Ridge’s Heart in Turmoil: Eric Urges Him to Choose Love as Taylor Demands a Wedding—While Brooke Waits in the Shadows!
The Bold & The Beautiful: A Heart Divided

The golden sunlight of Los Angeles poured through the Forrester mansion’s grand windows, casting intricate shadows on the marble floors. Eric Forrester stood by the window, his gaze focused on the lush gardens beyond, but his mind was far from the tranquil scene. The house, once filled with laughter and the clinking of champagne glasses, now echoed with tension and unsaid words.

.

.

.

He turned as Ridge entered, his son’s face marked with the weight of impossible choices. Ridge’s eyes darted to Eric, searching for guidance, for solace, for something—anything—that could help him navigate the storm that threatened to tear his world apart.

“Dad,” Ridge began, his voice low and uncertain, “I don’t know what to do.”

Eric approached, placing a steady hand on Ridge’s shoulder. “Son, I know this isn’t easy. Family never is. But you can’t live your life by everyone else’s expectations. You have to follow your heart, Ridge. Not the pressure, not tradition—your heart.”

Ridge’s jaw clenched. “That’s easier said than done. There’s so much at stake. So many people will be hurt, no matter what I choose.”

Eric’s eyes softened. “That’s true. But if you don’t choose for yourself, you’ll lose yourself. And that’s a price too high to pay.”

Before Ridge could reply, the heavy oak doors swung open and Taylor strode in, her movements brisk and determined. Her eyes, usually so warm, were now sharp with resolve. She had waited long enough. The uncertainty, the whispers, the endless back-and-forth—it had to end.

“Ridge,” Taylor said, her voice unwavering, “we can’t keep living in limbo. I want to set a wedding date. Now.”

Ridge’s eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Eric, searching for a lifeline, but found only the same gentle encouragement to listen to his own heart.

Taylor continued, “We’ve been through so much. I love you, Ridge, and I know you love me. But I can’t keep waiting for something that may never happen. I need to know you’re committed to our future.”

Eric quietly excused himself, leaving father and son alone with Taylor, the tension in the room thickening like a storm about to break.

Ridge took a deep breath. “Taylor, I do love you. You’ve been my anchor, my confidante. But there’s so much I haven’t figured out yet. Brooke—”

Taylor’s face hardened at the mention of Brooke’s name. “Brooke is in Italy, Ridge. She’s not here. She’s not part of this anymore. We are.”

Ridge shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Brooke is always with me, even when she’s half a world away. I can’t just turn off my feelings.”

Taylor’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she didn’t back down. “Then you need to decide. I won’t be second choice, Ridge. Not anymore.”

Meanwhile, in the Shadows of Italy

Brooke Logan stood on a balcony overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany. The air was scented with jasmine and the distant sound of church bells. She held her phone in her hand, reading and rereading the last message from Ridge. It was short, uncertain, filled with the hesitation that had haunted their relationship for years.

She closed her eyes, remembering his touch, his laughter, the way he used to look at her as if she were the only woman in the world. But those days seemed so far away now. She wondered if she had lost him for good this time.

Her sister, Katie, stepped onto the balcony, offering a sympathetic smile. “You can’t keep torturing yourself, Brooke. If Ridge truly loves you, he’ll come back to you.”

Brooke nodded, but her heart was heavy. “What if he doesn’t? What if I’m just holding onto a dream?”

Katie squeezed her hand. “Then it’s time to start dreaming new dreams.”

The Impossible Choice

Back in Los Angeles, Ridge sat alone in his study, the walls closing in around him. Photos of his family lined the shelves—happy moments, frozen in time, mocking him with their simplicity. He picked up a picture of himself with Taylor and their children, then another of him with Brooke, her smile radiant, her eyes full of hope.

He remembered Eric’s words: “You have to follow your heart.”

But where was his heart? With Taylor, who had stood by him, loved him through every storm, built a life with him? Or with Brooke, the woman whose passion and fire had always drawn him back, no matter how many times they had hurt each other?

He heard footsteps and looked up to see Taylor in the doorway, her expression softening as she saw the torment on his face.

“I’m sorry, Ridge,” she said quietly. “I shouldn’t have pressured you. I just… I need to know where we stand.”

Ridge set the photos down, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I wish I knew what to say. I wish I could give you the answer you deserve. But my heart is torn in two.”

Taylor knelt beside him, taking his hands in hers. “Then let’s find a way to heal together. Let’s make new memories, new promises. Let’s set a date, Ridge. Let’s move forward.”

He looked into her eyes, seeing the love and hope there. But in his mind, he saw Brooke standing alone in Italy, waiting for a call that might never come.

A Love Triangle’s Final Act

As night fell over Los Angeles, Ridge stood on the balcony, the city lights twinkling below. He dialed Brooke’s number, his hands trembling. The phone rang, once, twice, three times. Then her voice, soft and uncertain.

“Ridge?”

He closed his eyes, the sound of her name a balm and a curse. “Brooke, I need to see you. I need to talk to you before I make any decisions.”

Brooke’s breath caught. “I’ll be on the next flight.”

Ridge hung up, his heart pounding. He turned to find Taylor watching him from the shadows, her face unreadable.

“Are you going to her?” she asked, her voice breaking.

He nodded, unable to lie. “I have to. I owe it to all of us to be sure.”

Taylor wiped away a tear, her voice steady despite her pain. “Then go. But remember, Ridge—when you come back, I need your whole heart. Not just a piece of it.”

The Future Unwritten

As Ridge left the house, Eric watched from the staircase, pride and sorrow mingling in his eyes. He knew his son’s journey was far from over. The path to true happiness was never easy, but perhaps, with honesty and courage, Ridge would finally find his way.

In the shadows of Italy and the bright lights of Los Angeles, three hearts waited, each hoping that love would triumph, that the past could be forgiven, and that the future—however uncertain—would be written together.

To be continued…