1988 (#16) - The brothers' amnesia and Ridge's proposal to Brooke

After a few days of anxiety and worry, Dr. Frank Tucker releases the prognosis on Ridge and the man is finally discharged from the hospital, with the doctors declaring him completely healed and fortunately without any consequences of the incident. Incredibly, both Ridge and Thorne seem to remember absolutely nothing of what happened, as if their brains had completely removed the episode. Stephanie, Caroline and Eric, informed in the meantime by his wife about what really happened, find themselves the only ones who know the truth and decide to keep it hidden, forever, for the good of the family and not to create more tension between the two brothers. The three agree not to talk about the incident anymore, explaining to Ridge that the shooter was probably one of the thugs who had already attacked him months before. If Thorne and Ridge seem to be able to resume their lives normally without any problem, it is Caroline who has strong psychological repercussions, also due to her fragile and kind soul, and who is unable to put the incident behind her by pretending nothing happened. Determined to face the unresolved issues that she has been carrying around for months, Caroline decides to go to therapy with a psychologist, Dr. Dennis Cameron, in search of answers about her true feelings and whether or not she was aware that Ridge was in her bed that night and not Thorne. Distressed by these questions, Caroline, with the help of the psychologist, realizes that she must learn to live not in the constant thought of not having to disappoint others, but in that of doing what will really make her feel good. As the days go by, Caroline begins to realize that Ridge is the only person she wants and should be with, and she begins to think about breaking up her marriage with an unsuspecting Thorne, who is convinced that Caroline is completely devoted to her. But while she seems ready to come to her senses, Ridge, on the other hand, is more and more convinced that Caroline is completely devoted to her brother and that it is time for him to move on. Between Caroline and Brooke, meanwhile, what was once a beautiful friendship has now turned into a conflictual relationship centered on Ridge. And so, when Caroline says that she thinks Ridge would do well to get away from someone as ambiguous in nature as Brooke, Brooke accuses her of being jealous of her relationship with Ridge. Caroline's words, however, do not leave Brooke indifferent, who begins to wonder why Ridge still does not come forward to formalize their union and showing that he wants to throw Caroline behind him for good; nothing more proverbial. A few days later, at the end of a romantic dinner at the exclusive Caffè Russe restaurant, Brooke is overjoyed to find an engagement ring at the bottom of her champagne glass. And so, as happens in the most romantic love stories, Ridge on his knees asks for the hand of his beautiful beloved who, as in a dream, accepts to become Mrs. Forrester.