Y&R: IS VICTORIA HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ASHLAND?
■ Victor, Nikki and Nick are concerned that Victoria may not be able to see her plan through to exorcise Ashland from their lives. The trio shows up at Victoria’s office, where Nick asks point-blank if she’s still in love with her no-good husband. “Victoria is a super-smart 40-something businesswoman, but she became blinded by love and that’s how Ashland duped her,” asserts Amelia Heinle (Victoria). “She’s been through all these bad experiences with men in the past, so you’d think she would’ve seen all these red flags. It’s a fine line between being trusting and gullible, so Victoria’s family is understandably worried that she might give him another chance.”
When Victoria doesn’t answer Nick’s question definitively, Victor demands to know where his daughter stands on the subject of her duplicitous husband. “She admits that feelings don’t disappear overnight and that it doesn’t matter if she still loves Ashland,” Heinle explains. “She assures them that she’s still committed to getting rid of him — and that all hinges on catching Ashland trying to frame Adam for the cancer ruse. However, there’s a new glitch in the plan.”
Victoria reports that Ashland is waffling on setting up Adam and is instead advocating for him and Victoria to just leave town together. “That causes Victoria to wonder out loud if Ashland is really sincere about those sentiments,” shares Heinle. “Is it possible to be that ruthless but he still genuinely loves her? That has her a little confused.”
Victor scoffs that Ashland is only thinking of himself and doesn’t know how to love anyone else. “Victoria finds that amusing,” says Heinle. “She reminds [him] how Nikki always loved Victor at his worst, so it’s not a stretch to understand where Victoria is coming from.”
Victoria exits to meet up with Ashland, leaving her family even more doubtful of her strategy. Muses Heinle, “She knows what’s best for her life right now ... but is that with or without Ashland?”
“Victoria’s family is understandably worried that she might give him another chance.”