Ridge Forester had reached his breaking point. Tired of the constant pressure from his father Eric and ex-wife Brooke, he longed to move forward without being dragged back into the past. Eric continued to push for a reunion between Ridge and Brooke, urging him to remember the love they once shared. Brooke inserted herself into every aspect of Ridge’s life, subtly pleading for another chance. Despite the emotional weight of their efforts, Ridge stood firm in his decision. He had chosen Taylor Hayes—wholeheartedly and without regret. This was not a choice made out of guilt or comfort, but one rooted in peace and clarity. In a final confrontation, Ridge declared his resolve to both Eric and Brooke, asking them to stop trying to sway him. He believed it was time to follow his heart without apology.

With the emotional baggage behind him, Ridge planned something meaningful for Taylor. There was no need for spectacle—just a quiet, heartfelt moment at the cliff house where he could finally express his intentions without interference. As the waves rolled softly in the background, Ridge took Taylor’s hand and asked her to marry him. The sincerity in his eyes, the soft glimmer of the ring, and the calm intimacy of the moment painted a perfect picture. But something shifted when Taylor didn’t immediately respond. Her face was unreadable, tears welling in her eyes. Ridge’s heart sank as he realized something was wrong. Taylor pulled back, her voice barely audible, and then she spoke the truth he wasn’t ready to hear.

Taylor’s rejection wasn’t born out of anger—it came from deep emotional wounds. She confessed that despite everything, she still felt like Ridge’s second choice. The presence of Brooke still loomed over their relationship, casting a shadow that Taylor could no longer ignore. She noticed how Ridge changed when Brooke was around—how his eyes betrayed a lingering attachment that words couldn’t mask. Her voice cracked as she told Ridge she couldn’t marry a man who might love someone else more than her. The moment shattered Ridge’s world, not through outside interference, but through Taylor’s raw and honest heartbreak. He stood frozen, the ring in his hand, unable to respond to a truth he had tried so hard to deny.

For the first time, Ridge saw the emotional toll his indecisiveness had taken on both women. Taylor, the woman he thought he could finally give his whole heart to, was walking away not because of betrayal, but because of emotional neglect. He wasn’t angry at her—he understood. Years of bouncing between Brooke and Taylor had fractured his ability to offer either of them full commitment. Now, he may have lost both. The future of Ridge Forester hangs in the balance—will he finally face the part of himself that can’t let go of Brooke? Is Taylor’s exit final, or just a demand for respect and clarity? As the dust settles, one thing is certain: this moment may have forever altered the Forester family.