1989 (#20) - The attraction to Mick and the marital crisis between Clarke and Kristen

As often happens, Sally was not wrong about Mick. The man in fact, in head only Kristen; and its frequentations before with Donna then with Macy other they did not represent and they were that a diversion and, to the maximum, a way in order to make Kristen jealous. The occasion for Mick to get closer to Kristen comes when the man proposes to the woman to pose for some shots for a photo shoot that is realizing, this proposal that allows Mick to spend a lot of time with the woman. And despite the fact that the woman reiterates several times that she is a married woman and has no ulterior motive, it is evident that Mick has an attractive power towards the woman, with whom he is always ready to bring to light episodes and unforgettable memories of their previous life in New York. Kristen herself, meanwhile, lives a very critical phase of her marriage, feeling that her relationship with Clarke is now off and drags forward only by inertia. And the signs of this come from the very front she had hoped would be over: Margot. In spite of her marriage to Bill, the relationship between Margot and Clarke continues to worry Kristen, who is forced to admit to herself that the thread that binds the two, the presence of their son Mark, is indissoluble. And she realizes this when Barry Holden, Bill's lawyer, barges into Clarke's office announcing Bill's desire to adopt Mark. Clarke firmly opposes the request and refuses to sign the papers prepared by the man, reiterating to Margot his desire to want to raise his son, whether Bill likes it or not. Tensions in the marriage between Kristen and Clarke then grow when Margot shows an irritated Clarke the shots of Kristen taken by Mick. Determined to set the record straight with the man, Clarke appears in his photo studio just as Mick and Kristen embrace for a symbolic farewell since Mick has understood and accepted the woman's decision to resume their affair. Clarke's reaction, as is easily predictable, is not at all calm and poised as the two of them beat each other up without much qualms in front of the woman's shocked eyes. The brawl results in Mick's dismissal from Spectra, but it doesn't solve the problem at all since Eric decides to hire the man at Forrester, where he can be even more in touch with his daughter. Determined to keep her distance, Kristen goes to Mick to ask him to give up his job, but in response the man kisses her passionately, showing that he still has a strong hold on her. At this point, it is increasingly evident that the marriage between Clarke and Kristen, even by their own admission, has reached the end of the line and would not survive long.

1989 (#12) - The marriage between Bill and Margot

Despite the fact that Mick's return seems to have put a damper on Kristen and Margot's marriage, Margot's expectations are not being realized exactly as she had hoped. In fact, although Mick and Kristen spend a lot of time together, Clarke doesn't seem jealous of the man at all, confident that his marriage is rock solid despite Margot's constant jibes. And although Clarke himself gets very close to Margot, happy that the man is beginning to be more and more a part of Mark's life and that he recognizes him as his son, the woman realizes that her future with Clarke is almost impossible. The man in fact, with whom Margot has the opportunity to confront at length during the hospitalization of little Mark due to a strong flu, makes the woman understand several times that he is very attached to the child but does not love her, which is why he can not imagine their future together. And whether it's a real lack of feelings, or a simple personal interest in wanting to remain tied to a Forrester, it makes little difference to Margot: Clarke must be forgotten once and for all. Finding herself melancholically alone and with a son to raise, Margot finds the only shoulder to cry on and vent her disappointments in Bill, who is also back from the bitter experience with Donna. Bill and Margot find themselves dating again and enjoying each other's company, but nothing makes Margot suspect what Bill has in mind. The proposal, therefore, arrives completely unexpected, and in front of a beautiful engagement ring, Margot can not say no. The news of the impending marriage leaves everyone speechless, but the only one who doesn't seem to be happy is Caroline, who is convinced that this idea is just her father's madness. After Caroline decides to move back in with her father, mainly to keep Margot under control, Bill and Caroline have a long discussion about the pros and cons of such a drastic decision, which obviously includes the consequence of taking on the responsibilities and commitments that come with taking care of a child; but in the end Bill manages to convince Caroline that there is a true and sincere feeling between him and Margot, which is the only thing that matters. And at her mother Marion's grave, on which Caroline spends much of her time to find comfort and advice, the girl admits her fear that Bill may have forgotten her and that Margot only wants to use him; but in the end she also finds the strength and confidence to welcome Margot into their family. To tell the truth, Margot hopes until the last moment that Clarke will intervene to stop the wedding, but this does not happen. And in the beautiful setting of an outdoor chapel overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Margot and Bill exchange their wedding vows, declaring their love for each other.

1989 (#9) - Margot's sights on Clark and the rapprochement between Mick and Kristen

Determined to leave no stone unturned to try to get Clarke's attention and love, for her sake and especially that of their son Mark, whom Clarke with difficulty and not without embarrassment recognizes, Margot tries in every way to put his marriage to Kristen in crisis. And digging into the woman's past, especially in the part of her life spent in New York, she finds the probable key that can solve all her problems. Looking through the Columbia University yearbook, in fact, Margot finds the traces of a possible ex-boyfriend of Kristen, Russell Tanner; and assisted by his great friend Bill, Margot discovers that Kristen in New York had an intense love affair. Intent on bringing to light the past of the woman to put in crisis her marriage, Margot then goes to the Big Apple in search of Russell, but that disappoints the expectations of Kristen revealing to have been a great friend of Kristen but not to have had any flirtation with her, unlike his former roommate, a photographer named Mick Savage. Intent on tracking the man down in every way and bringing him back into Kristen's life, Margot pays a visit to Kristen's former roommate, Bonnie Blaisdale, who confirms the whirlwind romance between Kristen and the elusive Mick. After a few twists and turns, Bill and Margot eventually track down Mick, and the woman makes him believe she's a writer intent on writing a biography on Kristen. And although Mick insists that nothing serious has happened between him and Kristen, the boy agrees to fly to Los Angeles, thanks to Bill's persuasive methods. In the meantime, Clarke, increasingly nervous and unable to keep his agreement with Sally hidden, reveals to Kristen all the background of the negotiations with Spectra and the fact that he is the mysterious Beau Rivage, emphasizing the fact that he acted in good faith and did not harm the Forrester refusing to steal their models. Kristen, however, while not compromising the position of the man and keeping these confidences for herself, shows more and more impatient by the lies of Clarke and tired of his petty and disrespectful behavior towards him, inviting him for this and the following nights to sleep on the couch. Finding herself alone and bitter to reflect on her marriage in front of a glass of tequila, Kristen is surprised to see and recognize Mick at the counter of the same room, intent on talking with a colleague. Showing as much surprise as she does at this chance encounter, Mick avoids telling Kristen the details of his visit to Los Angeles and his supposed biography that Margot is writing; rather, the topic quickly devolves to their happy times together in New York and the depressing current state of Kristen's marriage. The girl, who has always been a strongly independent woman with a rebellious soul, admits to finding herself in a situation that is not congenial to her, imprisoned in a relationship and a life that she does not feel is her own. Between the two, it is clear, there has been in the past a great attention that has never dissolved completely, just what Margot hoped, overjoyed that her plan is working to perfection.

1989 (#2) - Clarke's efforts and agreement with Sally on Forrester Originals models

When an excited Kristen tells Ridge about the dream home Clarke was purchasing for them, a skeptical Ridge appears very dubious about the man's plans. And indeed, Ridge's suspicions turn to reality when Kristen herself learns from the builders of their supposed home that they don't even know who Clarke is. Enraged and still reeling from realizing how Clarke lied to her, Kristen lashes out at her friend Margot, who expresses much empathy for the woman while being careful not to let her relationship with Clarke leak out. In the meantime, Clarke himself, increasingly pressured by Margot's demands for money and stressed by the fact that he must resolve the matter as soon as possible, turns to his old boss, Sally Spectra, to ask for a loan. Sally, owner of Spectra Fashion, a fashion house that has always been a rival of Forrester's, against which it has always struggled in terms of turnover and visibility, has agreed to lend Clarke the money to pay Margot, but on one condition: in exchange, Clarke must secretly turn over to her the designs of six Forrester Originals models in order to resell them as her own. But Clarke's efforts, forced to accept the deal and jeopardize his job at Forrester Creations, soon prove futile when a disappointed and enraged Kristen throws the truth in Clarke's face, that the purchase of their home is a complete lie. At this point Clarke, tired of lying, having no other choice confesses to Kristen the whole truth about his night with Margot and his paternity of Mark. Upset and shocked by the words of her husband, Kristen is furious with him throwing all kinds of insults. However later, with a cool head, Kristen comes to the conclusion that she doesn't want to end her marriage to Clarke and give him a second chance, not before confronting what she considered to be her friend, Margot, and intimating her to get out of their lives. No longer in need of money, a relieved Clarke meanwhile returns to Sally to inform her that the deal is off; however, the woman is not of the same opinion at all, showing Clarke a videotape with the recording of their agreement ready to be sent to Eric. Panicked to be blackmailed again, this time by Sally, Clarke does everything he can to convince the woman that he'll commit himself to raising Spectra's image, even getting her to meet Stephanie; but it's all useless: Sally demands her designs and, if she doesn't, she'll make sure Clarke finds herself on the breadline. When Rocco catches Clarke snooping around Ridge's office on some of his sketches, the man realizes that he can't risk this way; and so, convinced of his possibilities, he decides to realize himself the models demanded by Sally, that once ready he immediately presented to the businesswoman. Sally's initial skepticism on the material viewed, passed off as some models designed by Eric himself, is soon disproved by Caroline, who declares herself pleasantly surprised by the new creative verve of Spectra, which thus earns a cover of the famous Eye on Fashion. This thrills Sally with happiness and makes Clarke breathe a big sigh of relief.

1988 (#18) - Mark's birth, Margot's blackmail and Clark's lies

Disappointed by Clarke's indifference and selfish behavior, who in order not to jeopardize his marriage and to keep his betrayal a secret reiterates to the woman that if he had told Kristen about the baby he would have been out of their lives and that of the unborn child forever, Margot doesn't rest and promises herself that she will do everything to guarantee her son the best life possible. Determined to defend and assert her rights and those of her son, Margot runs for cover by asking Storm for help and using his skills as a lawyer. The man, impressed by the woman's story, agrees not to underestimate the issue and is happy to learn that Margot wants to sue Clarke, having always disapproved of his questionable and duplicitous character. Soon, Storm and Margot send a letter with a formal request for $100,000 for child support, a request that immediately sends Clarke into a panic. An unsuspecting Kristen, who suspects absolutely nothing of what is happening, in the meantime begins to notice Margot's weight gain and speculates that the woman may be pregnant, a suspicion that is the same Margot to confirm, being very careful not to leak anything about who the father is. After making love to Kristen, meanwhile, a thoughtful but loving Clarke asks his wife to lend him $100,000. The woman, caught unawares, accepts without problems the strange request of her husband, settling for a vague justification relating to a possible surprise. On the other hand, the attention and curiosity of the woman is all projected towards Margot and her now mysterious pregnancy, certainly the most popular topic and on everyone's lips at Forrester. And it is the same Kristen, who believes that the father of the child is Storm, to show that she cares more than anyone else to her friend, offering support in this delicate moment and proposing to move to them to live in peace this important phase of his life. This is a decision that Clarke does not agree with at all, even though he has to accept the forced cohabitation with the woman who wants to ruin his life, to which in the meantime he makes a first transfer of 50,000 dollars. After months of waiting, Margot finally gives birth to her son, to whom she gives the name of Mark McLaine; this is a very intense and evocative moment for Kristen, who witnesses the birth of Mark and learns from Margot herself that she wants to give the child the surname of her family and not that of her ex-husband Robert, Linley, who she decided to continue to carry. Storm, who everyone thinks is the baby's father, is also very happy and excited about the birth; a role that Margot realizes would please the man very much. So Margot, in thanking Storm once again for all of his support and willingness to help, while reiterating that she doesn't have any feelings for him other than their strong friendship, asks him to be Mark's godfather, which Storm accepts with enthusiasm. Kristen, meanwhile, asks Clarke what he had done with the $100,000 he had loaned him and what surprise he had in store for her. Clarke then asks his wife to get in the car to go for a drive, and in front of a beautiful mansion under construction, he shamelessly lies to a dreamy Kristen that it would be their new home.