of Cole's DNA, who in the meantime is out of town, a bloodstain of his left on a book caused by the paper. Victor is disappointed, however, when Dr. Freddy Cohen reveals to the man that he has been unable to determine who between the two samples may be the father due to the lack of relevance of the samples obtained, not being able to even give the certainty that the father is necessarily one of the two.

1994 (#1) - The annulment of the marriage between Cole and Victoria

When the two happily in love Cole and Victoria return from their honeymoon, a thoughtful Victor is waiting for them, ready to reveal something shocking. Victor, furious with Victoria for marrying Cole without even telling him, and moreover repeating the same thing he did when he married Ryan, announces to the two youngsters the crude truth, that Cole is actually her son, implying that Cole and Victoria are brother and sister. Dismayed and incredulous at Victor's words, Cole and Victoria find themselves torn between being horrified at the incest they've committed and hurting for the true and sincere feelings that they are now unfortunately forced to repress or at least transform. This news obviously leads to a cancellation of the wedding between the two, who both say they need to reflect and be alone with themselves. Victor is bitter for having destroyed his daughter's dreams and tries to comfort her; however, she proves to be furious with her father for never informing her about Cole's true identity. However, this shocking news leads to a reconciliation between Victoria and her mother Nikki, whose hopes of resuming her relationship with Cole are dashed when the boy informs everyone that he wants to leave Genoa City. The day of goodbyes with Cole is also the first day, after the annulment of the marriage, in which the boy has the chance to see Victoria again, with whom he exchanges wishes for a serene future. The two boys, still evidently in love, evidently agree that it is better for everyone to continue their lives far from each other, taking different paths.

1993 (#30) - The wedding in Las Vegas between Victoria and Cole

A few weeks after Eve's funeral, Cole begins to grieve in small steps. For him, who grew up and has always lived with his mother, the death of the woman has been a hard blow to digest; and Victoria, understanding the moment, tries to stay close to him as much as possible, but also give him the space he needs. So, for a few days, Cole decides to go on a trip by himself to reflect and think about his life, also taking the opportunity to return to his old house where he lived with Eve and remember her with dignity. It's also thanks to Cole's absence that Victor, recently returned to Genoa City after his misadventure in Kansas that allowed him to meet Hope, doesn't realize that strong feelings of love are developing between Cole and Victoria. After all, in all the turmoil caused by his presumed death and incredible return, no one, neither Victoria nor Nikki, has seen fit to update him on his daughter's love life. And on the other hand, everyone is unaware that Cole is none other than her son and, therefore, Victoria's half-brother; a secret of which only he is now aware. After days of silence, in which Victoria thought the worst and believed that she would never see Cole again, the boy returns to Genoa City and, before a delighted Victoria, reveals that he no longer wants to wait and postpone anything that is not worth living today; and to her great joy and surprise, he asks her to become his wife. Eager to take this step immediately, not wanting to miss a single second of their second life together, the two fly in a hurry to Las Vegas, where they get married declaring their eternal love. All of this, obviously ignoring the truth about Cole's paternity and, of course, without Victor being informed of this step.

1993 (#29) - The birth of Billy and the happiness of Jill and John

As the months go by, Jill's pregnancy and marriage to John proceed smoothly and between the two of them, in fact, there is a great understanding and a great feeling that is also recognized by the man's children; however, the man continues to remain somewhat perplexed about Jill's pregnancy, not hiding his lack of enthusiasm at the idea of having to be a father again. Jill, in order to reassure John and convince him of her exclusive desire to raise a child without any further interest, draws up a document in which she exonerates John from any responsibility, whether emotional or affective or financial and patrimonial, for the unborn child. In this way, John seems more accepting of Jill's pregnancy, at least until he discovers that the document is not legally binding. In any case, the pregnancy is finally carried to term by the woman who gives birth to her second son, after poor Phillip Jr. who, as we know, passed away prematurely. The baby is named by an ecstatic Jill with the name of Billy, in honor of his father Bill with the clear wish that he will receive more affection than his father gave him, having abandoned their family when she was still a child. John, despite all his initial reticence, is eventually happy to be able to embrace his fourth son, Billy Abbott. Of course, as we know, this is actually his third child, since Ashley is actually the daughter of Brent Davis, a paternity however deliberately kept hidden from John. John's joy, however, soon becomes concern as he begins to suspect that Billy is not really his son, but Victor's son, who was dating Jill just before their marriage. Immediately frightened by the idea, realizing among other things that she had never even imagined that Billy could actually be Victor's son, the woman informs a shocked Victor about this possibility, although the woman in front of John shows herself convinced and sure that the son is hers. In the end, fortunately and to everyone's great relief, the test confirms that little Billy is indeed John's son, which finally brings the couple closer together. Some time later, when Liz learns of the birth from Katherine, who congratulates her on becoming a grandmother again, she returns from London for a short time to Genoa City, making the acquaintance of her grandson. Jill explains to her mother that she kept her pregnancy a secret to spare her the details of her troubled new marriage to John, but says she hopes, and is optimistic about it, that Billy's birth may be the catalyst that will bring her closer to the man.

1993 (#27) - Ashley's friendship, Victor and Hope's bond, and Cliff's hopes

Ashley's return to Jabot not only allowed her to reunite with her boyfriend, Blade, at work and put to rest any risk of disagreement in her professional life, but also allowed Ashley to find a great friend. From the very first day of her return, Ashley made the acquaintance of Hope, whose constant presence in the company soon became normal. Hope, in fact, never wants to be away from Victor and, more importantly, wants to find employment since she doesn't know how to stay idle at the ranch. Ashley immediately takes a liking to the woman, appreciating her sunny disposition and her great will of spirit that allows her to face any challenge, despite her blindness. Hope, on the other hand, doesn't see this as a defect or a lack, having never actually lost her sight but simply grown up without seeing. Meanwhile, Cliff Wilson, Hope's former man, arrives in town, bitterly regretting letting Hope go without a fight. Cliff is so intent on getting the woman back and returning with her to Kansas. Cliff soon finds himself allied with Nikki, who obviously pursues the same goal, wanting at all costs to regain Victor's heart. But despite Cliff and Nikki's hopes to regain their respective partners, Victor and Hope don't seem to have any intention to break up, and on the contrary they show themselves to be more in love than ever.

1993 (#25) - Malaria infection and Eve's death

Determined to reveal the truth to Victoria and Cole about the paternity of the latter, in order to prevent an incestuous marriage between the two half-brothers, Eve arrives in Genoa City and, as soon as she lands, immediately goes to Victor's ranch. Here, it is Cole who opens the door and is happily surprised to see Eve, who is supposed to have returned to the city to express her joy at the imminent marriage and to attend the wedding with Victoria. Cole then lets his mother into the house, who warns him that she has some very important information to tell him. However, as soon as she sits down in the living room, Eve quickly loses consciousness and falls to the floor, fainting. Brought to the hospital still in shock, the woman is taken care of by Dr. Bonnie Franklyn who, after being warned of the woman's cruise, immediately suspects a viral infection. In the end, as Bonnie feared, the diagnosis is merciless: Eve is suffering from malaria. Cole's optimism, believing the disease to be eradicated and easily treatable, turns out to be far from justified as the disease is in a very advanced state due to the infection that is now widespread. The woman hangs for days between life and death in a state of semi-coma. Several times Eve tries to talk to her son to tell him the truth about her paternity, but every attempt to make herself understood is useless, and when Victoria notices that the woman is trying to suggest something to him, Cole imagines that it is a wish for their next union. In the end, Eve suffers a stroke that proves fatal, and dies in the arms of a desperate Cole, who is consoled by Victoria and Nikki.

1993 (#23) - Carol and Skip's departure and John and Ashley's return to Jabot

Upon Victor's return to Genoa City, the relationship between Ashley and Blade is put to the test for the first time. The woman, in fact, determined with her father not to overlook Jack's expulsion, decides to resign from her position at Jabot; a gesture that Blade, on the contrary, decides not to make, becoming, moreover, one of the key men in the new organizational structure of Victor's presidency. Blade and Ashley, however, despite their professional disagreements, promise each other that work matters will not interfere with their romantic relationship, which in fact happens. The relationship and the mutual feelings between the two of them, therefore, prove to be much stronger than either of them could have imagined, thus reinforcing the conviction of the two of them in continuing to organize their marriage. As time goes on, moreover, Blade plays a key role in convincing both Ashley and John to put aside their personal resistance and return to their family business, despite Victor's continued strong policy of keeping rival Jack out of Jabot. Blade and Victor's pressure to get John and Ashley back to work is obviously motivated by their professionalism, experience and love for their company; but, more concretely, it is also motivated by Victor's real needs, as he is forced to replace two important members of the company staff, Carol and Skip, who announce to everyone that they have decided to leave Genoa City to go to Philadelphia, where they plan to start a new life and raise little Skylar together. Taking the place previously occupied by Skip and Carol is Blade, who chivalrously gives up his seat on the board of directors of the company in favor of John and Ashley. The new company organization chart is thus defined only a few days after the departure of Carl and Robbins, who are embraced and greeted by the entire company in a moving farewell ceremony.

1993 (#22) - Victor and Nikki's reunion, Cole's letter, and Eve's secret

Victor's sudden return to the city is obviously destined to cause strong repercussions in the love lives of the people connected to him as well. Nikki, in particular, can't contain her joy at seeing Victor alive again, and this annoys Cole, who is disappointed by the fact that the woman seems to have a special bond with Victor. Feeling a little neglected, the man thus finds interest in Victoria's attention, who hopes at this point even more that Nikki will be able to reunite with her father, so as to let him have his way with Cole. Reinvigorated in her hopes of getting the man, Victoria becomes much more resourceful and thus seduces Cole, with whom she has her first sexual intercourse. The following day, Cole suggests to Nikki that she should go back to pursuing her dream of getting back with Victor, her true destiny, then admits that he is not interested in a relationship in which he serves as a consolation prize. Nikki ponders Cole's words for a long time and decides to give herself a new chance with Victor, who in the meantime shows himself to be completely and utterly in love with Hope, Nikki's new rival. Since their first meeting, there is bad blood between the two; Nikki accuses Hope of stealing Victor's heart by exploiting her condition and her blindness, while Hope reminds Nikki why Victor decided to leave Genoa City. Meanwhile, Cole and Victoria live intense and happy moments together and start planning their future together. Cole reproaches Victoria for wanting to keep Victor out of her life, deciding not to even inform him of their engagement, and urges her, to no avail, to open up more to him. However, it is precisely the arguments used with Victoria that convince the man to write a letter to his mother Eve to inform her of the recent developments in Genoa City. In the letter, Cole tells about his relationship with Victor's daughter and his intention to marry her as soon as possible. Reading the letter, while enjoying a relaxing cruise in the middle of the Ocean, Eve is shocked. In fact, she realizes that neither Cole nor Victoria have been informed that they are half-brothers, as they are both Victor's children. Determined to stop the two boys, therefore, Eve decides to abandon her cruise and return to the city as soon as possible. The woman does not imagine, however, that a simple and trivial mosquito bite will tragically ruin all her plans.

1993 (#21) - The return to the city, Victor's revelation and the clash with Jack

When Victor hears on a radio news report that Jack Abbott has taken the helm of Jabot, as well as Newman Enterprises, the man realizes he must return to reclaim what is his. To do so, he decides to return to Genoa City and devise a plan to do so in the most surprising way possible. Victor, thus, manages to get in touch with his friend and faithful Douglas, who is bewildered and overjoyed to see Victor again; he begs him to keep his silence, at least until he comes back to the city, and he also asks him for information about what happened during this period. Douglas thus updates him on all the events that have taken place since his disappearance, and Victor cannot help but notice that everyone seems to have, in one way or another, moved on with their lives. After that, Victor becomes even more convinced of the need to return to Genoa City to take back what's his, and in doing so he asks Hope to follow him. The woman, by now hopelessly in love with Victor, accepts without a second thought, believing it to be the best thing for Cliff as well, who in this way will be able to forget her more easily and get on with his life. Back in town, Victor rents a tree room and in the meantime begins to send all his loved ones an anonymous invitation to a "meeting of great importance and significance" to be held in the Colonnade Hall, an important convention building. Here, Victor shows up and reveals himself to everyone, much to the dismay of all the guests. Katherine, Rex, Nikki and Victoria run to embrace him, overjoyed to see him in the flesh and thanking the Lord for answering their prayers. Less happy seem to be Jack, John and all the Abbotts, who fear now that they will lose everything and wonder how Victor will react and especially what he will do now that he is back in town. Victor's number one priority is, of course, to take Jack out of all his companies; and having naturally returned in possession of both the Newman Enterprise and Jabot, Victor removes Jack from every position, offering the vacant position to Brad, who is once again forced to refuse since Lauren would not release him from his contract for any reason. When Victor is forced to ask John and Ashley for help, offering them to return to the company, the clash between the Abbotts and Victor is inevitable. John and Ashley, in fact, both refuse Victor's offer, informing the man that as long as Jack is not welcome in his companies, they will refuse to enter, not being interested in any role. Jill herself, moreover, shows her support for John when she resigns due to her pregnancy. The Abbotts, then, are more united than ever in their fight with Victor, who, however, seems determined not to give up, confirming Neil and Blade as key men in the new company structure.

1993 (#19) - Hope's blindness, bonding with Cliff and feelings for Victor

While events in Genoa City continue without him, Victor finds himself living a new period of his existence at the home of Hope Adams, who, as mentioned, runs a group home for the homeless, refugees and people in need. Victor thus makes the acquaintance of the woman, from whom he learns that she is blind from birth and that, just like him, she lived her childhood in an orphanage. Because of this, Hope and Victor find themselves sharing a special bond, with Victor, who reveals nothing about his identity, offering to give the woman a hand in running the home. As he spends time with Hope, Victor comes to appreciate Hope's genuineness, simplicity, generosity, spirituality and goodness of heart, all qualities that make her different from any other woman he has ever known. Hope, in fact, has with her the strength of faith that keeps her going every day, and Victor thus begins to look at the world with a new perspective, giving the right value to the important things in life. It is evident, then, that a relationship is established between Hope and Victor that goes beyond simple friendship; the two live together and share every moment of the day, soon finding themselves harboring feelings for each other. Hope, however, doesn't hide the fact that she has been involved with her neighbor and friend since childhood, Cliff Wilson, a man who has always helped her and knows her better than anyone else. Victor is disappointed when she informs him that she intends to marry Cliff, sooner or later; and Cliff himself, albeit cordially, warns Victor to stay away from Hope as he is the man in her life. Nevertheless, Victor warns that his arrival has triggered a whirlwind of mixed feelings in Hope. Hope loves Cliff and has always loved him, but Victor has been a cyclone in her life lately; a cyclone that has turned things upside down. In tears, Hope informs Cliff that she has come to the conclusion that she cannot marry him because she is starting to have feelings for Victor. Completely angry and disappointed, Cliff finally accepts Hope's words, leaving Victor free to start a relationship with her.

1993 (#14) - Victor's presumed death and the division of the Newman empire

The sudden absence of Victor is initially welcomed without too much surprise by the inhabitants of Genoa City; all of them, Jack, Victoria and Nikki in particular, are in fact aware that the man is living a very difficult and particular period as he has not been able to find, after the divorce with Ashley, a purpose and a balance in his life. A Victor who, according to Jack, has, in his own way, only caused pain to Nikki, who has lost her baby, and to Victoria, who has repeatedly shown signs of impatience and rebellion towards her father, especially regarding her relationship with Ryan. As time goes by, however, we begin to worry more and more about the lack of news until the Kansas authorities go to the Genoa City ranch informing everyone that they have found Victor's car burned down. The police officers explain, to everyone's amazement and dismay, that his Rolls Royce was involved in a fatal car accident in which, unfortunately, the man lost his life. In fact, the man found in the car, now unrecognizable due to the fire but with Victor's driver's license beside him, is not Victor at all, but the thief who stole his car. But this no one in Genoa City is aware of. In the general grief, it is Jack soon, on the business side, who takes matters into his own hands. At the top of his mind, in fact, is the fact that now, according to the agreement made with Victor himself, Jabot would be back in John's control. Victor's lawyer, Jerry Peters, is the one who opposes the takeover, and he tells everyone that Victor had already gone to court some time ago, in great secrecy, to cancel his consent to the agreement. In spite of this, Jack, John and Ashley managed to assert their rights and convinced Judge Aaron Wayne to grant them a favorable ruling. And that's not all; the Newman Enterprise itself is entrusted to the Abbotts, something that gets great media coverage. Jack, overjoyed by the victory, embraces an enthusiastic John, who after so many years can finally regain control of his company. John, as the new President, immediately appoints Jack as Managing Director, who lets himself go celebrating with his secretary Jennifer Qualls, while Ashley confirms that she will continue her work in purchasing. Blade is also confirmed as sales and marketing manager, as well as the company's official photographer, and finds himself working more and more closely with Ashley, with whom he starts a successful friendship. Blade himself, also, after Brad's rejection of his contract with Fenmore, advises Jack to appoint Neil, husband of his friend Drucilla, as assistant manager. Jack, wishing to repay Drucilla for the wrongs done to her by Jill in the past, agrees to promote Neil, who proves to be reliable and strong-willed.

1993 (#11) - Nikki's outburst, Victor's bitterness and the meeting in Kansas with Hope

When Jack learns of Victor's involvement in Nikki's fall that resulted in his son's death, the man goes ballistic. As Nikki herself predicted, this is a great reason for yet another clash between Victor and Jack, who blame each other for their respective failings. But in particular, Jack is most disappointed this time around with Nikki, who has kept it from her. And when Nikki defends herself by stating that she only did it to keep Victor out of the whole thing, Jack understands how the woman, despite continuing to deny it, still has feelings for him. Since it is obvious to Jack that Nikki has never loved him and could never love him the way she loved Victor, nor could she love anyone else, the man informs the woman that he intends to separate from her. Nikki, shocked by these words, begs Jack to reconsider and retrace his steps, although he is adamant. Nikki, then, takes it out on Victor, who with his assiduous presence, justified as always by the duty of protection that the man feels towards Nikki, does not allow her to live well any sentimental relationship. Slamming the door in his face, Nikki asks Victor to get out of her life forever and let her live in peace. Faced with these words, Victor begins a long reflection on his life. Discouraged, bitter and disappointed that the women he loves the most, namely Ashley, Nikki and Victoria, have all left his life, the man feels a painful sense of emptiness. Feeling too much and completely useless, Victor decides to leave, abandon everything and go away from Genoa City towards unknown places. At the wheel of his car, he drives aimlessly until he reaches Kansas. Here, Victor is attacked by some thugs, who steal his car; and left on foot in the desert, without food or water, a Victor at the limit of physical endurance arrives so without more forces in front of a farmhouse. It is the owner of the house, Hope Adams, who comes across Victor's unconscious body without any more strength. Brought inside the house, Hope personally takes care of the recovery of the man, until the faint hope of seeing him alive materializes and the man regains energy and vitality.